FOUND 1972 GE Filter Flo

[lebron]

Hello all, I found this mint 1972 GE Filter Flow Model WWA8400NBHLT (ser TM142541G). Supposedly this machine sat unused for 30 years! I wish I knew more about the backstory, but when the price is free, I'm not asking too many questions. The machine works fine from what I can tell. Clutch seems to take awhile to shift into high speed agitation, although I'm not sure what's normal. Maybe a leak during spin cycle, but I can't tell if that is just coming from the drain hose (which does leak). I'm sorta in need of a daily driver, so this machine will be put right back to work. Center post is a little rusty. It would be fun to tear down this machine, but the further you go in, the more stuff to replace. I'll have to work on increasing my GE parts cache for now.

 

[pulltostart]

Wow!

Congratulations on a great find!  It looks very good, here's hoping that the "good" goes deeper than the appearance.

 

lawrence

 

[bradfordwhite]

Wow! Does it even still have the wood panel on the back?
It looks great for being 50 y.o. Can you believe it's half a century?

Is the drain hose rubber or white plastic?
Is the water valve mounted on a recessed plate accessible from the back or are the hoses attached in a way that you have to remove the back to gain access to the valve?

I wouldn't have hesitated to get this golden gem!

 

[peteski50]

GE

What a Great find - Best of Luck

 

[repairguy]

Congratulations! What a great way to start 2022.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

More and more my dream machine--lots of luck and loads of wash with her...

-- Dave

 

[swestoyz]

1972 GE N Line Large Capacity Washer

Congrats Jed, this a great washer that is also rarely seen these days. The separate wash/rinse temps really make this a versatile washer to use as a daily driver.

The drag shoes can get a bit touchy over time and take a bit longer to release the outer drum for the clutch to get to full speed. A rebuild of the clutch or replacing it with a new clutch assembly (plentiful on eBay) would solve this issue.

As for the leak... it's a GE. Let's hope it's just the drain hose but there is also a good chance that the outer tub may have some holes. Determine if it is indeed the drain hose or potentially the outer tub outlet port grommet that is leaking. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or are looking for parts.

To answer the question above about the placement of the water valve, the valve is rear mounted by '72. In fact this change occurred mid way through the '70 L models.

Ben

 

[combo52]

GE 2 Speed Clutch

Slow pick-up to fast speed.

 

There is nothing wrong with this at all, it can take over 30 seconds for this shift to happen, and in fact the longer it takes it just indicates that the clutch carrier bearing is in great shape.

 

The GE washers where it shifts into high speed in just a few seconds are the clutches you are more likely have a problems with because there is a lot of friction in the carrier plate bearing, on these clutches if you use low speed much the carrier plate bearing may fail sooner.

 

John L.

 

[danelto]

Filter Flo Pan Warning

Hey--I don't want to rain on your Filter Flo parade, but I learned this lesson the hard way.

Like you, I absolutely loved to put powdered detergent in the filter pan and watch it get washed into the water.

But, I ruined my filter pan this way. The powdered soap clogged the little holes and there was no way I could figure to get it out.

I wound up buying another one off of e-Bay.

But the turquoise, extra-large one like your machine has are far and few between.

Not saying this will happen to yours. But I am saying you might want to reconsider.

Dan

 

[gregingotham]

great washer!

love the controls and the large filter pan of this model.

 

[bradfordwhite]

#6

"placement of the water valve, the valve is rear mounted by '72. In fact this change occurred mid way through the '70 L models."

Thank-you Ben.

Maybe you also know when they switched from the rubber wire-wound drain hoses to the white flex. plastic?
And when did they change the lid hinges over to the plastic?

-----

As for #8. Don't give up on your clogged filter-pans. They are cleanable.

Take a plastic bag about the size of the pan (with no holes), put the pan in the bag, pour in at least a cup of white vinegar, tie the bag shut and allow the bag to sit a few days on a flat surface so that the bottom is soaking in the vinegar.
After a few days you should be able to take the pan out, rinse it and all the gunk should flush down the drain.

And DON'T put detergent in the pan.
1. as you've mentioned it can clog the filter pan.... along with hard water residue.
2. I've found that when the washer first comes on there is a sudden blast of water from the spout and that will cause some of the detergent to go flying up onto the lid and other areas where it won't get rinsed away.
3. It's best to add detergent to the bottom of the tub, before adding clothes. This gives the detergent time to dissolve properly for washing.

 

[yogitunes]

cleaning the filter pan....

take it your local car wash.....or you home power washer....

put it on the ground, use your foot to hold it in place, and run the water over it....will clean up in a jiffy....

that pan with the center recessed area was for use with a fabric softener dispenser, the solution would fall in there and be held until agitation started during the rinse, versus dropping the softener directly on the clothing...

 

[scrubflex]

CONGRATULATIONS!!! on your great find...hope to be as LUCKY and find the next to the of top of the line model WWA 8500N...with the timed bleach and fabric softener dispensers

 

[bradfordwhite]

#11 NAH-AHHh

Do NOT take a pressure washer to the rather delicate webbing of a filter pan clogged with gunk.

 

Dissolving the mineral build up with vinegar is the easiest.

 

Messy splash-back alone is a very real threat with the pres. washer.

 

graphic video

 

[bradfordwhite]

Scrubflex

Are you referring to the Dispensall?

 

[combo52]

GE Filter Pans Will Not Clog Because Powdered Detergent

Was placed in it, The detergent actually helps clean it.

 

The filter pan is getting clogged with mineral deposits NOT DETERGENT, detergent will dissolve and rinse away easily.

 

The mineral build up is caused by using too little in hard water, GE FF Washers use a LOT of water, ever look at an old instruction book for GE washers ?, depending on water conditions they suggest using as much as 4 cups of detergent for hard water areas [ and this was when detergents had phosphates ]

 

Have you ever noticed the wall in a really dirty shower stall where it is covered with white soap scum and the only clean area is under the soap dish !!

 

Soaps and detergents prevent mineral build-up, there is really no such thing as detergent build-up.

 

John L.

 

[good-shepherd]

4 cups of detergent for hard water areas

Hmm, so how much detergent for hard water areas in a 19 gal DC Maytag?

 

[scrubflex]

Hey bradfordwhite, not the Dispensall...the difference between the models is pic. 1 and 2 control panel center logo is the AMERICANA, and pic. 3 is the HEAVY DUTY 18...but, they have the same washtub as your new find

 

[bradfordwhite]

#17

I love those toggles!  Give me several more please.

 

Do like the graphics on the Dispensall panel, but frankly I don't need the dispensall top.  It was gimmicky, imo.  

The timed dispenser was no doubt good.

 

I had a dispensall unit but the dispenser thing was tricky and it got gunked up with gross lint.  They only made it a few years for a reason.

 

I'll take the TOL in #17 def.  I need those toggles.