GE TL Washer sump leak

[spinspeed]

Hi Guys, I just picked up an old GE top load washer from EBay in Sydney yesterday. It is a great old machine but when I connected it up it was leaking badly from where the sump enters the outer tub at the bottom. On close inspection there was some rust and a small hole. I have patched the hole and used loads of silicone to try and seal it. I tried it again this morning, still leaks a little.

I was wondering if it would be worth taking the wash tub out and try to seal from inside. How difficult would this be? Any advice would really be appreciated. I would love to get this old girl up and running in my ever expanding laundry room

Some pictures to follow

Cheers
Simon

 

[cfz2882]

FF tub rust repair

pretty common problem with"filter flo"type GE washers and a large variety of fixes
have been used for the fix-to fix my 1980 hotpoint "rimflo"(GE built)i took the
agitator and washtub out,cleaned the area with the rust pinhole,made a patch out
of fiberglass cloth and resin and stuck the patch on with silicone rubber after
the patch had cured and was rigid(sprayed WD40 on the area the patch was molded to
so it wouldn't stick to the porcelain-pulled up and cleaned,stuck in place with the
silicone)
A GE washer developing a tub rust leak seems to depend on the porcelain job done
that day at the factory and the water the machine is used with-my very high usage
'81 filter flo has a rust free tub while my '80 hotpoint,-far lower usage-develope
a leak.
Removing the agitator and washbasket is usually very easy on a filterflo type
washer,but sometimes the agitator can be stubborn pulling up and sometimes the
3 bolts holding the washtub to it's hub can seize with rust and twist off,causing
a bothersome repair work detour...

 

[spinspeed]

some pictures

 

[spinspeed]

inside

 

[spinspeed]

the console

 

[spinspeed]

Hi there cfz2882, thanks for your advice. I have got the agitator off the spindle relatively easily. I have the top open, where are the three bolts I need to remove? I am guessing underneath the outer wash tub?
Cheers
Simon

 

[cfz2882]

3 bolts

the 3 bolts are under a plastic cover that snaps onto the washbasket hub-this
plastic cover is sometimes called"agitator bearing"since the lower part of the
agitator rides on it.

 

[spinspeed]

Cheers, thank for that. I have been trying to pull this plastic cover off but it wont budge, any tips to help get this off?

 

[spinspeed]

This is where I am up to now with tub basket removal. I am thinking that the water inlet nozle and the bleach dispenser nozle may get in the way of pulling the tub out? I just cant see how to get the plastic thing off to get to the bolts to remove the basket

 

[spinspeed]

basket removal

Managed to get the plastic cover off, it was full of crap. Soaking the bolts wirh WD40 before I attempt to remove them. Really worried they may shear off

 

[spinspeed]

More advice needed re repair to GE filter flo washer

I finally managed to get the wash basket out. Two bolts came out relatively easily the third was an absolute bitch and I ended up obliterating the bolt head but at least got it out. Notsure where I can get a replacement bolt, any ideas?

I have sprayed the rusty areas with this stuff that is supposed to make the rusty bits go really hard.

I am not quite sure of the best way to patch up around where the sump enters the tub and there is also another small hole near to another outlet in the bottom, not too sure what that one is for. Would covering the whole area with a thick coat of silicon fix the leaks? Any and all advice greatly appreciated.

 

[spinspeed]

Another picture, sorry for poor quality