Maytag J2L

[justjunque]

Greetings,

This Maytag wringer has been on our local Craigslist for a few days or so.
It looks a bit cruddy and rusty, but I know nothing about them, so I thought I'd see what y'all think.
I'm viewing it on mobile, and for some reason, it won't show me the contact information.
So I haven't inquired of the seller at all, to find out how long it's been since it was last used or anything.
Based solely on the two pictures; what can you tell me about it?
Approximate age? Are they a good machine? Would parts be available? Based on what you can see of its condition, does the price seem reasonable?
Likewise, based on what you can see of its condition, is it too cruddy/rusty?
As much as I'd love to bring home a maybe 1960s-1980s washer/dryer pair, I really don't have the room.
But, I know I could find room for a wringer, and I could probably even convince the wife not to kick me out of the house if one should happen to show up some day.

Thank you for anything you can offer to educate me on this machine.

Barry

https://westernmass.craigslist.org/app/d/springfield-antique-washing-machine/6919176315.html

 

[launderess]

CL goes in and out of "Reply" button/links not working. It can be anything from your device to their security/anti-spam system. Had it happen for weeks on end (using a PC), then went away, then comes back....

As for the that J2L there are plenty of posts/threads on those Maytag wringer washers in archive.

Outside condition would be least of your worries (one in OP doesn't look that bad, have seen much worse), but state of tub, seals, gears, power ringer, pump, motor and other bits are of a bigger worry.

Without seeing inside of tub and or underneath hard to tell what sort of condition this machine is in. Is there the dreaded tell tale trail of oil down left rear leg? This can mean water is getting down into the transmission/gearbox.

Get a hold of seller and ask for clearer pictures of tub, wringer, and if possible underneath.

Parts? Yes, there are still plenty of spares out there for Maytag wringers include NOS. Myself and others have our stashes, and there are the Amish and several other Maytag service persons about as well.

 

[qsd-dan]

It's a fully loaded J2LP made after 1965. There's a hook on the side to keep the drain hose upright and it's missing the goose neck connection but it may be inside the tub.

Personally, I buy 5 feet of 3/4" heater hose, hook it to the goose neck, and run it out on the ground. More convenient and less messy.

I have 10 Maytag wringers spanning from the mid 1920's to the 1970's and I find this model to be the most convenient to use. 18 gallon tub holds a good amount of laundry (largest of the Maytag wringer family) and the large removable top makes for easy loading/unloading. Porcelain interior allows one to use bleach, ammonia, and oxygen bleach without discoloration, unlike the aluminum E2L or older pre 1940's cast and aluminum models.

You'll be surprised how well these old wringers clean up with a bit of elbow grease (Before and after E2LP pictures below).

 

[e2l-arry]

J2LP

AND it's a pump model. For $40 bucks I'd go for it! It was made in the late 60's and probably hasn't been used much.Laundress is right about checking for oil down the left rear leg. I suspect it will be clean but even if it isn't I'd still go for it. It's not that bad or difficult a job to replace the gaskets and seals even if it has been leaking oil. Plenty of people on here, including me, have done the job. The J2L was just 1 step down from the top of the line E2L. Difference being the E2L has an aluminum tub. That made for additional insulation to help keep the water hot for longer. The E2L also had an attached/hinged lid. The mechanics and capacities on both machines are identical.

Good Luck!

 

[justjunque]

Thanks for the replies!
I'm really tempted, but I do want to find out more about its condition.
The seller stated that it's been in the family since new, and it's been stored for a long time.

Barry

 

[lowefficiency]

>> I'm really tempted, but I do want to find out more about its condition.

Wait too much longer, and the choice will be made for you.
$40 is way cheap, and someone else is going to take advantage of your hesitation and snap it up.

People pay more than $40 for them in worse condition with missing parts just to use them as planters outside!

 

[justjunque]

Okay. I'm convinced.
I'm going to contact the seller to set up a meeting.
If it turns out to be a piece of junk, I'll use it as a decoration.
Indoors though. I couldn't bring myself to leave it sitting outside.

Barry

 

[justjunque]

Contact made

Just a little update, for anyone who might be following this.
I've spoken with the seller.
The machine was purchased new by his parents, and he remembers his mom using it in the kitchen.
It sounds like he's now living in their old house, and it's just time to start getting rid of some of the old stuff that's just sitting around.
He's not sure, but it's possible that the last time it was used was in the 1970s.
He said the inside of the tub is clean.
I'm busy this afternoon, and have to work tomorrow.
So, unless someone beats me to it, I'm going to see it Saturday morning.
I didn't realize how much I wanted one until now that I'm this close!

