I needed another dishwasher, right??

[turquoisedude]

Well, needed or not, I felt compelled to save this 1977 (possibly 78) Frigidaire mobile dishwasher.  I have always been fascinated by the 'whirligig' spray arm on the main spray arm (shades of the 'Silver Shower') and since Phil and I were picking up his fabulous Poppy Red (well, maybe Terra Cotta...) range and refrigerator anyway...  

 

One thing that's puzzling me is that I cannot seem to locate a model number tag.  Not on the inside of the tub, not on the back of the cabinet, not on the dishwasher frame under the front access panel.  I'll try popping that panel at some point for a look-see.  

 

The closest I can get to a model ID  is a DWM44M (a 1978 model) that seems to match the control panel; I am stuck on 1977 'cause Phil's range and fridge are 77 models.   

 

But I digress....  Inside the machine is in decent shape - a little loss of rack finish on some dish supports but no 'rack rot'.  The rack design looks as if this machine could hold a heck of a lot of dishes! 

 

 

 

[turquoisedude]

And I just had to try powering it up.  I seem to have better luck with dishwashers than with washers...  

 

The Frigidaire started right up, despite having dried up and sat for a few years.  

 

And it's quiet.  Bonus!  

 

 

[appnut]

Paul, I'm glad you saved this.  It needed to be saved.  Tis is probably an Imperial, I doubt Custom Deluxe or Custom Imperial.  I've only seen this model in brochures, never in person. 

 

[appnut]

Yeah, the few I was exposed to were indeed quiet.  Cleaned pretty well too using Pots & Pans triple detergent wash. 

 

[turquoisedude]

Between the pushbutton options and the dial cycle settings, it looks as if this is a pretty flexible dishwasher. 

 

I love the 'triple wash' option with three distinct detergent sections.  I don't think the  72 Viking (Westinghouse) has this option (although I am sure some Westinghouse models did).   I didn't time the first wash if the Pots and Pans option was selected; I'd have to guess it's a good 10 minutes. I believe the heating element in the tub was on, but I had selected that 'Hot Wash' option.   

 

The Normal wash begins with a 5-minute pre-rinse, then a 7-minute wash.  The Quick Wash time threw me a little, though...  I was getting a little worried after 12 minutes, but I realized that may have been due to the Extra Hot Wash option.  I'd have to guess the cycle pauses until the water gets to a certain temperature when the Extra Hot Wash is chosen.  When I selected the OFF button for that option, I heard the timer click again and the wash ran for another 2 minutes.  Rinses were 7 and 5 minutes for the 1st and 2nd rinse respectively and I actually heard the rinse agent solenoid buzz. 

 

Of course I did notice a slight wet spot on the garage floor after the water test... I'll be doing some more testing tomorrow to see where that may be coming from.   

 

[pulltostart]

Upper Rack

Is the rack design a carry over from the earlier years when Frigidaire used the spin tube?

 

Good save, Paul!

 

lawrence

 

[turquoisedude]

And because I always need a challenge,  there should have been a slide indicator with 'Dirty' and 'Clean' sides here on the panel.  I looks like someone tried to get it out to repair or replace it and tore off the panel...  I will be digging to see if I can somehow scare up the original indicator.  Did I mention I need a challenge?  LOL

 

Maybe the bigger challenge will be what to do with this one.  The colour doesn't match either kitchen.  But it's a Frigidaire.... LOL 

 

[appnut]

Lawrence, these super upper racks that were common from the inception of the SuperSurge (wash-arm) design.  Obviously they were patterned and enhanced from the 1960 to the end of the spin tube models.  My choir director had a 1965 or 1967 Custom Deluxe of these.  I loved the top rack.  I could get so much in these. 

 

[appnut]

Paul, a buddy of mine from college--his parents had a lake house outside of Hot Springs, AR and it had the Custom Deluxe model.  That first wash (P&P) was about 15 to 20 minutes long. 

 

I knew of some Westinghouse & White Westinghouse models have a triple detergent wash sequence. 

 

[appnut]

Paul, the "library" has a 1978 dishwasher/compactor/disposer brochure I downloaded 8/17/2012. 

