Cleaning up the Crud From an 80's Whirpool Direct Drive

[stricklybojack]

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This is was me today, finally digging into this craigslist impulse buy. I got the pair for $30 as I recall and they have been sitting since last spring.
After busting my ass for a few hours I see why your guys shrink in horror from the evil brown washer cancer also known as rust!
Dang, this one didn't have too much but lots more than was apparent before I got the cabinet off.
I will replace a rusted hose clamp and a rubber lid bumper stop, that's it!
But much gunk and hair and more flaking rust than I bargained for had to be exercised from this ol gal. I think it's last use was washing dog blankets. Some very suspicious material mimicing golden brown dog doo was also found, but thankfully didn't smell.
I will sell the pair on and probably not do this again after this round of machines. I have about 4 laundry pairs left of what I accumulated last year (sold 3 other pairs already) and need to move on to other activities.
About half way done. I need to get the basket out and clean the plastic tub, it’s a puke fest!
Now on to finding me one of them fancy wrenches on ebay...

 

[DADoES]

 
Somewhat more crud than usual, but not particularly unusual.

 

[magic_clean]

Really not too

bad for a washer that appears to be about 30 years old.

L.P.

 

[dartman]

I don't remember any of my units being that rusty but most of the time they weren't 30 years old either and I haven't torn down hundreds of them. I had to pull the impeller of my new one but it was only a few months old so super clean and came apart easily. Next I have to replace the tub bearings and that will be more of a job but I did buy all the parts and special tools to do it on eBay so when I finally work up the ambition to do it it should mostly just be time and clearing out its area.

 

[potatochips]

I picked up a rim flo last fall that had some pretty bad crud action too. I used Fantastik to help remove the crud.

 

[stricklybojack]

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Question:
When I removed the single piece "Super Surgulator" agitator the 2 items pictured (metal clip and plastic spacer like thingy) were no where to be found. Are they on all Whirlpools like this?
My guess is they are and someone in the past forgot to replace them after digging in to this machine.
However some repair videos on YouTube do not show these items in place.
I thought I should tap the collective wisdom of this body for a definitive answer.
[this post was last edited: 1/22/2018-10:12]

 

[DADoES]

 
Far as I'm aware, the primary purpose of the pieces is to promote the agitator to rotate at full speed with the basket during spin to ensure an agitator-mounted softener dispenser gets up to full RPM to release properly.

 

[combo52]

Hi Glen, you are correct, these parts were only on some models [ they were not used on a washer this old ] and they were only machines with an agitator mounted FSD.

 

John L.

 

[stricklybojack]

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Thanks fellas.
I finally got a spanner wrench and the spanner nut is off, but thanks to San Diego's high mineral water the basket is fused to the drive block and likely the drive block is similarly fused to the drive shaft.
Soaking with penetrants now.
Any good tricks for this?[this post was last edited: 1/27/2018-12:33]

 

[stricklybojack]

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Don’t all jump up at once...
no worries, i figured out the trick myself...persistence!

No to get all that nastiness outa there.

 

[DADoES]

 
Yeah ... and frontloader naysayers insist toploaders are better, they don't collect debris, LOL!

 

[Chetlaham]

Would it be to much to ask for pics of the cycle knob and tech sheet? I'm curious how things looked around the times WP went from SP to ND.

Anyway congrats! That was is more on the cruddy side, but trust me I have seen some out of rental properties that would but that to shame.

I would replace the line filter rather than trying to clean it by thats just my opinion. The rest is persistence to which I know you will do well. Can't wait to see this wash.

 

[stricklybojack]

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Too late, i dove right in on the thousand fingers of wretch and took care of business.
Seems the lint filter had been overlooked the last 35 years or so; weird it being so handy and all right there UNDER the wash basket...sheesh.
I have a thing for going at rust with a wire brush and old screw drivers, accordingly the basket has a new hole were a rust bubble heretofore was, but it’s under the agitator so i think she’ll be fine.
Well my back aches as i ponder POR 15, wear pads (r & r or no?), and hope the fried chicken at Vons is fresh.[this post was last edited: 1/27/2018-21:32]

 

[DADoES]

 
You should consider leaving the filter out.  It was changed later in production to two or four little plugs that fit into those holes in the base (photo 5 and 6), then DD models toward the end didn't have any type of filter.

 

[stricklybojack]

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The rust-promoting-disk-of-death-by-disgustingness shall likely remain off.
Unless someone has a good reason to keep it on, I am over it.

 

[Chetlaham]

I'm with Dadoes- keep said disk off. I see no compelling reason to keep it.

 

[stricklybojack]

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"Every picture tells a story don't it..."

She's all back together again. I was so tired from yesterday I thought this baby better get done sooner than later, or else it will become another garage ornament i don't need.
This wasn't worth fussing with rust treatment or further tear down...heck I don't even run this thing once since I bought it.
The lint filter went back for one reason; I spent too much time cleaning it not to use it!
The cabinet was difficult to replace owing to fact that the front floor or base of the washer was bent downwards whilst the front of the cabinet was bent slightly upward.
Cleaning these things, even more than cleaning an old vacuum, really takes it oughta you.
Therefore I knew my time was limited and best finish it up today.
I still have the matching dryer to do, so stay tuned for more.
Last pic is today at Torrey Pines State beach. 80+ degrees, with dry Santa Ana desert winds blowing spay off the back of the waves.[this post was last edited: 1/28/2018-19:11]

 

[Chetlaham]

Picture perfect restoration! I think you did a stellar job on one of the best all-around machine ever made. This will really clean and rinse like nothing else. This also has neutral drain which is an added benefit to overall longevity.

BTW, you have a dormant extra rinse and suds return

 

[stricklybojack]

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Weeell today was not a banner day here, at least in the front load side of things. A bad FL washer moon is definitely on the rise. But all is not lost, read on.
The SQ FL washer started to make a godawful sound somewhere in the wash/rinse phase of things. I unplugged the cord and removed the items, thinking to finish them in the new-to-me, but-as-of-yet-untested DD washer...aka the subject of this thread.
i broke the clothes into two small loads and away we went, humming along to the blissful sound of an analog washing machine. The glorious moment was recorded and will be upload at some point.
Whirlpool DD saves the day…appropriately (or ironically?), as it was a DD machine that the SQ FL machine replaced...much to my everlasting chagrin it would seem.
The SQ repairman is scheduled.
[this post was last edited: 1/29/2018-23:47]