Cinci to Akron Ohio Norge

[akronman]

It works! It's also dirtier than hell inside the outer tub.

 

Volvoguy got the machine wth a spare motor, knowing the original was either shot or nearly so. I let it sit in the basement about 9 hours at 65 degrees to warm up, all the pulleys and belts turned nicely, so I put it in spin and it tried weakly for about 10 seconds then tripped the 15 amp breaker. So, a half hour later I had the newer motor in, and she spun up to speed very quickly. I did some quick re-assembly and about a half fill of hot water, but she wouldn't stop filling! I jumpered past the fill pressure sensor, and this old Norge started BURPING!!!! I haven't had time yet to thoroughly check the pressure switch, but that will be an easy thing to figure exactly what's bad and replace it. But, this machine also does that neutral drain until the level drops and calls for water, then it kicks into both spray rinse and spin, so I had to stop it once it neutral drained to about 1/3, then I rewired so it called for water, and it spray/spun very nicely.

 

Here are some pics, she'll need an interior paint job for sure, but no current leaks anywhere, tub is good, bearings, etc, so maybe just TONS of cleaning, a new pressure valve, and she'll be fine.

 

My "Date your Appliance" link doesn't like this serial number. The lid says PN#33-79xx, the schematic on front of the tub says 33-78xx, and the name on the dashboard says 50th anniversary Norge(Should be 1976??). Anyone know the age?

[this post was last edited: 1/17/2012-00:33]

http://www.appliance411.com/service/date-code.php

 

[akronman]

Tub dirt

sick stuff.

I did a hot wash with tons of soaps, and GENTLY shoved a rag around between the top of the inner and outer tubs with a screwdriver, got up loads of gross sick goop. Somewhere below is alos a picture of the tub cover, coated with dried slime.

 

[akronman]

Norge console

No "cool down " cycles, thank God. I haven't checked exactly what the soak and prewash do, should be pretty straightforward. This is my only machine with all that variety of speeds, and all 5 Hot/Cold/Warm choices, pretty cool.

[this post was last edited: 1/17/2012-00:34]

 

[akronman]

Norge console

here's the timer

 

[akronman]

Norge Noise

Not only does that fun BURP make noise, and the brake solenoid, even the fill flume is damn loud on warm, with all that water pressure. I left one medium load of clothes in while testing for about 6 fills/washes/spins, so I don't have tons of Norge experience yet, but I am extremely impressed with the action of that relatively thin agitator, damn good turnover and force. This is my only 3/4 horsepower machine. Is that one reason, with others, for the noise?

 

[akronman]

tub cover

That brown ring you see is not a gasket, it's crud.

 

[akronman]

tub cover

With that partial neutral drain, enough spinning water must get up to the top of this cover, then it has a screen and drips mostly bac into the tub, but excess will run down an overflow tube to the floor. Picture is of the tub cover upside down on the floor

 

[akronman]

here's more

Thanks again to Dave Volvoguy, this machine was well worth the trip. I'll let it rest a few days then figure out the pressure/level switch, that should be easy. Once it's up and running well for a week or so, I'll disassemble enough to paint the baseplate and interior entirely.

 

Questions for Norge experts so far:

 

LWA2065B00-----what parts online sites have diagrams for this? What age is it?

 

Flume---I think it's pretty cool that it does the neutral drain until the level drops enough to call for water, then it does the spin/spray/extract. Also, the timer says EXT. I've always seen SPIN or RINSE, never EXTRACT, pretty cool. However, with the flume spraying straight down, frankly not the exactly greatest spray rinse, huh?

 

Lint filter--more pics soon, but mine is cracked/near death. Any idea where to get a new one? I have an excellent fabric softener dispenser, pics soon.

 

No tub leaks, no seal leak, no bearing leaks, so it looks like a pretty standard de-rust/primer the interior, and get a new pressure valve, and she'll be BURPING.

 

[norgeway]

BEST!

D#$% WASHER EVER...IMHO!

 

[mrb627]

Drama!

The burpie Norge is certainly in the top 5 for washer drama! Great Score!

Malcolm

 

[volvoguy87]

Glad it's better than I thought.

Glad the motor fits properly, glad it's in better machanical shape than I imagined, and glad it looks to be an easier project than anticipated.