 

[turquoisedude]

Bob,  I have that brochure also.  It's where I got my 'best guess' model number from... LOL 

 

That upper rack is definitely familar from those first Super Surge wash systems.  I am going to have to do some more digging to find a model number.  Dang it that my Frigidaire books are all down in Ogden.... 

 

[peteski50]

Frigidaire DW!

My Aunt had a early 70s DW but the basic model with only regular and short wash! It cleaned dishes decently but was by no means the quality of a power clean clean or compared to other top notch DW's was not the best but was decent at cleaning. But was superior was the capacity! You can get tons of stuff in it. The top rack held wine glasses and cups beautifully! Even though it had a tower in the middle it never seemed to get in the way! It was one of my favorite loading dw's!

 

[philr]

I didn't notice this model had a 150° wash option. I hope you'll be able to locate the missing button.

I am also thrilled with the other 1977 kitchen appliances I got with you that day! I haven't tried the range yet but the fridge works fine and it's in nice shape.

 

[appnut]

Phil & Paul, did all these appliances come from the same house?

 

[ozzie908]

@philr

What a lovely colour that stove is !

The best we had was harvest brown in the 70's no cool colours like you guys find.....

 

[philr]

Bob, the appliances came from the same family (who used to sell Frigidaire appliances) and at some point they had been in the same house but Paul's dishwasher was now in another house.

Poppy was a relatively popular color with many brands here in Canada but Frigidaire appliances from the 1970's are very rare as they weren't widely distributed and just for a few years around 1976-79. I've seen just two post-1970 GM Frigidaire ranges in Canada since I search for and collect appliances and the one I just bought was the first self-cleaning (the other one was a plain white non self-cleaning range). We just had 30" Custom Deluxe ranges with the tall consoles from the mid-late 1970s in various self-cleaning and non-self cleaning versions. This one was the second from top-of-the-line available here which was almost the same but with a ceramatop instead of Radiantubes. And while the ceramatop was a bit more expensive, it lacked the thermostatic burner that this version has. And the early white ceramatops were also a pain to keep clean if you used them!
I got a few more self-cleaning Frigidaire ranges from the early 1970s but I bought those in the USA.

 

[appnut]

Phil, I noted immediately it was a self-cleaner and I was very happy for ya.   

 

[bajaespuma]

Even though you are my arch nemesis

If they ever invent a High Efficiency time machine, I'm coming up to Ogden, kidnapping you and taking you to see the GM building in NYC circa 1971 when some of this fabulous Poppyness was displayed in the grand mezzanine overlooking the Plaza Hotel and Central Park. It was a glorious experience.

 

[steved]

The model # is

DWM-44B. The Tech-Talk for this model was issued in Feb 1978 and I believe these models were the final GM dishwashers produced. Pics courtesy of PhilR - Phil I still have your brochure to return!
Look for the model tag in 2 different places: On the right corner of the rear panel, and behind the lower front panel. As per the Tech-Talk.

 

[potatochips]

Wow! Such a great thread already. Thanks for sharing this Paul, and congrats. I really like this machine, nice find!

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

"The Master Cylinders"

Is that range really supposed to have those screw-in fuses?

Did a lot of, or all of, electric stoves have 'em?

I've just never seen many opened up to reveal them, even here...

-- Dave

 

[turquoisedude]

Dave, only electric ranges made in Canada had fuses for all electrical components (range elements and electrical outlets) - it was a product safety requirement that endured until the 90s. 

 

At least the 77 Frigidaire range of Phil's had them in a convenient spot - the 57 Super model I learned to cook on had a fuse panel at the rear of the stove, behind the storage drawer!

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Thank you--and that's what I have figured from what I have read here...

However, there just so happened to be a "Product of General Motors ____(Insert)___" that I believe threw me off...

As for the DW, make sure you are able to pound out that dent in the control panel, if not find a scrap one where the control panel is actually good, and enjoy it in the greatest of health, even if it does't match the rest of your kitchen compadres (or are able to find/acquire suitable matches) in that last run of Harvest Gold...

-- Dave

 

[philr]

The fuses were on ranges made in/or for Canada.

In this case, the range was made for Canada but in Dayton Ohio.

