Found out something about Whirlpool direct drives....

[ddfan92]

This may be something everyone else already knows, all I know is now I think I've finally figured it out too--good for me. On Whirlpool DDs: why the older gray drain pumps have a lower pitch whirring sound than the new pumps do. If you look closely in the pics, the spacing on the impeller fins is wider on the old one than on the new one. Never realized that until now.

The older pump in the first pic is out of an 89 Whirlpool which I bought the whole lot of parts from off a guy yesterday.

It's the same thing with the spacing on my 86 Kenmore's old pump that I replaced in the third pic.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

whirlpool direct drive

I never knew that. I still wonder why some motors had that low F pitch when on high speed during agitation while others didn't.

 

[rinso]

We've had 2 DD's in the past, and the observations here about the pitches of the two pump types are dead on. Also, our newer DD was less likely clank through neutral drain into spin.

 

[maytaga806]

Thank you for showing that, the difference is very obvious on that impeller. These pumps sounded thrilling, but clearly Whirlpool thought they were “too loud” which is probably why they updated them around 1995. If it doesn’t leak or have any issues, don’t replace it! Our old roper had the older transmission and pump and it was a very exciting machine to listen to as a child.

 

[ron350]

DDFan92 thanks for the information.
I am always glad to learn something new about Whirlpool Direct Drive washers.

 

[ddfan92]

Still unclear on the answer to your question Jerome, but I know what you're talking about. I recently came across a newer 70 series Kenmore in an apartment that sounded like that when it ran. Something to do with either the motor or the transmission would be my first guess of course.

Eugene: Well there ya go. As far as the newer DD being less likely to prematurely slip into spin, I think it depends on the machine's milage and abuse. My 86 Kenmore 60 series DD is pretty much absolutely impossible to slip into spin unless you run it on low agitate for not even a split second.

Dan: No problem. I agree, those older pumps and transmissions just sounded much more exciting all around to me.

 

[ddfan92]

No problem Ron.

 

[blockeight88]

I never knew this before. Thanks for sharing. I foolishly removed the gray pump in my 94 machine to replace when it wasn’t broke. Wish I would have left it alone now.

Anyone know why they changed this? Is there a difference in pump operation on the new ones? Do they spin faster or something?

 

[dominic20]

i did not

i did not know that either

 

[ddfan92]

Matthew:

I think it probably was like Dan had previously said, to quiet the pumps down a little, and maybe the smaller spacing on the impeller moves a little more water per square inch or something like that? Just like a turbine engine, I would imagine (though I'm no expert) would have more power the more fins it has?

 

[blockeight88]

Steven

Yeah that definitely makes sense. I believe they did something similar with the motor couplers because the one I replaced on my 94 machine definitely didn't look like the new one I got last year.

Wouldn't it be neat if these old gray pumps were available NOS somewhere?

 

[ddfan92]

Matthew:

The couplers were changed so that they would be the first thing to break instead of the transmission.

They might be available....somewhere....I oughtta buy the patents for the parts of those machines. Even the newer style pumps in manufacturing would just need the older style impeller put in them and there you have it.

 

[ron350]

Which couplers are you refering to?
I have only seen two style couplers the round one with round pins and the triangular ones with teardrop pins.

 

[blockeight88]

Coupler

The round one without the metal insert.

 

[maytaga806]

Yes, I bet any money Whirlpool changed the impeller to quiet the pump more. We had a 1994 Roper that had the older gray pump, and now I have a 1996 Whirlpool which has the newer style white one, which is definitely the original to this machine so between those two years Whirlpool definitely changed the pumps.

Matthew, It’s funny you say that cause I was going to leave a comment a while back on your video about switching that pump out on your 1994 Kenmore when you had mentioned it in a video, and I probably should of at the time that way it didn’t get thrown out. The older pumps are much more exciting sounding, and definitely more reliable as the new ones tend to not last very long I’ve been told here and by customer reviews of them. Checkout JayKay18’s videos of his 1994 Whirlpool on YouTube, it sounds identical to how our Roper sounded with that older pump and transmission if you haven’t ever heard it before, it’s a great example of how much more exciting these machines once sounded.

 

[DADoES]

 
Are any of you aware that KA (some models if not all) used a different pump with a larger-diameter output port that has a flapper valve presumably to reduce suction noise during agitation?  The drain hose, of course, must match it.

 

[ddfan92]

DADoES:

Yep, some higher-end Kenmores I believe also had those "check-valve" pumps. I've even seen some on ebay that had that and were the old gray style.

 

[ryner1988]

In an attempt to understand this thread better, I just listened to JayKay18's '94 machine washing towels, and I noticed it has a sort of resonant woo sound on neutral drain that a lot of machines from like the 2000's don't seem to have. Is this the sound you all are referring to with the older pumps?

 

[ddfan92]

Ryne:

That's exactly it. Sort of a whirring sound that grows when it cavitates. Newer machines have that with the pump but it's a lot higher pitched.