A Norge would have been fun for me, but I'm glad you have it and are enjoying it to the fullest extent.

Can you repair the old filter with shapable 2-part epoxy? It would take a lot of filing and sanding the hardened epoxy to get it to the correct shape, especially the drive key, but it couuld work.

With much pride and a little seller's remorse
Dave

 

[macboy91si]

Mark!

Congats on finally finding one of these! I hope you post plenty of pictures and have fun! I'm going to have to find one of these, I think I have a lead on an avocado Wards 18 lb machine, but nothing's in the bag yet.

 

-Tim

 

[aldspinboy]

Mark Congrats on that Norge !!!
In my life I seen and used 7 of them.
In the style you have.
Great Washer !

The low vanes on that agitator I think and the long slopping base creates a very forceful wave like no other low straight vane System.

Good luck on the repairs and health of the washer.
Very nice to see you guys exchanged for good vibrations!
That's the beauty of A.W.

Darren k.

 

[northwesty]

It looks grubby but I can tell it is going to clean up great. Congratulations!

 

[washerlover]

Norge Wards ROCKS!

 

[combo52]

1965 WARDS SIGNATURE ELECTRIC DRYER

I have a white Wards dryer that works and needs a home contact me before Saturday or I will strip out the motor and scrap the rest. This is among the last of the good machines, or if anyone needs any parts let me know as maybe this machine can at least save the like of another.

 

[washerlover]

Hey combo52, is your Wards dryer like my Norge pictured here? My Norge dryer rubber drum door gasket is currently being held together with duct tape...needs replacing...

Thanks.

 

[akronman]

Norge work

Supposedly we're getting snowed in tonight and friends cancelled plans, so I think tonight will be the start of de-rust--primer-paint on the Norge.

Ebay seller listed a lint filter as Magic Chef, but it's pure Norge-built and arrived today, now I have the complete machine and it's attachments, and last night I ran about 5 loads of clothes. It turned out the water level switch just required some good lung power to clean that 3 foot tube, now perfectly working again.  I'm loving this machine, a real workhorse, it wonderfully and reliably turned over major loads, the rinsing is medium with the spout aimed at only 1/2 the clothes, but no worse than my whirlpool. And while the fill spout is loud, the solenoid is loud, and the spin is loud, it's also entirely stable and solid. I always have to "fine-tune" the 4 legs of various machines on my ancinet basement floor, but this one just happens to be solid as hell, even during fast spin and fully loaded, damn fine machine.

 

But a question or two as I disassemble:  The picture shows the tub leans slightly rear and right. I've been down inside for other work so far, all 4 springs look fine, I'm guessing that i I label each spring before dismemberment, replace in same spot, then about 4 turns of the tightening bolt on the left front spring should do the trick? Even during high-speed spin and a full load, it tilts but is solid and stable as hell, fine spinning.

 

 

 

[akronman]

more

No water leaks from the tub, no oil leaks of any amount to worry me, so I'm leaving the entire drive and suspension together as I clean and paint the base. Is there any spot or two in the bearings or clutch or brake that I should lube or oil before re-assembly? It's Norge loud, but runs very well for agitate and spin.

 

The pic shows decent rust, but it's evenly spread around and no sign of one exact water leak, just generic 30 year old machine from a basement wear and tear.

 

[akronman]

age??????

I still can't find the age of this thing, seems like either 76 or 78 should have been the 50th anniversary of Norge. The console has "Energy Sentry" settings and "Double Knits," sounds pretty 70s to me. And ColdCold setting, too.

 

[akronman]

more

 afew more pics, before paintjob

 

[akronman]

more

except for this half-moon of rust, it all looks generic and intermittent rust, no exact culprit

 

 

Now down to the basement, I'll need advice in a few days on where to oil or lube as I put it together, but Volvoguy Dave didn't realize what a gem he had! The Burpilator filter does as well as the passive system Maytag uses, no complaints. In fact, pretty damn fun, a true Norge.

 

Hopefully a Norge expert can advise on the age, there's a pic way up this thread with Model and Serial. Also, anyone know the spin speed? Seems pretty damn good.

