Maytag A712 Purchase Completed!

[rp2813]

For $75.

 

I decided to launch a new thread about this washer, now that it has been confirmed to have a pittman drive.

 

I picked it up this morning and brought it home.  I think it's a fairly low mileage machine, although it does have a constant low pitched whine during both agitation and spin.  I'm open to any educated guesses on what might be causing that.  Otherwise, it operates beautifully.

 

The hot water flows at a relative trickle, though.  I installed new supply valves and checked their flow before I hooked up the hoses.  Again, I'm open to any suggestions about where the problem might be.  Screens are not clogged.

 

I haven't tackled the detail work yet, and I still need to piece together a short sanitary run to tie in below the nearby bar sink.  For now I've rigged a sort of floor drain system by using a flexible wet/dry vacuum hose to direct the water toward the edge of the patio and out onto the lawn.

 

The lint filter is caked with calcification.  I've hit it with Lime-Away once, but it needs another treatment, and it's soaking now.   I think the 92 year-old guy whose house this came from was doing laundry in this thing for quite a while and probably didn't even know it had a lint filter.  I have a feeling the Mrs. was more on top of it, but think she's been out of the picture for, well, as long as it took for all of that hard shell to accumulate.

 

I have a load of disgusting stuff I'm ready to feed this capable machine, perhaps tomorrow if the lint filter cleans up after soaking over night.  The bucket pictured is just plain water.  When that didn't work, I moved on to Lime-Away.

 

Here are some pictures of the machine in as-found condition.  If anyone sees any signs of trouble, please advise, and I'm hoping the serial number will elicit the year of manufacture.

 

 

 

 

 

[maytaglvr]

Maytags

Please please tell you bought them both???? The dryer is one of the more hard to find models too. If you did not need it you I am sure you could have found a willing buyer on here for sure. They are both in such beautiful cosmetic condition for sure. I am very envious...I sooo wish I could have a full set like that in my apartment but no room so I have a stacked front load Frigidaire washer and a GE profile dryer that matches real close to one another. I have had them for 13 yrs and just last fall had to have the shocks replaced in the washer and nothing done to the dryer. I like them alot but would much rather have that set any day. Good luck with them and I am sure will have next to no trouble with them and love them

Steve

 

[washerlover]

Vintage?

Although I am familiar with the style of these newer Maytags, can someone tell me the approximate year of manufacture? Am thinking mid '80s? Must be belt-drive by the looks of the agitator...

Thanks,

Todd

 

[hippiedoll]

CONGRATULATIONS!!

That washer looks really clean & in nice condition!

Here is the date information:

Brand: Maytag
Type: Clothes Washer
Country: USA
Model: LA712
Serial: 026540TN

July of 1987.

 

[hippiedoll]

As for the lint filter...

I used a denture toothbrush, with the stiff bristles on my lint filter and it scrubbed it up nice & clean!

It works great inside the agitator barrel too!

Have you tried removing the agitator by pulling up on the agitator-skirt bottom, to make sure the agitator isn't stuck on?

Once you get the agitator off, clean the agitator post & inside the hole where the post goes into the underside of the agitator. And then coat them both (the agitator post & the splined hole) with some Vaseline.

This will make the agitator easier to pull off. When putting the agitator back on the post, be sure to apply enough pressure on the agitator until it "POPS" back into place.
)

 

[hippiedoll]

More modern 806...

So from the options on this maytag LA712, it looks like you got a more modern/newer maytag 806.
But with an:
11 minutes longer soak cycle.
2 minute longer regular fabrics wash cycle.
4 minutes longer permanent press fabrics wash cycle.
But, minus the 4 minute regular fabrics pre-wash cycle.

And you get the long, slow stroke agitation like an 806
)

I love my maytag 806 washer and I have a feeling you're going to love your maytag 712 too!
;oD

 

[earthling177]

Yay!

Enjoy it in good health!!!

 

[Ultramatic]

 

 

Yaaay! Congratulations Ralph! Now what is this "load of disgusting stuff"? We want pictures/video of some wash action!

[this post was last edited: 5/25/2017-01:29]

 

[combo52]

Maytag A712 Washer

Hi Ralph, it looks like you got a good low use machine, Yay.

 

If the hot water fill is noticeably slower than the cold fill you have a bad inlet valve, replace.

 

The high pitched whine may be the water pump, listen to the washer running with the front off and see if it seems to be coming from the pump. you can also take a long screw driver and put the handle to your ear and touch the other end to the pump etc to help isolate where the sound s coming from. If it is the pump it probably won't hurt anything in the short run.

 

From the looks of the lint filter they clearly did not use enough detergent for local water conditions. Most MT owners [ unless they are very anal ] never bothered cleaning the filter after having the washer a short time because they don't catch enough lint to ever make a difference.

 

John L.

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

CONGRATS Ralph on finally scooping up a rock-solid Dependable Care washer for your patio!  It looks to be in really great shape AND an upper end model (if not the TOL model?)   Just awesome!

 

 

Kevin

[this post was last edited: 5/25/2017-13:01]

 

[swestoyz]

A712

Nice looking Maytag! 

