Cracking open an early GE AW6 Drive Unit/Transmission

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"I don't know what would,I bet to build that today w

No, it'd cost about $20US, because it would be done at a factory in China or Thailand by someone living in a cardboard box, making $1US for a 12hr work day.

Of course the entire thing would be made out of pot-metal and be designed to last 3 days over the warranty period.
 
This is way cool Robert. I can't get over the copper bellows. I imagine the 'oil' is some sort of a cross between an air compressor oil and a hydraulic fluid, due to the fact that the little pump is creating such a large build up of pressure on the bellows to force it up against the spin clutch. Also, I love the fact that the rotor and stator of the motor are immersed in the mechanism; subject to many, many coats of oil during a complete operation. No wonder there is no rust anywhere....

Anyone out there have a GE product manual that describes the transmission fluid for one of these? An incredible mechanism - John said it best, UNITIZED!

(Reminds me of a 1972 GM/Pontiac ignition system, terminology wise anyway *grin*)

 
Copper bellows

I used to see a lot of copper bellows made here in Knoxville by the Fulton Sylphon Company -- I had several relatives who worked there. Weston Fulton supposedly invented the copper bellows in 1903 as a weather instrument.

I recall my uncle, who worked there from 1934 to 1977, saying they used to make a lot of copper bellows but they got to be quite expensive. They were used in automotive thermostats among other things.

Here's a link to Fulton's early patents.

 
I have seen oil filled motors in submersible sewage pumps-worked on these at a tool repair place-If the motor was burned up from a motor fault-that oil was REALLY had a nasty smell.Gave up there and informed the customer.The oil does not put a drag on the motor.Some of these pumps had 3450RPM motors-the rotor did not have rotor fins like the rotor from that washer transmission.Never seen that in a washer-learned something new.On the submersible pumps--you NEVER ran it unless the pump was under water-we tested them in a 5Gal "homer bucket"If it emptied the bucket within a few seconds-the pump was OK.These had motors about the same HP and size as a washer motor.Although some of these submisable pumps could have motors having 100Hp(for deep well water and oil pumps)and run from 3Ph power.
The copper bellows looks like those in Varible vacuum capacitors.Its amazing how flexible and durable these are-and in the capacitor-have to hold a vacuum.Some vacuum capacitors handling high voltages and RF currents-like what we use-have water cooled bellows and backplate assemblies.The heat has to be removed from the cap to prevent seal failures.If the seals fail the caps fails in a SPECTACULAR manner!Glowing,arcing loud noises and wet transmitter cabinets are the end results.
Love the pictures of the "blow by blow" transmission dismantling and rebuilding.That device is quite amazing for 1948 technology-GE outdid themselves-now tha assembly is PLASTIC!
 
Seeing the forbidden transmission is way Kewl and I have a s

From my car rebuilding years:

It appears that you can change the oil in these! Ya know Robert, I had a partially seized engine oil pump in the BMW and instead of dissassembling the motor, we filled it up with MARVEL MYSTERY OIL instead and drove it 50 miles, then drained it and charged it with regular oil. You should have seen the gunk that came out and the motor ran another 100,000 miles beautifully.

I would suggest you try the same with your transmission first and see if that improves its performance before dissassembly.

I'll bet that motor shares a lot in common with the motor inside my Monitor Top frig! I am surprised the motor isn't exposed to more oil, how do the bearings in the motor stay lubricated, are there weep holes into the motor bearings as well?
 
GE UNITZED TRANSMISSION

Hi Jon , Robert This unit has a pressured lubrication system to keep lubricated, Robert the one thing I didn't see in the pictures was what causes the oil to start flowing to the bellow to shift from agitate to spin, I expected to see a solenoid valve in the pressurized oil system. I do think that Jons idea of flushing and changing the oil would be worth a try especially on the balky 1948 machine you got from me. Its amazing what some of the automatic transmission products can do to fix problems with out actually dismantling and rebuilding, it is almost like going to the doctor.
 
"What causes the oil to start flowing to the bellows?&#3

HI John, Robert mentions in Reply # 11 that he has no idea what the control spring and bracket are for, at the base of the copper bellows, highlighted in yellow in the photo.

Is it possible that they somehow initiate or facilitate the oil flow?
 
Robert the one thing I didn't see in the pictures was what causes the oil to start flowing to the bellow to shift from agitate to spin

That I know, its the spin valve in the picture of oil coming out. The spin valve is energized which is similar to a water valve and the plunger rises to close the hole to the tube and open the hole to the rotor. The new washer transmission sounds like something is scraping so it shouldn't be run anymore until it opened and make sure nothing is broken off inside.

unimatic1140++9-1-2010-23-16-1.jpg
 
So, the motor runs only one direction for agitation and spin!?

I'm checking the drive shaft and rotor, one thing I still don't understand. How does the gears stops the agitation when spin starts?
 
thanks for the etailed photos and explanations, Robert. I never would have guessed that bellows was made of copper. I hope the problem with the new 48 is something easy to fix once you crack her open.

With your collection of GE's growing like they are I may start calling you "Activator boy". GRIN.

Les
 
Iv'e got emotional seeing you in pic seven maybe i see something in myself that want ever be, what a talent, well for sure it feels really good to see a person so passionate about the washers we all love and that there is a talent that we can all learn from.
I have no fear anymore about liking washers ever again.
Amazing machine Robert.
My colleges will never laugh again at this site.

Darren k.
 
Good News

Now that I understand what goes on inside an AW6 Drive Unit, I took out the mechanism in the new machine that would not spin. I took it apart and sure enough I found that one of the two post that the control spring bracket attaches to has sheered off! I took the entire drive unit completely apart, soaked all the parts in Acetone and installed the bellows from the other mechanism and filled it with 40 ounces of Air Compressor oil.

I was a bit worried that the original oil that GE used was very specific and our standard air compressor replacement oil might not work. To my relief the Drive Unit works perfectly!!! It sounds so nice and quiet and rev's up to 1140 rpm like a champ.

You can see the broken post below, this let oil out of the bellows and prevented it from rising under oil pressure. Next it time to work on replacing the pumps.

unimatic1140++9-8-2010-22-02-12.jpg
 
Great news Robert!
When are you going to release your tech book?
Thanks for the picture!
Brent
 
Nice work!!

It looks like that pin was soldered in place.

Very cool that you got the transmission working again.
 

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