1962 GE automatic Power Wash Dishwasher

[brenny625]

Hi everyone!
I am having trouble and that is how I found your website. I would like to ask a question, if I may. I just bought a vintage 1962 turquoise GE set (dishwasher, refrigerator and drop-in stove). They came from an executive suite at a Chromecraft plant in Senatobia, Mississippi. I bought them from a guy who attended the auction there. It was love at first site! They were never used much and are pristine. Absolutely beautiful. Anyway, they problem I having is with the dishwasher. It seems to run water too much (almost constant) and doesn't drain. I looked for the model number and found the tag (SU66V2), which does not show on the GE website when looking for parts and manuals. We just took the dishwasher outside to get a better look and try to figure out where the intake valve, etc. is, but I am lost. Does anyone have any experience with this dishwasher? Thank You!

 

[toploader55]

Holy Crap !!!

That's the machine I grew up with when I was seven years old.

Oh you will get lots of help with this one...

 

[turquoisedude]

Oy gevalt!  What a beautiful dishwasher!  Congratulations!!!!

 

The water intake valve is at the rear of the cabinet that the dishwasher tub slides into - IIRC there should be kind of clip on the slides which move the tub back and forth that you can release to allow the dishwasher to slide all the way out.  But be careful - there is also a power cable that connects the motor for the dishwasher to a kind of power outlet also at the rear of the cabinet.  Don't pull the dishwasher tub out forcefully - ease it out and then reach inside to disconnect the power cable.  With the tub out, you'll see the water valve.  You may not be able to find something that fits perfectly but you can adapt a modern one.  

 

Have a look at the attached pictures from my poor, broken '59 Princess; hopefully what I said above will make sense.  I don't seem to have a photo of the water valve... sorry!

 

Colour me turquoise green with envy.... LOL 

 

[brenny625]

OK.......we have it outside and checked out all the hoses,etc. One of the hoses in a difficult spot was loose. We tightened it and added clamps to both ends. Then checked out the valves They seem to be fine, but when we started a wash, it seems to be leaking from around the top seal towards the back. Maybe the seal needs to be replaced? GE says they do not have a manual due to it's age. I'm getting distraught. lol

 

[ken]

For whatever use it might be to you this thread has the instruction manual which would pertain to yours. Not your exact model but close. This was my first post here four years ago when I asked for info concerning the 56 GE DW I had just gotten.

1958 GE DW instruction booklet needed

Hello all, New member and first time poster here. Really enjoy the discussions and info to be found here. I recently aqcuired a 58 GE dishwasher (under cabinet model) and would like to find a user manual for it. Or even a copy of one. Any chance someone here might have one? Ken K. [this...

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[turquoisedude]

Top gasket

Unfortunately, that gasket is probably shot and will need to be replaced.  It was a weak point for these dishwashers, apparently...  

 

The original GE part is NLA, but you should be able to rig something using closed-cell foam tape.   

 

[brenny625]

We got everything lubricated, tightened, cleaned, etc. and it seems to be fine now. I'm going to let it sit overnight (outside on the covered porch) and then do a run and see how it goes. So far though, I don't think it's leaking any longer. YEAH!!!!!!!!! I'm going to try to post pics of it's sister and brother stove and refrigerator. These are gorgeous!

 

[bajaespuma]

There's an old-style solenoid valve that's attached to the back of the cabinet frame that the dishwasher slides into on it's drawer-style rails. It's located, usually, at the cross of the two metal braces in the back (on the LH side of fig. 11 in the NEW-4 picture below). It is likely that the solenoid mechanism is sticking open (I've had this problem with vintage washing machines; usually taking the solenoid apart and giving it a good but careful cleaning has done the trick). The problem here is that nothing in this vintage is modular. The solenoid is connected via copper pipe to the house plumbing and then another length of copper tubing runs up over the dishwasher to the front of the unit where the hot water is injected into the tub. You'll need tools, some patience and some plumbing ability. I imagine you could swap out the old solenoid with a newer one, but I would need a plumber to do that, I don't know about you. You might also want to be careful when you take the machine apart; one of the GE pull-outs we owned had large black asbestos pads insulation inside that cabinet, at least wear a mask.

 

[brenny625]

Thank you so much. That is some really good information that I enjoyed reading. I'm going to take a look at mine to day and clean it. I never would have known about this if you hadn't told me. I still have it outside, so it should be easier to handle that way.
And again, thank you so much!

 

[bajaespuma]

Last year for the GE Princess 24.

Could you post some pictures of the inside of the machine and the back of the empty cabinet and some of the parts such as the inlet valve? It would help narrow down possibilities and would make our day.

 

Is this the one that's blue and white on the inside? That would be the color scheme for 1962 when they introduced their Drop-down door line. The first dishwasher our family ever owned was a 1961 TOL version of this with 4 cycles called a "Custom". In retrospect, it was the best dishwasher we ever had in terms of useful and meaningful cycles, capacity, speed and quiet; and we had a couple of great KitchenAids and a Maytag Jet Clean. Those others were most likely better cleaners, but in my family that wasn't an issue since Mom hand-washed every item before loading and got royally pissed-off if anybody tried to skip that step.

 

If you ever get tired of your machine, I have a good home for it where it can play outdoors and chase rabbits...

 

[peggydillard]

GE Mobile Maid dishwasher

I have a GE Mobile Maid dishwasher -1960s-I need a part for it, I need the Plastic white paddle part that pumps the water out of the machine and through the arm that spins. Does anyone have this part or know where I can get it? I love this machine and I'd really like to get it working. Thanks