Kenmore Limited Edition Electronic

[vintagekitchen]

Ok guys, I went looking about today, since the Maytag atlantis has decided to will itself to death, and ran into a Kenmore Limited Edition, in avocado, that looks really nice. I wanted some opionions before I purchase, so I don't repeat my Atlantis mistake.

Are these any good? Any major issues or complaints?

Is it a belt drive or direct drive? (It was behind some other washers, all I could get to was the top.)

Under the lid there is a powder detergent dispenser on the right hand side, and on the left hand side there is a double dispenser that I assum is for bleach and softener, but it looks like some sort of insert or part is missing from the double dispenser. Can somone show me a pic of what the double dispenser should look like? Does anyone have an extra dispenser to spare if I get this?

 

[appnut]

It's a belt-drive.  sounds like it could be the first edition of electronic control.  That's the only issue, electrnoic circuitry.

 

[vintagekitchen]

One last question..

They also had a late 80's BOL maytag, (only 2 water levels Low and High, all cold rinses, only 3 cycles Regular / Permanent Press / Knits). I can get either one for the same price, 75 dollars. Also on the Modern Forum I am asking about a Maytag Neptune I found today.

Help me decide guys..

 

[appnut]

St.d capacity 1-speed Maytag. 

 

[vintagekitchen]

Belt Drive

Thats one point in it's favor. The direct drive I had was a true shredmore.

 

[strongenough78]

Chances are if it's a Kenmore in Avocado, it's definitely a keeper and most likely a belt drive. We'd have to see it to know for sure. One way you can tell is, look to see if there's another and newer Kenmore nearby and compare the lids. If the lid on the one you want is smaller than on the newer one, it's a belt drive. If you can, get some pictures and share with us so we can give you more insight on the machine. Many people here prefer the belt drive Kenmores regardless of what features it may or may not have. They last almost forever and parts are still around for them. Even an older direct drive would be better than the Maytag that you had. Let us know what you can find out and if you can get pics. I personally think it would be a machine you won't want to pass up.

 

[appnut]

On 2nd thought, this could v ery well be3 a direct drive given the discription of the detergent dispenser. 

 

[strongenough78]

Could be Bob. Did all of the belt drive's have the detergent dispensers on the top and to the right of the lid? Or was there a period of time where they put it under the lid right before the DD's came out?

 

[appnut]

Kevin,k does the detergent dispenser look like this?

 

[appnut]

Do all the dispensers look like this?  this has the missing divider in the left side like you described. 

 

[vintagekitchen]

Dispenser

OMG, thats it! And you are spot on, it is the divider that is missing. Any chance you have a spare, or a a complete spare dispenser?

 

[appnut]

IT'S A SHREDMORE!!!!!  RUUUUUNNNNNN!!!!!!

 

[vintagekitchen]

Shredmore

Damn, I was almost sure it wouldn't be with the avocado color. I didn't realize they were still using avocado that late.

 

[appnut]

I didn't remember that either.   My Lady Shredmore is almond.

 

[strongenough78]

It was probably custom painted. So far I've been lucky and never had any clothes damaged in a direct drive Kenmore. And I've used quite a few of them.

 

[kenmore71]

The DD machines appeared as early as 1982 in the 24" machines and did not compose the entire line until 1986 or 1987. Avocado hung around until at least 1985 as an OPTION. (God knows why???)

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Avocado hung around until at least 1985 as an OPTION. (God k

For those who still had the rest of their working appliances still in that color & needed a matched set until they ALL finally went on the blink!

-- Dave

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Avocado and the Limited Edition

The newest Avocado that I've ever seen in a Kenmore was produced in February, 1983. Surely not the last, but these are rare for sure. Funny story on that particular machine, but I "re-parted" one in 1991 that my buddy had parted out.

Kenmore, by the mid 1970s, assigned a digit right into a machine's model number for color. All of the original 1983 models (the last issue of Kenmore belt-drives) that were available in gold, almond, etc. have an avocado model as well. BUT, when these models were revised in 1984 and 1985 for changes in things like lid hinges, timer part numbers, etc., they were issued with new model numbers that did not include Avocado and Coffee, and instead covered the new Toast and Platinum. Gold hung around several years longer and was available in the first couple years of all-direct drive sales, from 1987 and 1988.

