50's GE impeller dishwasher--akron OH

[akronman]

Someone said that after you search 2 years and find one, then within a month another comes along. So this time it's my maternal Grandma's EXACT replacement, black propeller GE dishwasher from the 50's.

Model 1SP40N, ser 55423890. does that mean 1955 model? And it say GE Automatic Dishwasher, nowhere does it say Mobile Maid, Is this the predecessor? Also, nameplate reads 11 amps and the Calrod heats exactly when the main motor runs--on the exact same wires, further proof that my 66 Mobile Maid in other threads is truly a non-water-heating model, 6 amps.

 

 

[this post was last edited: 11/5/2013-20:26]

 

[akronman]

so far

I nursed it through a cycle, I'll tell problems as I go along. The unit is complete, origianl brittle 3 prong cord, unicoupler medium leaky (but it's into the sink).

 

The racks are pretty good, I'll get a new bottle of that rack-renu that did well on 2 previous restorations.

 

And if I remember Grandma's, the soap dish upside down is used to fill for the initial wash/rinse, then you turn it right side up and fill and close the lid of the cup for the main wash.

 

[akronman]

bottom rack

in fine shape, with stainless steel mesh as a safety spoon catcher? Dishes fill it up pretty well, not much room for more.

 

[akronman]

and

the impeller seems pretty good, normal wear?

 

[akronman]

leak

the drain pump has a small leak. It looks like it was put together with liquid gasketing. IT's minor, and the pump works well, maybe I'll just add more goop without opening it up.

 

Picture is sideways

This DW has lots more parts than the 60's Mobile Maids. This one has a main motor for the impeller, this little motor for draining, a water level switch instead of timed fill, and a dial-to-timer strap with holes and teeth, pretty major set-up. Only one cycle, no options except adding detergent at the very start or just filling the top of the cup for the main wash.

 

[akronman]

impeller motor

it runs! the leads then head exactly to the Calrod, for heating during all washes and rinses.

 

There is a minor leak above the motor, and the drip pan catches it and runs it away from the motor. So far only one semi-cycle, I'm gonna wait for other work and maybe water and heat and usage will cure this.

 

[akronman]

problems

Timer and or water valve solenoid---something is junk. I took off the solenoid and put 120V to it, I can hear a good loud click, and I checked the hose and filter screens, all looks good. But on the machine, either it isn't yet getting power from the timer, or the timer ain't moving, too early to tell. I did pour lots of water in at one point and tripped the level switch, tons of water and smooth operation, and I could tell the water got hotter and hotter.  But the timer wasn't going anywhere. I advanced it to pump and that motor works well too.

 

The timer has that hole-filled strap running up to the dial, I haven't gotten into that area yet. I'll post pics when I do.

 

I have spare WP washer solenoids, aren't most of the internal diaphram/spring/copper bits interchangeable? And the solenoid itself?

 

So, the timer needs to be checked, drain pump has a minor leak, fill valve unpowered? Unworking? Main motor minor leak into the drain pan. This one will keep me busy a bit.

 

Here's a betterr pic of the pump leak

 

[akronman]

last one

HEre's the back cover removed. The air gap is about as non-fancy as it gets. And so far, the unicoupler hot water leaks at the sink faucet. But so little water has run through it yet, I will wait and see if a few loads of hot water softens up rubber parts, etc. The previous owner is a pure junk-man, it was in his storage unit for 5 years, he doesn't remember where or when he got it, never even plugged it in. The cord is brittle and broken, I'll rewire soon with extra length to reach my nearest outlet.

 

The lid pops up about an inch when dialed to open. Should I tighten that long spring, or is it about right?

 

The body has some decent scrathes, no surface rust though. And of course the lid is pure porcelain white, the cabinet is off-white aged.

 

One built in Kitchen Aid and 2 portable GE's is enough, right?

 

[turquoisedude]

Mark, this one's a '56 (the N in the model number is the GE year code for 1956).

The water solenoid may be a problem, but you should be able to clean it.

The lid 'pop' seems right to me. The lid opened this much 'cause the calrod doesn't stay on for a dry cycle in this model.

Geez, I gotta play with my other Mobile Maids again soon... LOL

 

[d-jones]

Great find, Mark. Vintage stuff is fun in general, but when you find something you remember from childhood it's even better. It looks like this one's found a good home.

 

When I was a kid living in Highland Park my parents had a machine like this, though I don't recall if the trim was red like this one or the blue green version. I had forgotten it completely until I saw it sitting in the kitchen in an old photo. I've been thinking about tracking one down ever since.

 

[everythingold]

Great find. Impellers are awesome!

 

[akronman]

timer

Of course right in the middle of this I can't find my multi-meter, but it will turn up somewhere. I do NOT want to screw with the escapement. How do I remove only the motor for testing? So far, I removed the round strap at the top, but the black motor just pivots a bit and doesn't pull out. There's also three silver philips scrws you can see on the round escapement, and three tiny nuts, but I don't want to accidentally open the escapement. And once I find the multi-meter, I should find contnuity from one contact to the next, or else it's dead? It's a Mallory timer with Ingraham motor.

