Beginning Restoration on Maytag 101P!!

[Unimatic1140]

Geoff there are two independent mercury switches in the lid. One senses when the lid is closed (you need to bypass this one) the other senses when the water level float in the agitator touches the black button underneath the lid. If you open the lid with the lid switch bypassed the mercury in the water level switch falls down to the bottom of the switch via gravity and the machine thinks the proper water level has been reached. You can set the water level to what ever you want and when agitation begins you can then open the lid.

In summary, with the safety switched bypassed, if you open the lid when the machine is filling it will simply start to agitate. If you leave the lid closed during the fills the machine will start to agitate when the proper water level is reached.

In my AMP I start the washer without any clothes in it with the lid closed and I let it fill for a minute. Then I open the lid and let agitation begin and add the detergent to mix in with the water with the agitator going. After 20 seconds or so I push the dial in and add the clothes and close the lid. I pull the dial back out and the machine fills to the proper level. When agitation begins again I can open the lid to watch the action.

 

[geoffdelp]

Robert, thanks! I do see where there are two separate mercury switches in the lid. I am still trying to figure out how they did the water level indicator. It is attached on the inside of the lid to the button via a spring. I would assume if you turn the dial to a lower water setting, it moves the button further in to "trick" the machine into thinking there is more water in tub - is that right? I don't see how it could affect the diaphragm on the agitator otherwise.

The way you bypassed the switches sounds like the "demonstration" switch they used to install for the dealers on the back of the machine. When you flipped it to manual, it would start to agitate or spin, depending upon where you had the dial set.

They had a separate switch for filling. Once the tub was filled, however, you had to switch it back to automatic otherwise it would continue to fill with water ... sort of like an overflow wash and/or rinse!

I like the way you have your AMP set-up; I enjoyed watching it at the wash-in.

 

[geoffdelp]

Agitator Moving

Hi Everyone ... last night, I was scrubbing on this machine with a Brillo pad and thought, "why can't I get the agitator to move back and forth by hand?" I started to "floss" with string and got quite a bit of dirt out from underneath and then ... voila! ... I was able to manually push the agitator back and forth!! I was so pumped ... there's hope for all of this yet!!

This weekend, I'm going to put the top back on and the motor back in and see if I can't get this pretty little Maytag to agitate and spin.

She sure is begging for a tub-full of hot water, Tide and some Clorox for a thorough cleaning!!!!!

Geoff

 

[mayken4now]

Let us know if

it will agitate once you put the motor on. Give it a try. If that is successful, then was the living H..L out of her with real hot water, maybe a rag or two. Then that will loosen all the crud and perhaps you will be able to give it what it needs at that time.

Good Luck!

Steve

 

[geoffdelp]

Steve ... thanks! I will give it a shot.

 

[gyrafoam]

Geoff, that is such good news as I know you did not want that agitator to break! I hope it will work for you now.

 

[geoffdelp]

Thanks, Steve ... I'll let everyone know!!