Found a nice Whirlpool

[DADoES]

 
I'm curious also about the Super Soak cycle. There's one timer increment after the 2-min position, so I'm figuring it ends with a drain, leaving the clothes wet/saturated with detergent solution and ready to restart on a full cycle.

Jeff, I was surprised that the sprays on your machine are only 3 seconds. I expected they'd be 5 to 7 seconds.

 

[launderess]

Not

My harvest gold Whirlpool portable has the same settings.

Washer fills, then agitates for whatever minutes one has set the dial to, then partially drains, "soaks", then refills and continues on with the cycle with no spin in between. One can also stop the machine after the soaking period, and set it to another cycle or shorter cycle if desired.

 

[DADoES]

 
Launderess, you're referring to Super Wash cycle as on BrianL's and Jeff's machines, which precedes and automatically proceeds into the Normal cycle (or Perm Press on machines that have it on both). The soak period is only 2 mins, so it's more of a double-wash/prewash situation with a pause possibly to allow heavy/muddy soil to settle in the outer tub before the partial drain.

The Super Soak cycle on Darren's machine is a standalone selection. Theoretically it could either drain and stop without a spin, or simply stop leaving the tub full for a soak until the machine is manually reset to drain. Or it could drain, spin, and shut off, but that wouldn't have much effect for "soaking."

 

[appnut]

Jeff thanks. I THOUGHT there should be 4 spin spray rinses, but I had to check. And I agree with Glenn, I timed them on the video and they were only 3 seconds, just like Glenn mentioned for your machine too. It just "semed" to me that Kenmore spray rinses were longer, maybe the 5 seconds or even 7 seconds like Glenn mentioned.

 

[washoholic]

SUPER SOAK????

Bob,
My 1970 and 1975 Whirlpools both have 7 second spray rinses.

Launderess,
On the later belt-drive models the “Super Wash” is exactly how you described. Washer fills, then agitates for whatever minutes one has set the dial to, then there is one, two minute timer increment where it partially drains, pauses, then advances to the next timer increment, refills and continues on with the cycle.”

The older models from the sixties like these actually go into a 2 minute “soak” increment with a pause possibly to allow heavy/muddy soil to settle in the outer tub before the partial drain, as Glenn mentioned. Then the next 2 minute increment is the partial drain and another pause until the timer advances.

Darren,
Everyone seems to be curious about the “Super Soak” cycle on your machine. So what’s the verdict?

 

[appnut]

Thanks Jeff for the clarrification. Glad to know I'm not totally loosin my mind. I still have a hard time believing that if you double the detergent amount for the super wash, and with the partial drain and refill, there's still enough detergent and good slippy solution to work on more dirt during the main wash. Wish I could see independent testing proving this whole theory.

 

[brianl]

Tightening the belt

How would one go about doing that? I noticed the agitation gets better with use; is there a reason for that? It looks like the belt was changed around 2003 as per that work order I posted (says 37 year old washer, and figured it was probably a 1966, so 2003). The back service panel was off when I picked it up (took it with me of course). Too bad the original pump was changed out, I would have like to see what it looks like. I will see if I can get some decent pics of the service area when I pull it out to tighten the belt. I appreciate all the information everyone is giving to me and I will keep everyone posted on updates.

 

[DADoES]

 
Remove the service panel. Loosen the motor mounting bolt that's exposed on top of the baseplate. Place a hammer handle or long screwdriver between the motor brackets for leverage and pull toward the left, tighten the bolt while holding the appropriate tension on the belt.

 

[launderess]

"Super-Wash"

Here's how it goes on mine:

http://shared.whirlpoolcorp.com/assets/pdfs/literature/Use and Care Guide - 385033.pdf

 

[DADoES]

 
That was the sequence on my grandparents' late 1960s Supreme 80 and my parents' 1976 Supreme 80. Six, 4, or 2-min wash, 2-min pause, followed by partial drain and another pause which is the remainder of the drain increment after the water level pressure switch resets to end the partial drain, same as on a Perm Press cool down. The length of the 2nd pause varies per how long is the drain -- higher/lower water level = longer/shorter drain to water level reset = shorter/longer pause.

My 1985 BD Imperial 70 has a 4- or 2-min wash followed by a partial drain/pause, then on into Normal. That's also the sequence on my 1992 DD KA. KA refers to it as Extra Wash.

 

[combo52]

BELT THIGHTING ON WP BELT WASHERS

When tighting the belt loosen both 9/16" bolts on the base plate then pry the motor over to the left and tighten the rear nut then the front one. If you don't loosen the front nut you put a heavy stress on the rubber motor mounting grommets and the machine will make more motor hum-noise you may also break one of the mounting studs off the motor.

 

[brianl]

Great information

I will try that stuff this evening as I am pretty pumped to get it working properly. Once done, I will update with new videos. I bet the person who worked on the washer did not tension the belt right. Also I did notice that the belt used had "teeth" on the inside and flat side facing out to me; is that correct?

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Brian -

The proper belt for many belt-drive washers, yours included, is currently part number 95405. If you have a factory belt, it should have the FSP logo and the part number either printed or embossed on the belt. Older belts were stamped in red. Even some aftermarket belts have the number 95405 on them, just no FSP logo. I would be very surprised if your machine has the skinny quiet-pak belt, but if it does the tensioning procedure is the same.

