E2lp gear case lockup

[bmfamilyfarm]

So hello everybody so glad to have a great resource here but here the short of story we picked up a 1945 May tag e2lp end it was working fine the ringer works everything was working good then the Pulley underneath it is attached to the gearbox locked up which I thought was the motor at first so I had the motor refurbished motor is running good but now the problem is the gearbox keeps locking up once it locks up one way you can spin it the other way to unfreeze it but then it gets to a certain point and locks of the other way I guess my question is what is inside there is there clutch is inside or is this a common problem with this and is anybody know how to fix it thanks in advance guys

 

[stan]

Sounds like a broken tooth in

the gearbox.
Let's see what the Maytag guys have to say if they come by.
You could check out Larry's thread "Moving a Maytag E" he shows pics of his rebuild and pics of a broken gear tooth.

 

[stan]

Or maybe it was

Something in Larry's gear box that wasn't suppose to be there? Can't remember. But check out his thread

 

[tinkr]

Gear case

I'm sorry to hear of your problem. Taking it apart is quite an ordeal.
I had the exact same issue and it was worn gears in the box.
After months of searching found one on e-bay,

read Larrys thread Moving a E2L

Then decide if you want to go thru the pains of taking it apart or find one that still works.
I did, so now I have 2 working machines.

 

[launderess]

While not my Maytag wringer washer (thank God)

Quick check of my copies of Maytag service manuals seemingly point to what you've already discovered; worn gears.

Maytag suggested if "major" repairs were needed to power unit and or center plate it might be just as well to obtain and install new complete. (part #A4752)

Parts involved, you would want to check are: shifter cam, worm gear, worm wheel, rack gear, clutch pinion, thrust bearing....

You can download a copy of service manual from this website, and would strongly advise doing so. This and or otherwise obtaining a copy of same as you cannot know the players without a score card so to speak.

 

[wayupnorth]

My round Maytag wringer locked up when dragging it to a storage shed where I was planning to use it. I am not tearing it apart and have offered it on AW before for free if you come and get it.

 

[stan]

Since

It works for a short time, and then locks up, makes me think that there a broken gear tooth floating in the oil and getting caught up. Getting it apart and looking in is the only way you'l know for sure.
If I'm right with the diagnoses.. It may be possible to remove the broken piece that's floating around, file the sharp edges that it came from, clean things out, refill with gear oil, then test.
(Before reinstalling)
Let's see if Larry or Geoff stops by for this one, as they will know.
It may be possible to get a new power unit/gearbox from Phil in N.Y

 

[e2l-arry]

sounds to me

like a Power Unit problem. Mine did the same thing. I could manually reverse the pulley by hand to loosen it. The it would run anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes before it would lock up again. It turned out that a piece of metal had broken loose from one of the gears and as it would randomly land in the gears it would lock them up. If yours only goes so far in either direction, so many pulley turns, and locks up you probably have a broken gear. You won't know for sure until you tear it down and "pop the hood". I found a used Power Unit and Center Plate on Ebay. I took that unit apart for a cleaning and filled with new oil and haven't had a problem since! Phil sells them but very $$$$!A used one is the way to go if you want to do it on the cheap. Rebuilding the Power Unit myself would have been beyond my capability. The tooling, parts and setting/specs were more then I was willing to dive into. Laundress is correct that even in these machines hey day, Maytag recommended replacing these parts vs. repairing them. You may have to hunt for a while but if you replace the unit your machine could run for another 70 years!

 

[realvanman]

I would think

that any of these machines with an unknown history should be disassembled, cleaned, and refilled with good, fresh gear lube. This way they might be saved from further damage. A gear box could be full of old water that had gotten in, and it may run just fine. For a while...

New parts are (presumably) no longer being made, thus the utmost care must be taken of all existing parts.

 

[eronie]

!!!

The biggest problem is the odd bolts these are put together with. Can't remember the name...

 

[launderess]

"unknown history should be disassembled, cleaned, and refilled..."

Well yes, suppose in a perfect world that is what "should" be done, but then again maybe not.

First and foremost not everyone has the proper tools and skills to do such a job. Next you have to source the parts. While there is still quite a lot of NOS Maytag wringer parts floating around out there, not everything is dirt cheap.

The other common enough option back in the day would be to call the "Maytag Repairman" and let him do the job. Well depending upon where you live, good luck with that. Many of the old timers are either retired or dead. Young guys often don't know much or anything about Maytag wringer washers.

This leaves you with the final choice, packing up the thing and taking or shipping it to the few places that still do this kind of work. Phil in NY, the Amish etc...

Probably the best thing is to find a unit that does not require a huge overhaul *yet*. There are literally scores if not hundreds of Maytag washers all over this country. Since Maytag only ceased production in the 1980's you've still got a decent supply of rather "new" machines out there. If they have been properly taken care of and given routine service a total breakdown and cleanout of power unit and so forth shouldn't be required up front.

When buying a Maytag wringer you have to know what to look for; the things were so over engineered and over built that they could and sometimes did run for a long time with water in the gear case and or various other issues. Some people simply used the heck out of the unit until it finally died.

 

[e2l-arry]

Gulmite

Is the name of those odd bolts they used.

 

[realvanman]

Oh Dear!

My Crown buses have hundreds (even thousands?) of the old Gulmite fasteners! The tools for those are extremely difficult to find.

In the (usual) absence of the correct tool, a common way to deal with them is to use a cutoff wheel in a Dremel to grind a slot in the head and use a straight blade screw driver. This of course assumes that they are accessible to the cutoff wheel.

 

[launderess]

Gulmite Wrenches

For Maytag washer bolts come up often enough on fleaPay. Than and or IIRC some repairmen and or members will rent/loan out theirs if needed.

IIRC when repair work is completed use a different more commonly found bolt instead of the Gulmite when putting things back together.