Frigidaire 1-18 comment/GE question

[bwoods]

My GE washer's clutch (?) went out this weekend and, due to time constraints (and a tub full of soaking wet laundry), decided to just buy another used washer for, now and fix the GE later.

I called an appliance service center that occasionally has used machines to sell. On a whim I said, "you wouldn't happen to have any Frigidaires with an up and down agitator." (Knowing good and well he wouldn't, but of course, always worth a try.)

He paused, and then said, "you mean a Thumper?"
(I had never heard that term for a Frigidaire, but that must be what repairmen call them.)

To my surprise he casually said he had a nice "poppy" set. I went down and looked at them and bought the pair.

They are "1 - 18's" Washer WC-6 and dryer DEC-5.

Anyone know the approximate age of this set?

They both work fine, and look relatively new in appearance.

The salesman said they were 1980, but I think GM sold Frigidaire to WCI before 1980, correct?

I live in Dayton, Ohio where the washers and dryers were made originally. (I even had a tour of the Frigaire plant once.) But it sure seems as GM had converted the plant over to vehicle (small truck) assembly before 1980, but maybe my memory is off.

I figured this set is probably mid-seventies. Any of you know how to tell the production date from the serial numbers?

Whatever the age, they work well. The air flow on the dryer was down a bit. I think the previous owner had used a lot of fabric softener sheets and coated the lint screen.

I ran the lint screen through the dishwasher and it came out looking like new and it made a big difference in drying speed. Unlike the GE lint screen, which looks like window screen mesh, the Frigidaire's is more like a fine, porous fabric.

Now..A question for the GE experts:

I want to fix up the GE washer as it is virtually in mint condition. I think it's about a 1986 or 1987 model (WWA8360GALAD).

It's had been metallic clattering going into the spin and had gotten progressively louder, then started clattering (very loudly) all the time.

Saturday, the automatic thermal trip took the motor off line until it cooled down. When it restarted it would barely turn during the spin.

Does this sound as if the problem is in the clutch versus the transmission? Hopeing some of you may have had some experience with this.

Barry

BTW, the Frigidaire 1-18 dryer does not have a drum light (at least not that I could find). Is this normal for all the Frigidaire's of this era, or is the dryer lower in the model line?

 

[gansky1]

Congrats on the Frigidaire set, based on the model numbers you gave, they are from 1976-77. Usually only the models nearer the top of the line (TOL)had drum lights - yours is more middle of the line (MOL).

Sounds like your GE needs a clutch rebuild/replacement. You should be able to find clutch parts or a whole new clutch for your GE washer without much trouble. The shop where you bought the Frigidaires should be able to get you fixed up or you can order the parts on your own, they are still readily available.

I've heard Frigidaire washers called Bouncing Bettys, Thumpers, Jackhammers, on and on. Many service people hated working on Frigidaires.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Hi Barry, and yes congrats on the Frigidaire set is in order! Can you post some pictures, we would love to see it?

The last GM Frigidaire I believe was in 1980 and the first WCI Frigidaire came out in 1981, but it might have been one year earlier.

As for the GE, most likely it is the clutch, but there is a chance that the clacking is a broken brake band inside the bottom of the transmission, I've seen this once before and it did make a clacking sound like you describe. But start with the clutch. Do you know how to work on the GE?

 

[bwoods]

Thanks for the info, Gansky and Unimatic.

I've done minor work on the GE but I will have to psych myself up before attempting to disassemble the clutch.

I don't have a digital camera, but will see if I can borrow one to post some pictures.

One thing about the Frigidaire, it clears suds out of the tub faster than any machine I ever had. During agitation it earns it's name of "Thumper"...it has a meaty, powerful sound that took me by surprise when it first started agitating.

If I remember correctly, Frigidaire's machines got top marks in consumer Reports in the 1970's, as far a cleanability. rollover of clothes during the wash is great.

Strange that WCI chose to go with standard agitation when they bought GM's appliance division. Possibly GM didn't include the patent rights to the design when they sold them Frigidaire?

Knowing White Consolidated, though, they probably went to the standard agitator because it was cheaper for them to produce, and they could run them on the same assembly line as their Westinghouse products.

Barry

 

[peterh770]

Barry,

See if the repair shop has the paperback/paperbound GE DIY for manual for washer repair. It is a great book and will walk you thru the repair easily with lots of pictures.

GE's are very easy to repair, but when it comes to the clutches, you might want to price a brand new replacement one, rather that mess with the clutch shoes and the tiny inner parts.

Congrats on your 1-18 set!