The FSP belt is a cogged belt, and definitely SHOULD have the teeth on the inside, smooth outside.

I only watched your videos once, but I thought I heard the sound of belt slippage. I have not had much experience with belts that are too loose, though I did have one stretch a good bit from brand new which needed to be tightened a couple months after the machine was installed.

Aren't you the one who recently got the 1983/1984 Whirlpool machines? If you are unsure about the belt tension, I would compare the '66 to the good machine that you filmed. However, if your machine's problem is a loose belt, I think you're going to find it EXTREMELY loose. My experience with belts that needed a "snugging" was that they'd work fine in agitation and drag only in spin.

John is very correct about properly tensioning the belt. Since there are two motor mounting bolts, just loosening one may not allow the mounting brackets enough room to move and adjust properly. The second bolt is a bit consealed and you may need to feel for it, but it is under the rear bracket and you can reach it using a socket with an extension. Have both nuts loose, then tighten the outermost nut, followed by the the hidden inner one. Do not make the belt "piano wire" tight. It needs to be able to deflect somewhat, though the "pounds of force" measurement that WP gives on the belt packages and in service manuals is a bit subjective if you can't measure it. Push in on the belt between the motor pulley and the trans pulley - it should move in about 1/2 to 2/3 an inch (depending on how much force you use). If you can almost pull the belt off the pulleys, it's too loose.

I hope this helps!

Gordon

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Brian -

I just spent some time watching the various videos, rather listening to them. I am not completely convinced this is just a belt tension issue. The motor sounds like it's not running at full speed. I know what motors sound like when they have no belt on them at all, and I would think a motor that is unburdened by a tight belt would sound more like that than one that is laboring. Your motor sounds like it is working hard.

I hope I'm wrong but if the belt doesn't solve the problem, I wonder if the motor is either very weak or is not getting full current. You may want to check your power supply if this is a valid concern.

Still, look at the belt first, then go from there.

Good luck and please keep us posted!

Gordon

 

[brianl]

Will check that out

Just to be 100% sure, I noticed John said tighten the inner hidden one first and then the outer one second. From what I am gathering from you Gordon, is your saying to do the outer one first and the inner one second. Which method is correct, or should it matter?

I can definitely check the belt tension on my '84, as yes that was me who posted about that. Once I see what the deflection is on that one, I will try to mimic it on the '66. I noticed it is now in the 2010 archives.

Gordon, if I understand you correctly, you think the belt tension may be correct, but that the motor is just laboring due to weakness. Looks to be the original or at least changed many years ago as it shows lots of rust on it.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

It's easier to tighten the outer nut first when you have the tension on the hammer/long screw driver. Just snug it, then tighten the inner one, then go back and fully tighten the outer nut. The important part is not to put the two brackets into a bind with each other.

As to the hunch I have - I am just not sure the machine is making the right sounds for a loose belt only. There are vibrations there and an odd pitch to the motor which makes it sound like it's running in delicate when it's not.

What I'm wondering is if the motor has become weak enough that a properly tensioned belt just holds the motor in place and it just hums, so someone loosened the belt A LOT to get it to run at all, then tossed the machine when they got such lousy performance. Just a thought on my part - it may need only a belt tightening.

Gordon

 

[brianl]

About the vibrations

I did notice the console back and top are ever so slightly loose. If I press gently down on the top of the console, most of the vibration goes away. When I made the video, I should have paid attention to pushing down on it for a moment. Sometimes it will stay quiet afterwords until a cycle switch. The motor did sound normal to me if I got on my knees and put my ear to the lower front, but as said before, only physically looking into it will tell. I am going to check it in about another 5 hours or so when I get home from work. Anyone got a service manual for this washer electronic or not? I would love to have a copy in case I ever need to do any other repairs.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Brian -

I haven't seen a manual written for a Whirlpool, but I am sure they were/are out there. Sears carries them still for betl-driven machines, so if nothing else, one of those will work. The newer manuals are based on 1980s machines with pics, etc. but the machines differ only in very minor ways.

Check ebay - there are two or three editions for Kenmore machines, the 1970s version being a little more applicable to your machine but it is also more technically oriented. I've seen lots of these on ebay.

Gordon

 

[brianl]

Adjusted the belt

After pulling out the washer and getting down there, I found the belt to be deflecting perhaps about 1 inch. After much cursing, I managed to get the outer nut loose. The inner nut was near impossible to open, and to be honest, looks like it was never loosened. I used a large flat screwdriver and brought the outer bolt to the end of its travel and tightened it down. The deflection is now only about 1/2 inch, no more than 2/3 inch.

My question now is, is the bolt supposed to be at the end of its travel? I would think that there should be some space leftover for adjustment should the belt loosen over time. I made another video and what a difference! Will be posting shortly.

 

[brianl]

Washer Fill & Agitate With Pause

There is an odd pause between the fill and agitate. This is because I was playing with the dial. To get it to agitate, I manually clicked the timer forward 2 clicks.

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