For Better Or Worse It Is Mine - GE Mobile Maid

[launderess]

Something Is Rotten In Denmark

And it isn't their cheese! *LOL*

After removing dishes, drying and putting away proceeded to bail out most of the water. That got old fast so took a quick walk to the store/24 since it was raining earlier and didn't get a chance. When on came home hooked up the unit on a chance and it powered up.

Let the machine drain out the balance of the water and then reset to "China/Crystal" to see if the thing would complete a total cycle. No such luck. Just after the main wash the thing stopped just as the timer cued the motor to start draining. You can hear the relay click and then a humming sound. Quickly unplugged the unit and left it alone.

According to my service manual (Hotpoint top loading dishwashers) the cause for dishwasher not completing a cycle is either the timer (replace) or something is causing a trip overload. Since the timer does advance through cycles one feels something is causing this machine to trip out. Am afraid that is above my capabilities to diagnose.

*Help*!

 

[jkbff]

Not that I have the answer, here is my $.02

If you advance the timer back to start, will it pump the water that is already in the machine? If it is stopping when the drain solenoid is kicking in, Maybe the drain solenoid is bad? But if that were the case, if its like my old KDS58, the water would continue to pump around the tank while the solenoid stayed shut.. Unless your unit has a separate drain pump?

Did you jinx yourself when you were talking about waiting to oil the motor? Would the green pool be a bushing letting its oil go?

If I understand these old units like I think I somewhat do, there aren't relays but the clicking you hear is the actual solenoids clicking in and out because the timer acts as the relay?

Like I said, I probably don't hold the answer but at least would like to assist in following a troubleshooting path.

Good luck!

 

[akronman]

Check this out

If your underside looks like this, then there are no solenoids for draining, instead it's a reversing motor with a relay. And cheap sleeve bearings in need of oil.

Your washer does a few rinses and drains, then the main long wash, then the motor won't do the next drain? Likely the bearings need lube and are overheating during that long long wash. Moments later, when it calls to reverse for draining, instead it takes too much to start the motor and the overload protection kicks in. I bet if you just unplugged and let is sit for 2 hours, it would finish the cycle. But you are wearing out the bearing.

The good news: All you need to do is remove those 4 bolts at the bottom cover of the motor, the bearing is right inside the very bottom. I cleaned the shaft, oiled it, cleaned the bearing hole, oiled it, re-assembled and now it runs thru the entire cycle with no problem. Tons easier than removing the motor from the washer.

First pic is underside of the machine, second pic is inside the base of the motor. Wipe it and the shaft clean, relube, see what happens, AND REPORT BACK. These are fun loud machines that wash well, but the motor and bearing ain't the best.

 

[launderess]

Thanks Akroman

Yes, under the bonnet my DW is same as yours shown above. That is the GE motor written "WD26x56" and dated "66" which one assumes means 1966. Just to be on the safe side have found a GE WD26x63 at a very good price. Parma Parts (contacted about other parts) tells me it will work with my machine so if worse comes to the worse am sorted new motor wise.

 

[combo52]

Sizing Motor In a 1966 Axial-Flow GE DW

Mark is probably correct about the motor sizing due to lubrication failure, over the years we ran into several GE DWs with this style pump where all we had was take them completely apart and oil them with turbine oil and away they went. The problem with just taking the bottom of the motor off is you really need to oil the top bearing as well, although you could probably get oil into the top bearing at this point if you turn the machine on its top and let it sit way for a few days while you let some oil soak in.

This design GE pump and motor was only used for about 5 years with 1966 being the last full year it was used. This design was a pain in the neck to repair and from the beginning was expensive to fix, when GE came out with the shaded pole pump and motor in 1967 it was a huge improvement in repairablity and the DWs also washed much better, but they still had plenty of pump and motor problems, it was just easier to deal with them.

John L.

 

[launderess]

Thanks Combo52

Maybe will give your suggestion a try, turning the unit upside down that is.

Also have a new worry.

When replacing the lower motor cover two of he bolts had nuts and that was fine. Two others did not and now cannot tighten. Thought they perhaps fell to the bottom/around the DW but nothing. Also do not remember hearing anything "fall" onto anything when the bolts were loosened and unscrewed. The motor bottom is sung against due to the two bolts fastened with bolt, but what do I do now.

Thought perhaps the things fell inside the motor but that isn't possible don't think and besides saw nothing when the thing was open.

Before oiling took a look inside the lower motor and it is rather clean as a whistle. A bit of dust yes but no rust or anything like that. Just copper and "steel" colors as it were. The lower "cup" was dry as the state of California so put few drops of turbine oil. Also did a little of the same to the spindle (it too had no rust and was just a dark "steel" color. Was hard to move things about as one did not disconnect motor connections so there were mobility limits obviously. Also did not want to move that old wiring about too much in case it was brittle and would crack.

 

[akronman]

nuts

Yeah, nuts about those nuts, I agree. Here's a pic of the top of the motor, so you can see what may have happened or know where to try skinny fingers to find the 2 lost nuts.