 

Also----I can vary how quick the spray starts by turning the fill knob back to low, but then does a timer kick in or what? Or does delaying the spray by turning the knob reduce the overall spray time? Like maybe there's a 2 minute window of neutral drain AND spray time combined? For the longest spray I should have it kick in soonest? I'm liking the rinsing well enough, just wondering. That aspect is unique to Norge, at least among my collection. The schematic on front of the tub is pretty well mildewed, I can't figure it out yet.

 

[akronman]

Nameplate

my nameplate says "Norge, a division of Fedders". Googling says Fedders sold Norge to Magic Chef in early 1979. 3 places on my schematic say 78, so I'm calling it a 78 model for sure.

 

[cfz2882]

motor

was the original motor an emerson?-if so there will be a date code on the specs
sticker on the motor.GE motors also usually have a date code too,but the location
and method can vary with the GE motors...
Norges of this era have fragile pump impellers with lots of thin turbine fins that
break off if a solid particle gets in-used to find these with whole sections of
fins stripped off.

 

[norgeway]

Just Saw!

The MATCHING anniversary model dryer at the Salvation Army in Winston Salem...70.00 and it looks pretty darn good!

 

[jetcone]

that

console is gorgeous, love the colors they used, they contrast nicely. These really do clean well and beat up jeans good too!

The last of the solenoid drives!

Enjoy!

 

 

[akronman]

Back in action

The Norge is repainted inside and what little paint it needed on the outside is done, pictures soon. As little wear and tear as it had, the feet were next to impossible to remove, everything else pretty smooth. The big spring tensioner against the motor is a b$^#h too. I had the entire tub-tranny-suspension removed, had the baseplate down to baseplate only. I was going to remove the agitator to clean the exterior tub better, but it wants to stay on pretty darn well, and I shined strong lights thru the perforated tub, it turns out I was able to get 90% of the crud out with a rag between the tubs near the top, everything else pretty clean. In reassembly, I used a small amount of white lithium grease on the motor slides, and at all the huge suspension spring ends. If it's quieter than before, it's only a 1% decrease. I oiled the pump from it's bottom. I kept all lube and oil away from the brake and tranny, unless someone advises where to lube. The exterior base of the tub, the conical part above the tranny, had minimal dried crud, that tells me that it barely leaks grease.

 

Hey cfz2882----both the original and replacement motors are GE, they have illegible info stamped on the rusty/dirty side, no sticker, so I'm gonna give up and declare it a 1978 model, 50th anniversary of Norge, 34 years old.

 

In it's new location it now siphons to the laundry drain tub when it's full and I pause for soaking. Check valves are for the opposite direction, right? I should just redo the hose so it stands taller than the highest water level in the machine?

 

I'm very impressed with Norge. Burpalator lint filtering works amazingly well, that agitator and stroke are strong, spin speed seems a bit faster than most, and I don't know how the spray does as well as it does, but one rinse does the trick, they know better than I. And I like the timer. While neither the prewash/second rinse cycle nor the 30 minute soak cycle advance into wash, at least it doesn't waste timer space with cooldowns and "mini" junk. . All the speed options are available, 5 temp combo, so I really need the timer to just do standard wash time, it's great.

 

Also, the spray rinse is always cold, regardless of the temp settings. I'm guessing it's by design, not an error, easy to live with.

My Maytag is so quiet in comparison, and so boring. This Norge is loud and fun.

 

[garyl]

Washer Grunge

Hard water and detergent, particularly that have fillers, leave grunge. I used an acid to clean washers. I tried CLR, Amway laundry whitener, and settled on Muriatic acid. I'd fill the washer with water, then add about 1 quart of acid. I'd let it wash for a while, then let it sit and finish the cycle. That would clean it out well. I wonder how Borax would work? Those Norge machines were wonderful. The dryers were so big, it seems like you could get in one and walk around.

 

[akronman]

AfterPics

Check up the thread for rusty innards "before"pics, here's some "after" pics as she goes back together. The access panel is drying from primer. I had the pump out entirely, but did not remove the plastic parts from the metal seating ring, so some primer got onto the pump, oh well. Not a leak anywhere

 

[akronman]

front

sanded, primered. I had EVERYTHING off the base.  The front is now drying from its white exterior paint, more pics tomorrow after all finalized. I am colorblind and these machines are all in my ancient basement, so color doesn't matter to me, but white appliances are plenty easier to repaint and touch up than anything else.