I'm just curious.
Dan, (qsd-dan), and Larry said this machine is a J2LP.
How can you tell it's the version with the pump?
The label just says J2L.
Also, Dan and Larry... I really wish one of you lived near Western Mass!
If I'm able to bring it home, I could sure use someone with your knowledge of and experience with these machines!
I read in an old thread, that if you have to transport these laying down, it should be laying on its front.
Is that okay to do, or would I be better off to bribe a friend with a pickup truck into hauling it upright?

Barry

 

[ea56]

To my knowledge, if the model number doesn’t have a P at the end of it, there is no pump. Also, if it has a pump the switch to turn the pump off and on will be at the bottom right side of the tub, if there’s no switch, then there’s no pump.

BTW, if the machine was manufactured from I believe 1969 until the end of manufacture of these machines in the early 1980’s, the model number would also have an S at the end, to indicate it was a “safety”model with the foot pedal to activate the wringer.

My Mom bought a new E2LPS in 1969, and the dealer told us that this was the first year for the safety pedal. He said that most owners hated this feature and offered to deactivate it by removing the rubber tube underneath the washer and plug the hole with a stove bolt, which Mom elected to have done. So my guess is that the washer your interested was manufactured sometime between 1966 when Maytag changed from red to turquoise plastic trim and agitator and 1968.

My very first washing machine was a J2LP that I bought for $35.00 at the Salvation Army Thrift Store. It was a wonderful washing machine and I wish I still had it.

I hope that you manage to score this Maytag Wringer, I think you will really enjoy using it.

Eddie

 

[e2l-arry]

J2LP

The label model does not have the "P" but they were easily added after market. There will be an ON OFF lever on the lower right side if it has a pump. I'm going by the drain hose. It has the threaded end used to connect the goose neck that hooks over the sink. Ask about that it if it's not in the machine. It's easy enough to improvise one if you need to like I did.
YES! if you have to lay this down to transport it ONLY put it front side down. Otherwise the power unit oil will leak out and make a mess. Not only that but there's no way to add oil without taking the whole thing apart. These are great machines! Have Fun!

 

[bradross]

Nozzle on hose end looks like that for a pump model...

although it appears to be missing the gooseneck, unless it's inside the tub. If you're curious, perhaps you can ask the seller for another pic of the right side of the machine, to see the pump lever at the bottom of the skirt.

BTW - Happy 4th! We had our big day on Monday the 1st.

 

[justjunque]

Thanks guys!

Happy 4th/Independence Day!
I get the impression that the seller isn't big on taking more pics.
Like I said, if someone else doesn't beat me to it, I'm going to look at it in person Saturday morning.
The seller said his mother used to run it in the kitchen.
To me, that would support it probably having a pump...no?
She probably drained it into the kitchen sink?
How else could she use it in the kitchen? Floor drain? Hose out the door?
I don't know. Fingers crossed, I'll find out on Saturday!

Barry

 

[ea56]

Yes, a pump could have been added after market, but the drain hose having the threaded end for the aluminum “hook” to screw onto isn’t necessarily an indication that it originally had a pump. From my recollection of seeing these machines new in the Maytag showroom back in the day and in the brochures of the day, ALL of the Maytag wringer washers were equipped with this same drain hose, the only distinction for the pump equipped model would have been the addition of the aluminum hook at the end for draining either in a stand pipe drain or a washtub.

Also, take a look at the Maytag Wringers for sale on ebay. All the non pump models use the exact same drain hose. The white, threaded end has a hook on it that is used to keep the hose attached to the side of the machine.

And as far as draining a non pump model used in the kitchen, many owners would have just rolled it to the backdoor and gravity drained it on the ground outside. Its unlikely that owners would have had a floor drain in the kitchen floor. And gravity draining into buckets certainly could have been done, but it sure would have been a hassle. Also, you could attach a garden hose to the end of the hose and run the hose outside to drain it.

At any rate, I hope you score it. IMHO, the J2L is preferable to the TOL E2L, the capacity is slightly larger, and the porcelain tub is not harmed by any laundry detergents or LCB, like the upscale aluminum tub can be. The only real advantage of the aluminum tub is that it is double walled, and insulates the water to keep it hotter longer.