Turn it again on it's side, turn it all the way upside down? Shake it a bit, try turning the motor by hand or screwdriver to see if anything is binding. Turnuing the motor and shaking the machine while entirely upside down is a hell of a chore but maybe entirely successful! you gotta get us video of that as a lesson to all about holding their nuts! (Did I just jump over to the Dirty Laundry section?)

The dry bearing you described is very likely the origianl guilty culprit in the motor overheating, glad you got that, but now I fear a new problem of lost nuts is an issue.

Also, if you do end up entirely removing the motor to see where the nuts are, please get some oil on the top bearing. It's hidden just under that plastic disc surrounding the shaft.

Keep us posted for sure, and actually removing the entire motor is not too bad a task, you may find you are quite capable. Ask here before you do, and I can throw some advice and some thread links your way.

You seem closer and closer to finishing this project and providing for yourself a great old-style loud washer, fun and clean results----

Mark

 

[launderess]

Ran the DW This Morning To "Run In The Oil"

As it was and on "China/Crystal" it completed the cycle without any problems. Cannot say things were *that* much quieter if at all, but at least the thing didn't stop after one or two cycles, so that is something anyway.

Before the oiling and after the second time the motor refused to cooperate, plugging in whilst engaged in a cycle caused a loud screeching sound. At once pulled the plug and let the thing alone as noted above. After a period of waiting it powered up and drained after which we disconnected from water and power to leave it in peace until yesterday's oiling mission.

Have been pouring over the archives of the group and yes, have seen Soberleaf's pictures of his MM renovation. What one cannot understand is where or how nuts could have slid into the motor if indeed they are there. With the unit laid on it's side the loose bolts "should" have dropped to the bottom as two indeed did once free. If the darn things are on "top" of the motor then nothing will suffice but taking the thing out and apart. That is something one is *NOT* looking forward.

Getting the motor out is pretty straight forward, at least according to my Hotpoint toploader service manual. Just really don't want to mess with the seals and in particular anything to do with the pump as so many parts are NLA. Certainly am *NOT* going to do anything involving touching the cone shaped impeller unless or until one finds a replacement. Given those things are a rare as finding a virgin at a prison rodeo it may be some time (if ever) before one digs into the current motor.

My plan is once the new WD26X63 motor arrives to begin building a new "spare" pump system from the ground up. This would be my "back-up" if and when either the current motor goes and or the pump system. Some of the parts for the pump assembly came with that haul of vintage Hotpoint parts one listed in another thread. Finding the balance is going to be a challenge and largely a waiting game to see what surfaces in future.

It is really a shame this unit uses the "1966" pump system instead of the later version GE switched to by the late 1960's and still today. Those pumps can be found easily and often going cheap.

May take Combo's suggestion and turn the unit over and allow it to stand for a day or so to "oil" the upper bearing via gravity. But then wouldn't one have to replace the oil in lower bearing cup? I mean won't most of it end up going elsewhere with this maneuver?

Shaking the motor? Not possible. Once bolted into place the thing is solid and won't budge. You can shake it once it is free of the tub, but that is another matter.

Again thank you for all the suggestions and assistance gang. This DW is like having a child, every day it's something new that is wanting. Am noticing one or two new small specks of rust on the inner tub. Will clean, sand and apply some "ReRack" paint to seal off.

From what one has been reading about rust if the stuff is not "converted" or better yet totally removed covering it with various products merely hides things for awhile. Like a cancer the rust will continue to grow (perhaps more slowly)and sooner or later re-emerge.

 

[akronman]

Shake

Oh heck, if it's upside down, shake the whole darn machine, not just the motor!

 

[launderess]

I call you "killer" because you slay me!

*LOL*

Besides taking out racks and by now today's breakfast and dinner dishes would have to drain or sop up water in the sump. Then turn the thing over and shake it all about like the hokey-pokey. It is just too nice a night to be stuck in indoors doing all of that. *LOL*

 

[launderess]

It's Did

Dealt with water in sump then turned the unit upside down. At once one nut fell and after a shake the other emerged as well. Everything is tightened up and hopefully the dishwasher is none worse for the indignation

 

[akronman]

Congratulations

No harm done! Nuts found. Once you got some oil into that bone-dry bearing, some will remain after turning the machine upside down, don't worry.
While this machine shouldn't be your daily driver due to its age and poor motor/bearing design, it should now, oiled up, be a weekly washer and give fine results.

Good work!

 

[turquoisedude]

Laundress, you have now earned your 'GE MobileMaid' badge!   

 

Just something I have to mention (learned the hard way, bien sûr) is that if you do ever have to remove the motor, be sure to at least re-install it when the machine is flipped upside down.   I had fun with that on a 1960 MM restore...

 

[launderess]

Can see how doing a motor installation with the unit upside down is much easier.

For one thing it means not having to deal with balancing the weight of motor whilst also tightening the clamp. That should make easing into the seal and centering much easier as well. Ditto dealing with electrical and hose connections.

 

[launderess]

Three Thousand Views?

Ok, where is my Kewpie doll!

*LOL*

 

[ovrphil]

"three thousand ..."

wondering how the lady with the white phone got her dishwasher rockin' and rollin'....if you start two more threads as engaging, the servers may slow down. (wink)

 

[chachp]

Excuse me?

That's a white slimline phone with last number redial........