Thanks

Mark

 

 

[turquoisedude]

Mark, after removing those nuts and the metal 'strap', the timer motor should lift off. It may be gummed up - try warming the bottom of the motor with a hair dryer slightly (yes, that sounds crazy, but it works!). It should be easier to remove after that.

Test the motor with 110v - if the drive gear moves, then you may have some gumming of the escapement gear mechanism. However, these motors are kinda temperamental and finding a direct replacement one is not easy.

 

[d-jones]

Mark

The three philips screws you see attach the escapement to the timer, while the flat pressed steel nuts hold the halves of the escapement together. Paul is right though; once the top strap is removed there shouldn't be anything else holding the timer motor in place. You can see all of this in the Apex timer repair thread from January of this year. That was also an Ingraham motor. This link will take you to it.

 

Timer repair for Kevin's Apex washer

Most of you will recall that Kevin recently picked up a very rare vintage Apex washer, one of only two known to club members. After years of neglect it needs a lot of tlc to get it going again. So after the initial clean up, since very little happens on a vintage machine without a functioning...

www.automaticwasher.org

 

And yes, if there is no continuity between the two motor leads then it's dead, or should I say "mostly dead," since they can be repaired.

 

 

 

 

[akronman]

ongoing stuff

The timer motor is dead, there's a Ingraham motor website offering repairs for around $150! So instead I'm searching Ebay and such, who knows. It would take a lottery win for that website, my hobby budget just ain't that big. However, I can advance the dial and get a "customized" cycle. And it has other problems prior to timer motor worries.

 

The water level switch----tested and works but set wrong, and I replaced the hose to it. The impeller motor starts along with incoming water, there's no wait for the level switch. That's fine, but it never turns off. So far I've adjusted the screw out twice, gotta just keep testing until it shuts off. Seems like it's hard to judge with the motor running and all that commotion, but that seems to be the system. Can anyone verify that on these mid-50's models, that the motor and water start simultaneously, there's no "fill pause?" So I end up turning off the water, letting it wash a bit, then advancing to drain. Some literature mentions RWR for around 6 gallons, so once it's near correct I can measure the output for 2 gallons per fill and adjust to it. Some 55 literature mentions a quick purge at the start, but I can't find it yet, who knows.

 

Gasket leak around the top of the tub----the rear of the tub, where the hinge is, doesn't have the exterior cabinet at the rear center, instead it's open for all the hose assembly and machinery. So the gasket fits poorly thru that middle 8 inches or so at the back, and with all that excessive water in the tub impelled around, I'm getting drips down the back of the outside of the interior tub.  Down near the motor and pump, so I'll work on water level and see if that solves that leak before I put some red RTV goop carefully under the rubber. I have to solve that leak, at the top of the whole machine, before I can see if there's more lower leaks.

 

With other dishwashers perfectly functioning, I think I will not mind if this one works and doesn't leak but doesn't have a $150 timer motor. That way I can run the wash and rinses as long as I want, sort of semi-automatic, wtf. We'll see.

 

Advice to anyone, lol. With a dial on a "chain sprocket" around 2 feet long to the timer, don't dissasemble either end until you have marked both sprockets and the chain in 2 places for re-assembly. Elsewise, you'll have to take maybe 16 tries to re-align, running cycle after cycle to see if the main dial and lid-opener/closer match with what the timer is doing. Or the lid pops up while 2 gallons of hot water are whirling like Hurricane Katrina. So I have been told.....Cleanest kitchen floor in ages!

 

 

 

[akronman]

more

Thanks Pual C Turquise and d-jones for info----I ain't done yet and will need more!

 

This pic shows the back. Instead of the heavy cabinet, there's just the aluminum piece holding the cord and hoses. Consequently, the gasket fits poorly here around the inside tub rim. Once it has normal amounts of water, if it's still leaking, I think some RTV would stop that. Also, the lid gasket all looks great, but doesn't close very tightly so the correct fit of the outer gasket becomes quite important.

 

Maybe this is why some folks pay hundreds for these machines in perfect shape, and I end up with lots of work for my $25 and $75 machines. Kinda equals out later.

 

[akronman]

leaks

I have another thread going on the pump for this machine.

 

Here's a pic of the perfect repair for the lid gasket leak. 1/4 x 1/2 Press and seal closed cell foam, Home Depot's weatherproofing department.   The lid's gasket, in the upper right of the pic, is very severely and permanently squished down. First I reversed it from front to back, could not notice any improvement. Then I added 1/8 by 1/4 foam to the lid gasket, but it came loose in one wash. So far, the gasketing added to the tub itself, not the lid, seems to be staying very well in place after about 4 loads.  Home D sells it 17 feet for $2.29, I bet that's enough for a years worth of repairs/re-installation.

 

I still have some valve work, timer re-syncing to the knob work, pump sealing, etc, , but stopping the huge lid leak was a major need. After about 4 loads, I don't know if I can really get used to the specific loading needed for impeller models. Dishes are fine and clean, cups and saucers and mugs and tumblers up top turn out well, but the bottom really won't take pots or pans at all unless you then purposely leave the top rack above them empty, since they will stop the water. More learning, I know, but this imperfect somewhat restored model may go back on the market once I'm as done as I can get.  But the dead timer motor, and having to step it through the cycle, means I am likely quite stuck with a crowded kitchen.