Eddie
[this post was last edited: 7/4/2019-14:09]

 

[bradross]

Pics of different hose nozzles...

just to clarify that there are two different nozzles, the one on the left for a pump model, and the right for gravity drain. The gooseneck would not sit properly on the right hand version.

The J2L pictured shows the gravity drain hose.

 

[ea56]

Thanks Brad for the clarification,

I wasn’t aware of the slight difference in the angle of the threaded end between the pump and non pump models. At first glance they both look the same. This would explain why my recollection of the display models of the day all had drain hoses that looked the same.

Also, I’ve only owned/used pump models.

Eddie

 

[qsd-dan]

Gooseneck

Barry,

Send them this picture and ask if it's in the tub. If it isn't, it's probably lying somewhere around the house or in the garage. It'll give them some time to find it before you pick it up.

 

[justjunque]

Dan,

Thanks for the great picture of the gooseneck.
I sent it to him.
I don't know if he'll reply, but maybe he'll look for it, if it's not with the washer now.

Barry

 

[justjunque]

More questions

Okay.
Provided it doesn't get sold before I can get there, I'm having some anxiety about transport.
I didn't want to, but let's say I have to carry it in the back of an SUV, laying down.
We've established that I will only lay it on its front.
That will prevent oil leakage.
Is there anything else that I should be worried about?
Anything that could come loose or bang around while driving?

Also, in an old thread, someone suggested removing the wringer before trying to lift or transport one of these, because that part has a lot of weight to it.
How difficult would that be?
I don't want to take anything apart that I won't be able to put back together.
And, keep in mind, if the machine hasn't been touched since the 1970s, things probably won't move too freely.
Help me not to be so stressed over this!
It's supposed to be fun!

Thanks again,
Barry

 

[dermacie]

I have a 1952 Maytag J2l that I have owned and used regularly for the last 5 years. I do not have a pump model (I wish I did) but my laundry room has a floor drain and it doesn't take any effort to drop the hose and let it gravity drain.

I use it when I have a back up of laundry and want to get it all done quickly.

 

[ea56]

“I use it when I have a back up of laundry and want to get it all done quickly. “

Boy ain’t that the true! Nothing gets a great big stack of laundry done faster than a wringer washer. Granted, you may have to stand over it pretty much constantly for 60 to 90 mins, depending upon how many loads you have to do, but once its done, its done. And cleaner than most any other machine will get the laundry. Plus, for me anyway, its kind of meditative. The repetition of movement is zen like.

And if you’re lucky enough to have a good clothesline, with lots of space, its even better.

Eddie

 

[bradross]

Don't fret none!

I transported mine in the back of a sedan with no problem. Of course, removing the wringer is necessary. If you don't know already, you turn the wringer control lever so that it's sticking out (180 degrees from the "Off" position) and then it's ready to lift out. If, by chance, it's seized - which is actually quite rare - perhaps spray some WD-40 into the gap between the wringer head and the post. Have a rag or plastic ready to wrap around the greasy post that extends down from the wringer head.

Regarding leakage, the area of concern is the horizontal drive shaft, which goes from the central power unit (transmission) to the wringer post. There is a 1/4" breather hole on the top of it - if you slide a finger along it you'll locate the hole. As a further precaution, you could wrap a cloth or some plastic around this area, or tape it.

 

[justjunque]

Thank you, Brad!

Very helpful information!
I'm relieved that removing the wringer isn't a big complex operation!
I'm assuming you just reverse the process to reinstall it.
And I'll be sure to put something around the area of the potential oil leak point!
In more good news, I just found out that work is letting out a couple of hours early today.
I'm going to call the seller and see if I can come see it today instead of tomorrow.
Even if I don't pick it up until tomorrow, I can take care of the purchase today, so I don't have to worry about someone else snagging it.
Send lots of positive thoughts my way! Please!

Barry

 

[justjunque]

Another update

Well folks, I'm the proud (?) owner of a Maytag J2L.
The question mark is for the unknown mechanical condition.
The inside of the tub looks to be in great condition; just dirty.
The outside of the machine looks decent, but dirty.
There's a small amount of rust in a few areas, just below the black rubber piece that fills the gap between the tub and the skirt.
Other than that, just grimy from decades of storage.

