Here's a couple of project Kenmores!

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800 dryer

I had no idea that there was a version of these with a full width door. I always thought the plug door was the only kind you saw on a 65 800. Another new thing learned.:)

Have a good one,
James
 
Just a little update:

Both machines have proven fiesty today, but I think the green beast appreciates my help.

On the green machine, first I had to agitamer the agitator out, which always makes me laugh because I imagine this rocket-ship like loosened agitator streamning its way out of the machine (they almost always come loose suddenly) and lodging itself in the ceiling... I did have one slam the lid pretty hard one time.

Anyway, I got the agitator out which revealed rusty agitator shaft splines. No surprise but I won't be able to re-use the agitator shaft. I then tried to get the basket out, which proved to be a hassle. The basket was locked onto the drive block (happens a lot). After at least 30 minutes of struggling with it, I finally got it loose with the aid of some penetrating oil. Now I can skip the gym!

The outer tub looks pretty nice, and the centerpost looks almost new. There was an interesting spider's next in there too as a bonus!!

Next will be to remove the transmission and basket drive from underneath, as I suspect both are SOL.

On the '65, I haven't progressed so far. The basket locknut that fits on the driveblock won't budge, at least so far, not with all the coaxing I can muster. If RustBuster doesn't dislodge it after while I'm going to have to do what Robert did in his '57 Lady restoration and cut the locknut off. Yippie.

I was tired from working with the stuck locknut and the ungrateful '76 basket, so I took the two tub rings, the agitators and the '76 basket out to the back yard and took a hose and sponge to them. Thank gosh for a 65-degree day. They look much better.

The green '76 is going to need a new timer. Both the one it came with and the replacement are bad. I should be able to get parts out of both to make one work. That will be my project tonight.

That's all for now....

G
 
Very KEWL Gordon!!!

Like others here I really like the '63! WOW what a mess, but boy did it clean up nicely!!! I'd love to have that and your '65 800 dryer!

I'm waiting to see the "after" photos of the "Green Beast"! It looks like that one should clean up nicely too!

And Gordon.... reset your cameras date stamp... 2002 was like, so 7 years ago! LOL
 
Kevin -

:-) Just for the record, you know the grief I've gone through with that camera, and these pics were taken at least in part due to your insistence on "more pictures, more pictures dude!". So, what I'm saying is "be happy with what you got bro..." :-)

I noticed that too actually and will fix the date next time I use it, presuming it still works (I take nothing for granted with that piece of...and was glad it worked at all).

An update on the beast - It looks promising. I am going to pull the outer tub because I see a detergent trail (a sign of previous leakage) on the baseplate and because the RustBuster puckered the centerpost grommet. It looks to be an easy pull (some really can be a pain). I expect to have about two or three hours work underneath and it should, if I'm lucky, be good to go.
 
Wow a matching 1965 Kenmore 800 Set

Gordon,

The young couple, who used to be good friends of mine ( we just lost track), ended up getting from me my old 1965 Kenmore 800 set when they got their first place, and were expecting a child. From what I rememeber tho, they ended up moving from near Lansing to I believe Kentwood Michigan, to attend Calvin College up there. Unlikely you have my old machine, but that's the EXACT model I used to have. Kinda strange after just thinking abou them yesterday.

It had lots of temp combo's including warm-warm and hot-warm, which was weird to me becasue I had never used a machine before that let you select a warm rinse. I never liked the water level lever below the panel tho. After a load it would shimmy back just enough for the next load to not get a completly full tub of water. I fixed that later by adjusting the water level mechanism inside the panel.

I used to love it's wah-hmmmm wah-hmmmm wah-hmmm during agitation, and the very distinctive wooh, wooh, wooh, wooh sound as it pumped out the water and the difinitive clunk-clink sound it made just before it ramped into spin mode. I had that machine the first year I had my house. I only got rid of it, becasue my brother and his ladyfriend were living there at the time, and they constantly overloaded it. It had the worlds MOST OBNIXIOUS buzzer to let you know it had went off balance too.

You could literally hear it upstairs two floor up. And I was able to find a matching 1965 Lady Kenmore Pair that was all white. and had what seemed to be a larger capacity. And I like the fact that they matched too both machine and color.

