Beginning Restoration on Maytag 101P!!

[Unimatic1140]

Hi Geoff, its a good thing you couldn't get the Agitamer under that red bakelite agitator, it would have broken it into at least three pieces in no time flat. Filling the tub with very hot water might do the trick to loosen the agitator, but you will need long heat proof rubber gloves to try and pull it out. Hot water might not work either, I suspect the only way you are going to be able to get it out is to break it and replace the agitator. A later Maytag agitator will fit, but it wont have the float assembly .

Is there a specific reason why you need to get the agitator off? Actually if you need to you can pull the tub and agitator out as a unit if you remove some parts from below the outer tub.

 

[westytoploader]

How does this type of float assembly actually work? The 1949 AMP's float just "lifts" up with the water. Also, how would you go about watching the action if the water level switch was in the lid, and the lid was up?

 

[geoffdelp]

Hi Robert ...

The real reason why I want to remove the agitator is to finish cleaning. I hate other people's "gunk". I was studying the service guide and I could remove the torque clutch and brake assembly and pull the entire unit out; but I can probably clean this quite well as is.

I want to be able to keep this machine as original as possible.

 

[geoffdelp]

Hi Austin ... the stainless steel cap on this machine lifts up, also. There is a diaphragm inside the agitator which rises the stainless steel cap as the water level rises and it presses against the black bakelite button to trip the mercury switch and start agitation/spin action.

One of the selling points with Maytag was safety. You could not watch any action with the lid up. Everything stopped. I was reading in the service manual that one could install demonstration switches on the back cabinet that would bypass the mercury switch system so dealers could demonstrate the filling, agitation, and spin action of these machines.

I'll get it all working correctly first and then I'll think about the switches.

I grew up with Maytag's, so I'm used to not being able to see everything!! Actually, I think if you lift the lid a few inches, you can see the action before it stops.

 

[retromom]

How cool is that!

Geoff:

You really have your work cut out for you! I know you will really love that washer when you are done! What an awesome red agitator! This is going to be a fun one to watch!

Venus

 

[geoffdelp]

Pretty Cool!

Hi Venus: I think I probably will like this washer a lot when I'm done. My Mom is constantly on me about using my wrists when I use my Maytag wringers; she thinks I'm going to damage them from rinsing by hand!! She also remembers the work that used to be entailed with this method of doing laundry.

She checked out the "new" Maytag the other night and said, "that's just like my first one!" Followed by the gratuitous "how much did you pay for that?" My Mom is 84 years young this year and lives with me now. She LOVES the brand new Maytag I bought in 1998. Bet 'ya she uses this one, too.

I was surprised, but the gallon capacity is only 12.75 gallons per full load. My Maytag wringer Model N is a 16 gallon tub. Quite a bit of difference!!

The instruction book talks about not having to wash once a week, but when it's "convenient"; every day if you wish!!!

Fun stuff ...

Geoff

 

[Unimatic1140]

Geoff, all you have to do is jump the lid switch on this machine. Then you will need to let if fill with the lid closed and when agitation begins you can open it for wash and spin.

 

[geoffdelp]

Robert, if I jump the lid switch, will the unbalance switch still work?

 

[lesto]

I may be wrong but I don't think the AMPs have an unbalance switch. Anyway, I think Robert is right. Stop trying to remove the agitator or it will surely break and red bakelites are not easy to find.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Hi Geoff, no if you jump the lid switch the unbalance switch wont work anymore but the AMP has a pretty solid suspension system and you probably wouldn't wash just one rug in this machine anyway. Besides you'll want to be there to catch all the fun and you would catch an off-balance load manually.

 

[geoffdelp]

Thanks, Robert ... will it also bypass the water level, too? Will it always be set on "normal"?

You're right ... I probably will never wash just one rug; I use the wringers for those!!

 

[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!!