 

[mixfinder]

January 1980

In 1980, I was buying appliances for a house remodel. We were moving from a townhouse in Kalamzoo, to a stand alone in Parchment, MI.
I walked into the Frigidaire dealer, like a kid into a candy shop, to buy new appliances. There was still a Custom Imperial 30 inch double oven range from GM, but everything else in the store was Westinghouse. I about fainted. The owner tried to tell me it was Frigidaire and they had made improvements, but I knew better. I bought the stove, on the condition he could find a GM fridge. They were able to find a SXS with ice and water in Ohio and ship it in.
Then, I went to buy new a new Maytag dishwasher and saw the washer amd dryers had been restyled. It was almost too much for one day.
Kelly

 

[goatfarmer]

First number in the serial number will date them.Sounds like na great find!

 

[nasadowsk]

Ok, my parent's old Filter-Flo made this HORRID grinding noise going into spin, the went away after a few seconds - that was the clutch, right?

Anyways, if it's running and popping the thermal, I think the start switch tends to get sticky on these things, and that'll keep it on the start winding (the motor never accelerates to full speed). Noisy like that too.

How hard is it to rebuild a GE clutch anyway? I know the 2 speed designs are a bit complex, but it's nothing that bad, is it?

 

[gyrafoam]

Can't imagine anyone hating to work on an old Frigidaire.

 

[unimac104]

clutch change out

you can replace the entire clutch assembly on the 2 speed machines withn a single speed clutch assembly. it is not hard to do, remove the 2 speed assembly and replace with the single speed clutch. the single speed is much much simplier and if you do not need the slow wash it makes sense. many times in the ge washers if you change the speed while it is washing from normal to slow or vice versa it bends a part in the clutch leaving it with only one speed anyway,we used to make this change in the laundromats regularly for this reason. the only draw back like i said is that you only will have normal wash speed and spin no matter what seeting you select.
bob

 

[rinso]

Our service person refers to the Frigidaires as "Jumping Jacks." He claims service persons didn't/don't like to work on them because Frigidaire had so many different mechanisms over the years. My 1-18 was probably the best washing machine I've ever owned, but gawd was it noisy, especially with a full load. BTW, those of you who are fortunate to own 1-18's, watch lights that are on the same circuit as your washer when it is in its agitation mode. Mine flicker at the same rate as the jet cone pulsates.

 

[mayken4now]

congrats on your New Machines. Poppy red. How rare and odd that you would find them together.

Steve

 

[Unimatic1140]

watch lights that are on the same circuit as your washer when it is in its agitation mode

That's not suppose to happen. I suspect some component (like the motor) is getting a little leaky electrically and the ground wire is doing its job properly.

 

[rinso]

The flicker is barely dectectable, but it is/was there, even on three new machines in our family in the 70's. Try plugging a lamp into the same circuit as the 1-18 and see if you detect just a bit of a flicker during agitation. If not, I'm calling Idaho Power and giving them a piece of what's left of my mind!

 

[westytoploader]

Congrats on the new Frigidaire, and good luck getting the GE back up and running! Worse comes to worse, you can always replace the entire clutch assembly...I'm pretty sure the 2-speed clutches are still available, or find a junk machine with a good clutch and take it off of there. Like Peter said, the 1990 GE repair manual is the absolute BEST out there. Lots of detailed instructions and pictures to guide you.

My 1-18 does flicker the (flourescent) lights in the Studio while it's washing (even after motor #1 died and I replaced it)...like Gene said, you can hardly tell most of the time, but if you look closely it's there. Steve B. (Mayken4now) commented about it on the video from last December.

--Austin

 

[Unimatic1140]

My 1-18 does flicker the (flourescent) lights in the Studio

Strange, I never noticed that before in a 1/18. I wonder if it has something to do with they type of motor start switch that is used?

 

[appnut]

Congratulations on the rare poppy red. Terasure them!!

 

[swestoyz]

OOOOOOOOOO - Poppy Red 1-18's - what a find! Enjoy these super cool - very hard to find machines!

Ben

 

[gansky1]

My 1-18 does flicker the (flourescent) lights in the Studio

Sounds like a few 1-18 washers around here need some new agitate arms! Are the floor joists under the machine starting to splinter? Concrete floor turning to powder? ;-)

5+ years ago, I found a 1-18 from 1978 at a thrift store here, brought it home and after running it for only a few minutes realized that every other 1-18 I'd ever heard had a bad agitate arm. It was the quietest rollermatic I'd ever heard, just the hum of the motor and the swooshing sounds from the water/clothes pulsating!