A Cavalcade of WO-65-2 Unimatics - Part II

[JerseyMike]

Westtexman observed: "I must say I'm pretty amazed with all of the knowledge you guys have on repairing/rebuilding washing machines. I have never attempted to repair one. I would love to learn, though. I guess I need to buy some old manuals and an old machine and teach myself. Too bad they don't have a "Washing Machine Repair Bootcamp" or something I could go to. How did you guys learn so much? Do you do this for a living?"

I agree! These guys are truly amazing!

Mike

 

[bostonwash]

combining 2 to make 1

It is so convenient when you find 2 of the same/similiar machines, each with several things "wrong" but different things on each machine. More than a few times I've been able to disassembe 2 or even 3 machines, and build 1 new.
Is it a rewarding feeling, I don't know, but taking 2 pieces of "junk" and making a jewel is the ultimate in recycling.

 

[Brent-Aucoin]

Robert you look like you are having so much fun!
I don't know if it is the combination of your pictures, and explinations of "how it works," but it all looks so easy and complicated at the same time.
Do you have this Unimatic system burned in your brain? Or, do you get the gitters still when you start to take them apart.
Thanks for the great pictures!
Can't wait to see the first wash!
Brent

 

[gyrafoam]

Leaking oil pump seal?

Having gotten my mechanism ready to bench test at last-----the oil began to run out of the area where the rotor shaft meets the oil pump seal and "O" rings.

I have broken down the area to inspect it and see nothing that would lead me to believe that the problem is with the seals. Today I will go purchase a couple of new "O" rings and replace the old ones. I suspect it is the smaller lower ring that is the culprit.

Now, before I reassemble the thing I know to add the oil and let it sit there for a while to see if I have a leak------then install the motor end bell, fan and pump.

The motor end bell bearing on mine seems fine----so I'm not going to bother it. Fortunatly, I have found a great little bearing shop near me who seems to have no trouble in finding me bearings for the mechanism. Robert---- let me know if you need one.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Rick, good observation. Actually the little hole in the plaster is old; it’s from a Kenmore tranny a while back. Not a big deal in the workshop. Testing a Unimatic on its side wouldn't be a good idea anyway.

Brent, I know each and every Unimatic Mechanism part inside and out now, it makes it a lot easier to have it all stored in long-term memory.

Thanks Steve, I have a bunch of those bearings myself. We have some really great bearing shops here. Your oil test idea is a good one! I would put in only 5oz or so, just enough to fill the bottom of the oil pan and wait a day. If everything is dry then add the other 20oz. Be warned though, sometimes the oil seal holds until you run the motor, then it decides to fail.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Steve, one last thing I just thought of. During your oil seal test you need to make sure that the motor end bell is installed!! Because the oil seal has 3 parts:

1. the main seal pressed into the oil pump housing
2. the face seal that slips onto the rotor shaft
3. the spring on the rotor shaft that holds that face seal tight against the main seal, but lets the face seal rotate with the motor.

If the motor end bell is not installed, there might not be enough pressure on the rotor to hold #2 and #3 against #1 and then the dreaded drip, drip, drip.

 

[westytoploader]

Great work so far!

The other mechanism with the "vanished" pulsator shaft looks good cosmetically, IMHO. Would there be a way to use the motor and bell cover off of the other mechanism, or is there a problem with that motor, rendering it non-operational?

The excitement is building...can't wait to look "under the hood" and see what happened to the pulsator shaft!

--Austin

 

[Unimatic1140]

Would there be a way to use the motor and bell cover off of the other mechanism, or is there a problem with that motor, rendering it non-operational?

Hi Austin, I am going to use to better end bell, but both motors winding cases are in perfect shape electrically, one looks slightly better than the other, but both are perfect. While all parts are interchangable there is no reason to take the extra time and effort to switch the motor winding case itself. I'll save the extra motor case when I breakdown the "bad" mechanism for parts during my cleanup phase after the washer is reassembled and washing away.

 

[gyrafoam]

Robert---The problem is in the eyesight!

Well I did have everything assembled when the oil started to drip----had to break it all down again. Last night Greg N. sent me a close up of the different tiny parts used in the assembly of the oil pump seal kit updated as of 12/64 (Part#6591693). The detail is good enough for me to see the way each part should be turned HOWEVER I am NOT using that kit----I am using older parts and some of those parts are obviously different. The real culprit is that I cannot tell which way this particular seal belongs. No matter----if I install it the way it would make sense----so that the "o" ring snaps into place down in the well for the rotor-----it still leaks!

I was able to find new "O" rings. So I think the problem is in the eye of the assembler as the seals still seem nice as new to me. I MUST be reversing something but I just don't know what.

Tomorrow I am off to visit Steve 1-18 and Rhinnie (in Augusta) for the weekend and will take the mechanism with me-----I will call Dick Fox (of Fox appliance parts) in the morning and see if I can arrange to meet up with him and have him SHOW me EXACTLY how each of these tiny parts goes. One of the problems is that the mechanism I am working on is older than the machine it came out of so finding just the right chart for comparison is confusing.

I will keep you posted. I can certainly agree with the saying that "once you have worked on a "Unimatic" mechanism you will NEVER forget the expierence"!