Can someone restore my Kenmore washer for me? Thanks !

[bluebirdgirl]

I have Kenmore heavy duty washing machine model # 110. 92273100. It is about 18-to-20 years old. I love it and want to find someone who can restore the outside so that it looks pretty and mostly new again . . . it seems hard to find someone who can do this. The transmission also needs repair . . . it is easier to find someone to do just the repair. If I could find someone to at least restore the outside, that would be wonderful. If someone could restore the outside as well as do the repair, that would be great, too. There is also a matching dryer that needs attention. We live in North Carolina and are willing to drive to a nearby state. Thank you SO MUCH for your help.

 

[whirlykenmore78]

WP/KM Washer and dryer

These would be early 90's machines.  Easily some of the best ever made.  Hopefully you can keep these running for a long time as most new washers are junk compared to yours.  I would imagine someone here can help you.   I would offer to do so but I live near Minneapolis.  Perhaps Gordon (Kenmoreguy64) could help. 

WK78

 

[bluebirdgirl]

Thank you for your input. I wish you were closer, too ! I looked up Kenmoreguy64 and emailed him. Haven't heard back as yet. I am hoping he has time to respond/ do the work. Everyone has so much "on their plate" these days.

I would really appreciate your opinion . . . Which would be the more reliable way to go: renovating our old Kenmore - or - buying a new Speed Queen top loader? The Speed Queen appears to have some issues that are concerning . . . mainly being delivered with grease in the wash tub that the warranty and SQ Service Dept. and retailers may not be addressing adequately. SQ also does not have a warm rinse and will not fill up all the way unless one uses the reset button and/ or adjusts the screw in the back. Also, I'm not sure SQ allows a genuine hot wash any more . . . all features that I love on my old Kenmore. But if I renovate my old Kenmore, will it hold up for the next 15 -to-20 years? If it needs repair in 5-to-10 years, will parts be available?

Thank you so much for your help !

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Hi Bluebirdgirl

I saw your message and wrote back a few moments ago. I wish I had the time to devote to your machine, but unfortunately I don't right now.

I would caution you not to get too excited about an occasional complaint about grease in a tub of a Speed Queen washer, or any other. Manufacturing defects/mistakes happen with anything being made, especially when human error can be involved, but grease and laundry clearly don't mix so I would not expect Speed Queen to make a common error with this without taking corrective action quite quickly. Everything I've heard leads me to believe that SQ/Alliance management takes their reputation very seriously.

I am not sure that any manufacturer has a non thermostatic mixing valve which will allow the same amount and temperature hot water in their machines today that was possible in your Kenmore. If anyone does, it seems like it would be Speed Queen. We have the yellow Energy Guide label folks to thank for starting that and the Energy Star group to blame for making it a consumer checklist item. The first way to lower the energy use of a washer is to cut down the amount of hot water it can consume.

If you decide to invest in your existing Kenmore, and that is probably what I would do if in your shoes, I hope it works out well for you!

Gordon

[this post was last edited: 4/1/2013-13:56]

 

[retropia]

Wouldn't an automotive body shop be able to handle the exterior restoration? I would think that the exterior finish could be media-blasted off, and then an automotive-grade primer and top-coat sprayed on. I've never done this, but I believe some of the other posters here have done so, and perhaps they will chime in with tips.

 

[whirlcool]

I have a 1993 Whirlpool washer/dryer set that is probably very similar to your Kenmore (Direct Drive Machine). It has been running for 20 years now with only a minor issue now and then. Just in case I bought a new motor, transmission, brake & clutch package and coupler and I only paid about $180 for all those parts. The washer is still running now, but if it stops I'll put in all my spare parts and it'll probably run for another 20 years.

The points you mention (true hot wash and warm rinse) are features I use all the time on our Whirlpool. I don't know if I would be willing to give those up either.

They sure don't build them like they used to!

 

[DirectDriveDave]

Warm Rinse

I would NEVER be willing to give up our warm rinse, I think that's what has been keeping the outer tub spotless for us all these years.

 

[DigAPony]

I'd suggest a wide daily search on Craiglist.

Early 90's Kenmore DD washers can't be that hard to find yet, and people usually dump them cheap so they can "upgrade" to front loaders.

 

[bluebirdgirl]

I would like to thank everyone so much for your thoughts. It is great to know that others share our concerns, that our Kenmore is such a well built machine, and that there are so many of them still in use ! I think buying and stocking parts is a great idea. I do have a question . . . would getting an "automotive finish" be the same thing as having the exterior "powder coated?" Thanks again !

 

[kb0nes]

Paint vs Powder Coating

Deborah,

The typical automotive finish is applied as a liquid paint that is sprayed onto the surface and often baked to aid curing it. The liquid is a solvent which carries the plastic which will end up being the film that is the finish, the solvent evaporates leaving the dry film. The solvent used to by a hydrocarbon but today its often water.

Powder coating is done by spraying a super fine powdered plastic (often polyester or polyurethane)onto the surface. They employ a static electric charge to aid the powder to adhere to the surface at first. The part is then backed in a fairly hot oven to cause the plastic to melt and flow over the surfaces being coated. When cooled the part has a durable hard coat shell, I like to say it much like the coating on an M&M.

In the end the finish isn't all that much different, the same kinds of plastic films can be sprayed as a liquid or a powder. The thicker film and higher baking temperature of powder coat do tend to lead to a harder and more durable finish. You can Google Paint vs Power Coating and you will get lots of hits, many concerning bicycle frame finishing. My guess is for a smaller parts the powder coating could be very attractive but for a large appliance cabinet painting might be more cost effective. One other advantage of paint is a great variety of colors including top coating with pearl or metallic additives to alter the look. Solid "appliance" colors can be done either way!