My Kenmore 800 Dryer was mint green. While the washer was white. My dryer had the smaller door, no buzzer adjustment, but wasn't nearly as loud as the washers was. IT did have the two belt system, and had a shorter lint screen thanlater Kenmores and Whirlpools of the period. The only thing that I wasn't enthralled abou with the dryer was it had no "automatic setting".

You will if you dont already love that machine.

Chad

Ann Arbor Michigan

P.S. I used to reffer to that 1965 set, which was a like pair but mismatched colors as the "Dutchess Series". Not quite A Lady K, but a lady in waiting, or a Punky Brewster in waiting... LOL
 
I would love to see another shot of the str8 vane agitator. Now that you have removed it, you can take one from the same vantage point as the Super Rotoswirl in Post #329280. The green beast is so unique and amazing, being that it is a black paneled model with a standard tub, that gold agitator, and the manual filter. Quite unlike the other black paneled self cleaning models that followed.

Have a good one,
James
 
James -

I'll be glad to do that for you!

Does anyone have any advise on how to get the detergent haze off the agitator? I'm sure something will take it off, I just don't want to dull the finish, etc.

I have decided not to work much more on the 65's Roto-Swirl. It still has mineral deposits on it, not like it did, but I'd have to scrub with something abrasive unless there is a product out there that will get the stuff off without dulling the black. It's amazingly new looking and I'm hoping the rest of the machine is the same way.
 
When I was around eight years old, my summer babysitter had a set of these 65's in her laundry room. One of the first I was around a lot that had lighted panels, I thought they were the most beautiful things I'd ever seen and stared at them in wonder for hours. She dried much of her washing outside everyday so it was a real treat to see both washer and dryer lit up and running a the same time. Don S. gave me a set of these panels - still one of my favorite Kenmo's.
 
Here's what I did...

I got a bakelite ramp activator a while back for my GE. It was completely covered with hard water deposit. Some places a couple of milimeters thick!

I went to my local grocer and bought several bottles of very cheap vinegar. Filled up a bucket with vinegar and soaked it for a few days periodically taking a brush and scrubbing. The vinegar eventually turns that stuff into paste and it wipes off for the most part.

That would be a lot safer than muratic acid. That stuff is VERY dangerous. You can't touch it and particularly cannot inhale it. It will do damage. I say vinegar soak first.

Jon
 
Muriatic acid

I agree with Jon COMPLETELY about the muriatic acid.... I have some because of the pool in my back yard and YES this stuff is very, VERY nasty! The fumes.... even from an arms length are horrible!!!!

I would NOT suggest using that. Definitely try the vinegar before other, stronger options!
 
Jon and Kevin,

THANKS for the feedback. I'm going to try the vinegar on the gold agitator. I will let you know what happens.

As I mentioned earlier, I'm leary about doing much to the Roto-Swirl. You'd be surprised how deep shiny black this agitator is. Most of the crud is off of it, with trace lines of minerals remaining. I'd almost rather 'cheat' and use another agitator that I have vs. inadvertently dulling the luster of this one. I am however going to let it soak in water for a day or so and see what happens.
 
Diluted vinegar

Hi Gordon:

You could try a diluted vinegar solution - perhaps 50/50 with distilled water to get the rest of the minerals off. I wouldn't use tap water as that will just make the vinegar work harder...

Andrew S.
 
Are we missing the obvious

Just a thought, how about a clean trash barrel with a hefty dose of laundry detergent and hot water. Immerse for a few hours and a good scrubbing with a towel or a soft brush or a brush with a towel over it. I bet alot of that residue would be removable with no damage to the finish. Can't hurt since this was what it was made for.
Jon
 
John & Andrew -

I did a lot of work on the machine today, and spent some time cleaning the agitator. I used the vinegar idea, and with three or four tries, most of the residue has come off. It was etched into the plastic, and some still remains.

The trash barrel idea is a good one, but the agitator will actually fit sitting down or on it's side in my kitchen sink so I could do it that way if necessary. I may work on the black roto-swirl that way.

I have a lot of pictures from today's work, that I'll try to post later tonight.

Gordon
 
Very good!

Vinegar does work but very slowly. I went through quite a bit and over a period of a few days. It didn't clean it 100% but pretty darn close. I'm anxious to see your progress. I finally should have some time tonight and will get photos and videos of the 900 series I just got.

Jon
 

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