Considering a 1980's GE set

[poolio]

Found on C/L for free. Gas dryer. Owner states that washer works but is leaking somewhere during the wash cycle. I've got lots of pets and have been looking for a Filter Flo.

Anyone have a guess on the year and model? Think I should give it a shot, or wait for something else?

Thanks!

 

[revvinkevin]

It's free, isn't it???

I say, what the heck, GO FOR IT! If you have any mechanical ability, take off the back panel, find the leak and repair it!

You can always post questions and photos of the problem here if you run into a problem!

It's FREE! How can you loose?

Kevin

 

[volvoguy87]

GEs

A Filter Flo is great for pets, but they have a few design quirks.

First: The big rubber boot that connects the outer tub to the transmission is prone to slipping after a few decades of use. It's really easy to fix. Just get 2 new oversize hose clamps, pull the agitator, the inner tub, install the new clamps, and put it back together again. Unfortunately, this is usually a huge leak, not a small one.

It could be a bad pump. My grandmother's GE FF had this happen. A pump replacement on a GE isn't a bad job and you can certainly do it yourself. The problem is that the pump is atop the motor and clutch. When the pump leaks, the clutch gets wet, which is bad for the bearings in it.

A clutch replacement is less pleasant than a pump replacement, but it is doable (I have done it). New clutches can be had on ebay for cheap. If the shaft through the clutch isn't worn, however, you can rebuild your old clutch even cheaper with new bearings and shoes (super easy once the top of the clutch is off). The worst part of replacing a whole clutch is the roll pin that connects the clutch to the motor shaft. That little sucker is a PAIN to pound out, but it can be done. Just remember to replace the relay or solenoid (I don't remember which) when you replace the clutch or else you WILL burn out the motor. I don't know why this is, but it is.

If it has a straight vane agitator, I would recommend replacing it with a ramp agitator. The ramp version is gentler and far more effective. Also, if you turn it on and it sounds like an ice crusher, whether in spin or in agitation, then the clutch bearings have failed. A GE FF should be pretty quiet and you should definitely be able to hear the water sloshing through the filter pan while agitating. Also, check that the gasket atop the outer tub is in good condition. IF not, water can slosh out, especially during spin.

Overall, a GE Filter Flo is a great machine and will provide many years of dependable and extremely effective service.

Cheers, and welcome to AW.org,
Dave

 

[autowasherfreak]

Welcome to AW.org

I say go for it. Where in IA are you?

 

[poolio]

Thanks guys

I probably will go for it (if it's still available) - just have to convince the wife!

Thanks for all the great info, Dave. Hopefully it's a small leak, and a simple fix.

Freak: I live near Marshalltown.

Is the (gas) dryer anything special? I've got a mid-90s WP electric dryer now, maybe I could use the gas one as a backup?

Any thoughts on whether this set is MOL, TOL?

 

[volvoguy87]

Dryers.

GE dryers, from what I know of them, are pretty decent. Whirlpool dryers are generally my standard, provided they have a lint filter on the top back right corner. The WP dryers with the lint filter in the front aren't as good.

Having a spare dryer can be a very good thing. The dryer usually takes twice as long as the washer to do its job, therefore you can double the speed with which you do your wash with a second dryer. 2 electric dryers requires running a new electric circuit and line (not cheap if hired out). A gas dryer, however, only needs a gas line and a regular 120 volt outlet (to drive the motor, timer, sensors, ignitor, and thermostats). Just make sure both dryers use separate vents to the outside. Gas dryer exhaust also has the exhaust from combustion, so you want to make triple sure it is vented properly (not at all hard to do, just make sure to do it).

If they're free, GO FOR IT. Go for it RIGHT NOW! Does the washer have the minibasket option?
Dave

 

[poolio]

Short Wash Cycles...

No short wash cycles on my current LG frontloader - I could dry two loads in the time it takes to wash one! Of course, with the GE washer, I'm sure my wash times would go WAY down.

The seller didn't tell me if it has the minibasket. However, what I can tell from the picture, it doesn't look like it's got a "mini" wash setting on the dial.

 

[goatfarmer]

One thing to be concerned with. I've been getting a LOT of those washers in, with rusted out outer tubs. After all, many are going on 25+ years old, way past their useful life, as figured out by GE I'm sure.
Not a big deal to fix, but something to be aware of.

kennyGF

 

[appnut]

It's definitely MOL with 3 speed combos and probably does have mini-wash

 

[yogitunes]

the best thing about a GE filter flo is the pump runs at full speed no matter what, and this is great if you're in a basement set up and it has to pump high from the floor

you don't need a mini-cycle to use the mini basket, nice option but not necessary....

dryers are good but when the washer went TRUE large capacity, the dryer stayed standard capacity, not exactly a perfect match

capacities 101....many manufacturers, lets say a GE 1970 standard tub is now a 1980 large tub...the only thing to change was the labeling, not the actual size of the tub, even Maytags standard capacity tub with a helical drive is now a large capacity tub for the orbital, just the name has changed, the tub is the same size, as a general rule...

 

[scrubflex]

marketing deception...will never understand it...hey yogi...harry

 

[bpetersxx]

butter beans

I wanted a GE too but rusted tubs may be out of my league

But down here theres nota

There all in South Bend

 

[magic clean]

GE LLC dryers

"dryers are good but when the washer went TRUE large capacity, the dryer stayed standard capacity, not exactly a perfect match"

During the mid-eighties, GE introduced a replacement dryer for the behemoth machine that was made in Chicago and discontinued. It was called the Louisville Large Capacity. Acronym: "LLC"

It had the same cabinet width, dryer door, D shaped drum opening and lint filter arrangement as the standard GE dryers, but it had a deeper porcelain drum, plastic drum fins, larger blower and the heating element was underneath the drum in a sheet metal duct. Not behind the drum as usual.

There was one minor cosmetic item that distinguished this design on the sales floor. The door handle was different in that it was a larger chromed plastic affair with a matching woodgrain decorative insert.

 

[goatfarmer]

They're not all up here.....8^)