As to the electronic belt drive Limited Edition, this was actually the last electronic belt-drive, and was a 1982 model that was available for about four years. The first electronic BD was the 1978 Lady K, which was augmented by a 1979 90 series, and then replaced by the 1980 Lady K, and then the 1981 Lady K. The 1982 L.E. was similar to the '81 Lady with a lot of construction upgrades that aren't obvious without an exam of the machine. The control panel got some styling tweaks as well, and there was a funky chromed tape stripe on the top.

Knowing the way Kenmore did things to appease previous customers, there was probably one or two models that could be had in Avocado long after the rest of the line was eliminated in this color, and very possibly, the L.E. was one of them. Otherwise I'd suspect a DD Limited Edition to have been repainted.

I am not 100% sure what the 1986 Electronic washer's model number is, but I suspect it to be 110.82694x00 where x is the color. If there is a 110.82694400, then it was made in green!

Gordon

 

[limitededition]

Colors for 1986

the colors available according to the sears catalog for 1986 and 1988 were white,platinum, ebony,toast,and almond. Toast is most like avocado and I'm color blind

 

[limitededition]

first, second and third edtion of electronic DD's

The first edition had two speeds and one rocker switch under the light that switch turned the light on or off, the second edition also had two speeds but had two rocker switches under the light, one turned the light on or off and the other turned the automatic water temp on or off. The third edition had three speeds and I believe by that time they were Lady Kenmores and not Limited editions. Also the matching dryers were 29 inches not the 27 inches that would come in the early 1990'. also the limited editions had a chrome strip between the top and the cabinet the later Lady Kenmores' did not.

 

[maytagbear]

The belt drive Whirlmores

that I have had personal knowledge thereof- have a tub opening that looks sort of like a capital "D," with the curve facing the person loading the machine.

There may be variations, especially in the transition period, but I stand by this information.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[vintagekitchen]

Well I have decided..

Since the Limited Edition appears to be a shredmore, and the Maytag BOL just isnt my style, (sorry, but I refuse to live with only cold rinses, and no delicate cycle), I have decided to go with the Maytag Neptune. You can see more of the reasons I decided the Maytag Neptune was for me in my other thread in the Deluxe forum.

A major thing that helped put me off going with the Limited edition was talking with the lady who works on the washers at the shop. (The Neptune is at another shop, where I know several of the owner's customers.). Turns out, she had no idea what a spanner wrench is, and rather than using one, jams a regular wrench in one of the openings and pounds away with a hammer. That was not a good sign from a repair person. I didn't want a redneck rigged washer, so I decided I may want to steer clear of her place until I talk to people who have purchased from her.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Spanner wrench....

The procedure you describe is an accepted way of loosening the spanner nut. In fact, many Sears published repair manuals for DIY repairs suggest similar ways of loosening this nut. Usually they say to put a wide ended screwdriver in one of the notches and bang on the end of the screwdriver with a hammer or mallet. Nothing rigged about that.

As to the color - there was no color code in the model listings for Avocado by the 1986 models, so this is indeed very likely a repainted machine, OR it has a cabinet from an earlier machine if that is possible (In some cases it would be but I don't know about the triple dispenser).

Catalogs don't always list all the colors available on machines. Nearly always if a model was available in anything other than white, it was available in all the colors, BUT, the catalog didn't list many as available in Coffee for example, but if you look up the model, it was indeed made.

Good luck with the Neptune!

Gordon

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

"Toast is most like avocado" -- 'Limited Edition

The only actual appliance I really actually saw in that color was a discarded Kenmore electric range--and I'd found it a hue towards avocado, but mostly bordering on a terra cotta / poppy red...

I'd also seen a platinum Kenmore side x side fridge at a used appliance store that seemed to have the recessed grip normally on the side of low-priced fridges & freezers as the door handles... (!)

-- Dave

 

[vintagekitchen]

Rigged

It was not so much her method that worried me, as the fact she had never heard of a spanner wrench. One would assume someone who has been doing this for a living for several years would know what one is even if they choose not to use one. Makes me nervous when the repair person is not knowledgeable about the tools of their trade.