 

[bluebirdgirl]

Ok . . . it seems an automotive finish is the way to go rather than powder coating. Thank you !

I have another question due to conflicting info from two different repair people !

The first repair person says that the new replacement transmissions that you can buy today are built the same as the originals made by Whirlpool in the 1980's that were used in our Kenmore in the 1990's . . . and he says they are built solid like "Mack trucks" because there is only one plastic part inside the transmission. He also says he can take apart the original transmission and replace/ fix just the parts that are broken, and that this is the best thing to do. He says our Kenmore was designed to last 30 years.

On the other hand . . . the second repair person says the new replacement transmissions you buy today are much flimsier than the original transmission that originally came with the machine because the new transmissions contain a bunch of plastic parts . . . which means the new plastic parts will last only a few years before they break . . . and this means any new transmission he installs now will need to be replaced yet again in just a few years. He says that is just the way it is now and there is nothing one can do about it. Also, the second guy says he can't get into the original transmission to replace/ fix just the parts that are broken because the transmission "case" is welded solid . . . and, therefore, because of this, it is necessary to buy the new, less well made replacement transmission with the plastic parts that will last just a few years. He says this new, less well made transmission will cost about $500, plus labor of about $150 . . . for a total of about $650.

The first guy says this is not true and that the second guy is just trying to charge more.

So . . . does anyone know which is correct?

Truly, the only thing I care about is doing what is best for my beloved machine. I want it to work again and to last a really long time . . . hopefully another 20 years !! I don't want to just "throw money out the window" . . . but if I buy a new Speed Queen washer & dryer, I'm going to be out $2000 anyway . . . and I won't have what I really want. As I see it, this is an investment to solve a problem for the long-term.

Any thoughts . . . ?

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP !! You have been SO GREAT !!

 

[DirectDriveDave]

I don't think the number of plastics in a DD transmission have changed. The only major parts in those that are plastic that I know of are the agitate cam, the spin pawl, and the spin gear (maybe they're nylon, but I have never figured that out). Our transmission is going on 23 years now and still works exactly as it should.

 

[coldspot66]

Your second repairman might be talking about the Herrin dual drive tranny that was used in Maytag washers. Your Kenmore is a Whirlpool built direct drive washer. To my knowledge the tranny is rebuildable or can be replaced as a unit. Part # is 3360629. The spin gear in these trannys has always been a special nylon gear that seldom wears out. Keeping a spare tranny on hand may be a good idea. Hopefully they will be still available for some time. There are literaly MILLIONS of these washers still in service. I have always considered them the best top loader for the money for the last 25 yrs, or so. Maytag and Whirlpool still make an "on premises" commercial direct drive washer (same as you have) but probably less features.

 

[rp2813]

The first guy sounds much more honest and old-school to me, and that's a good thing.  The second guy sounds like your typical modern day repair tech who only knows how to change out parts rather than repair them.

 

I think the first guy would be more committed to making sure your washer is fixed properly, whereas if you had the second guy install a new transmission and you weren't happy with the results, he'd likely just tell you that's the way it is with the new replacements so he could blame it on the part.  I'd go with the first guy if I were you.  He clearly knows what he's doing.

 

 

 

[DADoES]

 
The second guy may be confused on what kind of machine you have.  A *new* design that came out in the last couple years (replacing the design you have) has a sealed transmission that can't be directly repaired, must be replaced as a unit ... or the notorious Maytag mechanism that Coldspot references above.

Your direct-drive machine, the transmission *can* be disassembled for repair, not aware of any that can't (unless maybe I'm just not aware).  Replacement transmissions are same as the original.  There are sources to buy rebuilt transmissions as well as "new"/factory trannys.

As for a new tranny costing $500 for the part, looking up an 18+ years old KitchenAid toploader of the same mechanical design as your Kenmore, the transmission is Part Number 3360629 (which may or may not be the same as you need, but *probably is* the same).

SearsPartsDirect.com  $196.23

RepairClinic.com  $188.95

PartsTap.com  $183.17

AppliancePartsPros.com  $182.54

PartsDr.com  $134.99

ApplianceZone.com  $167.50

EBay.com ranging from $67.99 and up for used or new/refurbed as the case may be.

 

[bluebirdgirl]

Wow. Thank you so much.

Another question . . .

The second guy says that the "base" ( . . . or maybe it's the "frame" ) of the washer and dryer are probably on the verge of wearing out from just years and years of use . . . and even if the transmission in the washer is replaced, the washer and dryer could still go out permanently at any time due to the "base" ( or "frame" ) of each wearing out.

Does that sound right to you all?

 

[rp2813]

OMFG.  The second guy clearly doesn't want the job.  He's basically telling you to buy a new machine.  If I were you, I'd lose his number.

 

[pierreandreply4]

i would suggest you fine a washer of the same model with the parts in good shape and transfer the part to your washer your washer if repaired and well taken care of could last you a good 40 years and more.

 

[whirlcool]

Parts for these washers are quite reasonably priced and are readily available, IMHO.
And John is right millions of these machines were sold under the names or Roper, Estate, Kenmore, Whirlpool. And I'm leaving a few names out (too lazy look up).

The rebuilt tranny I bought for our Whirlpool came from a company in Wisconsin that does nothing but rebuild washing machine transmissions. Mine has a one year warranty on it. It cost me $160.00. And that also includes the spin clutch assy too. These machines are built pretty much in a modular pattern, so easy to work on anyone could do it.

That's what keeps me sayin' keep the one you have & fix it.