Most appliances were the same for Canada and the US but the ranges, cooking tops, wall ovens and clothes dryers had to be built to meet different codes. When Frigidaire products began to be distributed in Canada again around 1976, they were required to have the CSA approval. Back in the 1960s and even before, some US-made appliances were already imported and approved by the CSA. That's the case for my 1959 Frost-Proof refrigerator and my 1960 Frost-Proof freezer which were made in Dayton. By the late 1960s, more appliances were imported from the States but the ranges and washers/dryers were still made in Canada, some washers and dishwashers were also still made here as well as built-ins.
Before 1971, Frigidaire made ranges for the Canadian market in their Canadian plants. The last one in Scarborough Ontario gradually switched to automotive parts production in the 1960s and in 1970 they stopped making appliances. Apparently, GM was trying to avoid tariffs on the Frigidaire appliances that were imported here through the Auto Pact deal as they were made in an auto factory.

That didn't work so they stopped to sell appliances and they kept distributing the parts through Delco Canada. About 5 years later, a company named Elitech who also distributed Indesit appliances and Eureka vacuum cleaners started to distribute Frigidaire appliances again but they were expensive and not widely distributed as they were back in the 1960s or after WCI bought Frigidaire from GM.

 

[turquoisedude]

And now back to the dishwasher...

A model number has been found (thanks, Steve!) and it has to be the 1978 model.

 

Sorry for the blurry picture but it is a DWM44 B.  Note the CSA stamp - added at the factory in Dayton, no doubt.

Now, let's see if I can find the drip I observed yesterday. 

 

[turquoisedude]

Further discoveries...

I did a little more playing/exploring this afternoon trying to locate the source of the drip observed yesterday; it seems to be coming from the left rear corner of the machine but I still have not isolated the source.  My gut feeling is a seal or gasket between the tub and pump (however we all know how trustworthy my gut is...LOL).

Today's water test was done during that Pots & Pans Triple Wash phase of the cycle - that ran 25 minutes! The heating element was on for at least part of the cycle, which makes sense to me. I had not selected the Extra Hot Wash option this time around.

During my tests I drained the dishwasher into a bouquet; the drain hose was submerged. When I tried testing the Rinse and Hold cycle, I was surprised that the machine drew water from the bucket back into the dishwasher.  The suds-saver option, perhaps??  Under normal circumstances, the hose would be fastened to the faucet and well above a sink bowl so I cannot imagine this happened often.

Ah yes, that Rinse and Hold cycle... the option to select this seems to simply force the unheated dry option.  If one wanted to, the machine could run any cycle simply by setting the timer dial where one wanted. I suspect the instructions suggested dialling to the Rinse section of the dial.  

I have got to find the Tech-Talk for this model!! But after I mess with the 55 Norge washer again...

 

[appnut]

Oh my!!  Glad I was nearly correct about the length of the Initial Pots & Pans wash phase.  And doesn't surprise me the heating element was on during that phase.  On the 1980 D&M Kemnore that came with my 1980 house, the only time the main wash water would get warm (from a cold fill before water heater was lit),  was when I pushed the P&P button.  That would slow the timer down to extend the main wash to about 30 or 35 minutes and the heater would be on the whole phase. 

 

[philr]

I just noticed that the color Poppy/Terracotta was just available on the Custom Imperial dishwashers on Steve's document while it was apparently also available on the Imperial on the other document I posted above (photo 3 of 4, "price list").

Strangely, on clothes washers/dryers, Poppy/terracotta was available only on the Custom Deluxe and Gold Crown models. You couldn't get it on the Imperial and Custom Imperial models.

And I just found these documents while searching for something else. I don't have the instruction manual for the exact model I have but I have it for the similar Ceramatop model. It looks like Terracotta was discontinued and Almond was newly available when they printed it.

I connected it to 115 volts outlet and I was happy to see that the clock still works! You can see the pilot light location for the burners of the Canadian model on both the promotional document shown on the picture #2 and on the control panel of my range on picture # 5.

 

[appnut]

After Poppy color came out, I was pretty miffed at Frigidaire for limiting it to only certain models in each product line. 

 

[gansky1]

Interesting find, Paul. Until Robert found a 70's Montgomery Ward version, I had never used one. I'd need to fly Bob up here to teach me to load that top rack, it's a different arrangement for sure.

Tawny Gold Imperial would make a great drag name, if you need one.