 

Being built in 1987, it puts this bird in the rare category of the transmission being fitted with the later style Orbital oil seal at the base of the transmission.  While the longevity of these seals can be debated, what we all can agree on is their ease of replacement compared to the o-ring seals they replaced! 

 

Ben

 

[rp2813]

John, thanks for the inlet valve advice.  Oddly, the connection to the cold inlet had issues at some point and caused the bottom section of the indented valve mounting plate to rust.  The hot connection looks fine.  I didn't realize that the water quality in Fremont was so bad -- per the lint filter.  I've called it good after multiple scrubbings with three different kinds of brushes.

 

Are inlet valves for this difficult to find, or are they pretty much a universal thing?  A true hot and warm wash is one of the reasons I got this machine, and right now hot would take probably 15 minutes to fill, and warm isn't much better than what the Affinity calls warm.

 

I'll pull the front panel and give a listen to the pump.  It's definitely a component that's easy to replace if I want.  The whine isn't rhythmic like the sound of agitation; it's constant and sounds only slightly different during drain & spin.

 

As for year of manufacture, from what I've pulled up on line, I think there were three versions of this control panel that replaced the center dial design.  I'm not 100% sure, but I think the first ones had white buttons with a white trimmed knob, which I thought I liked but have decided I don't -- very clunky looking, then came the brown buttons with a brown trimmed knob, but little or no gold, and finally the style of mine, which has the gold trim.  Unless the TOL models are the only ones that got the gold.  I do think my machine was toward the end of the line for this style, and have heard that most machines that look like mine have the orbital transmission.

 

I've also noticed that some machines indicate "Extra Capacity" like mine does, while others read "Large Capacity" even though they have the extra large tub. 

 

Meanwhile, I tried to pull the agitator and it wouldn't budge.  I think a hot soak might help, once I get the hot water flowing like it should, but if the lint filter is any indication, I could be in for a struggle.

 

Thanks for all of the good wishes.  I've been waiting for something like this to show up within striking distance for quite a while.  I think this machine was purchased by a retired couple with an empty nest, so it likely never saw heavy use.

 

 

 

[yogitunes]

check the agitator for a set screw....by this time frame, there should be one.....

didn't see one from your pics, but usually there is an air hole too, which is also on the same side as the screw...

1/4 inch nut driver will remove it....

 

[twintubdexter]

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">During the years as a young person that I worked on these machines (for resale, not customers) I never heard of the term pittman drive or transmission. Of course the store did not sell or service Maytag, just zillions of Frigidaires and a few other brands. My Maytag purchased in 2001 has this same transmission and drive. The outer tub looks the same until you tap on it. Then you realize it's blue plastic, not porcelain on steel. </span>

 

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">Ralph, my 92 year old Aunt has this same 712 washer and matching dryer. She lives relatively close to you in toney Willow Glen. Perhaps you could do a few loads together and share some laundry tips...</span>

 

[rp2813]

Joe, your aunt must be sitting on a gold mine. 

 

Martin, I've seen the air hole but didn't look further for a set screw.  Right now I'm doing a load of funky towels used for cleaning up Dave's messes.  In hot water!  Even though the inlet valve screen looked good, I removed it just to check flow and it's back to normal.  I have screens on the hose ends that connect to the supply valves.

 

The whine does seem to be loudest near the pump.  It might quiet down after some hot washes.

 

I don't mind the almond color, and since it's on the patio, any color would have been fine.  Almond was big when this series was being built.  Maybe it's the lighting, but it has a buttery look that suggests a paler version of sunny yellow -- or whatever Maytag called it.

 

The machine isn't quite ready for its close-up, as I haven't gotten to the plumbing work for the sanitary line.

 

[yogitunes]

Maytag's Almond is a pale hint compared to most others...

always seemed more of a cream color, and sometimes you have to view it in bright light or next to a white appliance to be sure....

they called it Bisque...

does this one allow filling with the lid open?....if so, its has those dual lid switch setup...sometimes a bit tricky to override, all I ever did was remove the smaller one and push it out of the way, and taped over the bigger one so it would operate with the lid open....

this may also be the home of a tiny 3A or 6A fuse if so equipped....if that fuse blows, it shuts down the whole machine....that's how I acquired one of these, as they thought the machine was DOA...

this should also go right from SOAK into the Regular wash cycle....that always came in handy for an extended contact with hot water and detergent if needed.....

 

[maytagbear]

Great Catch !!

Ralph. You will definitely get more than 75.00 of clean laundry out of this jewel!

Enjoy!

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[rp2813]

Yes, I was surprised to find out that it would fill with the lid open!  I find that both convenient and sensible.

 

And yes, it goes straight into the regular wash from soak.  I've used that sequence twice today. 

 

Good to know re: the fuse. 

 

I felt the set screw, but I'm done for today so will see about agitator removal perhaps tomorrow.  Does the agitator only go on one way so the screw holes in the post and agitator will always line up?

 

[appnut]

Congratulations Ralph!!!!!