Help !!!!Frigidaire 1-18 washer Having trouble agitating

[76speedqueen]

I have used this washer as a daily driver since 2012 with absolutely no trouble at all. It was a low use machine in an elderly couple's summer home and only used 3 months out of any given year. Today it has started to falter in the wash/rinse action part of the cycles. The jet cone has started to jump up and down erratically. I have always treated this washer very well and always under loaded it to try to use it gently. It actually seems like the rollers are slipping and not making good contact when I try to watch it with the front panel off. Do they need cleaning and if so how do I undertake this? I love this machine and would be SOOOO grateful for any advice anyone could give me. Thanks, Brian.

 

[yogitunes]

cleaning is easy.....some use rubbing alcohol, found it best to wrap a putty knife with a cloth and hold it flat against the rollers as they turned....

brake parts cleaner, from an auto parts store works really well too......as you spray it on, the dirt will run off, and dry super fast...and your back to normal...

 

[wiskybill]

What Yogi said...

or if you have it, use lighter fluid to clean the rollers.
This was suggested in the Tech-Talk manual.

 

[washerlover]

I've done the lighter fluid thing and it works just fine!

 

[joelippard]

I'll second the others, I use lighter fluid as well per the tech talk but I clean mine with the machine off and rotate them by hand.  If this doesn't work then your roller is getting worn out, that's rare however.

 

[coldspot66]

The belt also could be not tight enough. This is a belt driven machine.

 

[joelippard]

Good eye coldspot, I just thought of the same, the belt should have a 1/2 inch deflection when pressed in on.  That is per the tech talk also.  It would seem that condition would affect the spin too but stranger things have happened on a Frigidaire.

 

[combo52]

Slipping Agitation In A FD 1-18

Cleaning the rollers is the first thing to try along with checking the belt tension and condition [ the rubber vibration isolateor in the motor could also be stripping loose, however this usually makes a loud squalling noise ].

The other [ very likely ] reason that that these washers behave this way is a water leak that is getting on the drive rollers.

John L.

 

[philr]

Flat spots on the rollers might cause that too. I had that problem on my 1-18 when I got it as it had probably been sitting for a good while. I did order a new agitate roller for it but didn't replace it, I just removed the flat spot with my bench grinder. I doubt that's the problem with your machine if it's used regularly and if it was fine until today. 

 

Remove the front panel first and you should see what's happening.

 

I had a tiny leak from the top of the water pump in one of my solid tub Rollermatic machines and the water was sprayed up in the rollers. As soon as the water got there (in the overflow rinse portion of the wash cycle), the agitation stopped! 1-18 washers are quite different and they usually leak from other places but I can tell you it doesn't take a lot of water to stop the agitation in these machines. 

 

[76speedqueen]

Cleaned the rollers and checked the belt.......

Rollers were quite dirty but cleaned up nicely, showing no real signs of wear as far as I can see. Checked the deflection of the belt and it appears to be proper and the belt looks in great condition. It is ten of midnight now so I will test run it tomorrow and let you all know what I find out. Thank you for the tips gentlemen.....!!!!

 

[76speedqueen]

Up and Chugging away normally again.....!

After cleaning the rollers last night, I did two loads today and the washer ran smoother than ever. Hell, it is even quieter ! I do not see any signs of any water leaks either by the way. I let it sit with water in it for a couple hours while the front was off and watched it through both loads. I think I am good now......

 

[joelippard]

Great!  I'm glad you were able to remedy the problem with a simple fix and get it up and running well again.

 

[philr]

Great! Did you put the matching dryer back in service? (if I remember well, you fixed that one too?)

 

[76speedqueen]

Yes, Dryer was fixed...

It is now back beside it's partner where it belongs......