To answer the pump question; there is, in fact a lever with "on" and "off" markings on the bottom of the right side. So, we have a pump.
And, as suggested earlier in the thread, the gooseneck was in the tub.
Well, part of the gooseneck.
The part that screws onto the drain hose is still screwed onto the end of the hose.
The aluminum-looking curved tube is somehow pulled out from the female end.
It still has a flare to the one end of it, so I'm not sure how it got separated.

As for the oil on the left rear leg...it is there.
But, so is a bunch of residual oil, with dirt stuck in it, all up around the wringer itself.
Is it possible, when the machine was being put into long-term storage, someone could have slathered some of the moving parts with some kind of oil, to keep them from seizing up, and it just ran down onto the leg?
Everything looked relatively clean on the underside.
I mean, dirty, from storage. But nothing underneath looked overly oily.

I still have the transportation dilemma to face.
Seeing it up close and personal, I'm sure it would easily fit in the Explorer.
Hopefully, I can take the wringer off without any drama.
The wringer swivels freely, if that's any indication.
And, I would lay it front side down, and hope and pray that nothing bad happens.

Just think. Once I get it home and start messing with it, I'll have a whole new slew of questions for you all!
And so the fun begins!

Barry

P.S. I also just took a closer look at the model decal.
All along, I've thought it was called a "Gyrator" washer.
I only just realized that it actually says "Gyratator".
So much to learn!

 

[launderess]

Congrats!

My J2L is older than yours (has red wringer release bar...), and has a pump.

My thought is when pumps became available owners of J2L wringers had them installed as an after market upgrade, and or had the thing installed before it was delivered from appliance store.

While gravity draining is all very well, the addition of a pump meant those in apartments and or whose laundry areas lacked floor drains could use a Maytag wringer.

Grease around wringer/rollers.

There is grease/lubricant on the bearings for rollers. Shouldn't be so much as to leak out causing a huge mess. Would have to see pictures....

It could be that the washer was at some point laid down incorrectly and grease/oil leaked where it shouldn't and no one bothered to clean it up totally. Fact there is "dirt" caked on with oil leads one at least to believe this may have happened.

Didn't see mentioned, or maybe one missed it, but did you test to see if the agitator came off easily?

 

[launderess]

Regarding oil leaking out...

As others have mentioned oil leaking isn't a mortal illness with Maytag wringer washers. Just means sooner or later the thing will have to be stripped down and transmission cleaned out, and fresh oil added.

Testimony to how well engineered and built these machines are, they will run for quite some time with low oil levels, gunk, or sludge in the gearcase/transmission. State of various parts after such treatment would be the question, but at least back then things were just simply rebuilt.

 

[justjunque]

Hi Launderess

Thank you for the input!
I did not check to see if the agitator came off.
Nor did I take any pictures.
I will certainly do both once I get it home.
I'll probably start a new thread once I'm actually in possession.
Then, it will be a case of "how do I do this?" as opposed to "Should I buy this?"
I'd love to procure an original owner's manual for it.
I'm going to ask the seller if there's any chance he has it, since his parents bought the machine new, but I won't get my hopes up too high.

Barry

 

[launderess]

IIRC

Original owners and service manuals are available from this site for download.

That and or just search fleaPay; there are always a few on offer.

 

[justjunque]

Thank you.
I have seen where downloads are available.
However, I'm one of those folks who likes to have an original hard copy of a manual.
Agreed, the bay is probably my best shot; unless the seller has the original laying around somewhere.
There are a few on there currently, but they're older versions.
I've seen the correct one for this era machine once. Someone was including it with the J2L that they were selling.

And now for another noob question.
Before I even attempt it; what is the correct way to remove the agitator (or Gyratator?) from this machine?
I'd rather ask beforehand than to have to ask how to fix it after I do something wrong and break it.

Barry

 

[e2l-arry]

J2LP

To remove the agitator just grab it by the post with both hands and give it a pull up. Hopefully it will come right off. If not, well . . . we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. GREAT that it's a pump model! You should be able to reassemble the goose neck assembly. I seem to remember seeing them "new" on Ebay and they were bagged unassembled. Can't be any more that 3 or 4 parts to assemble it. The pump makes things easier and even more fun. My Grandmother had her Speed Queen wringer in the kitchen with no pump. Had to empty into a bucket then empty the bucket down the drain or out the window. Heavy work for an old gal!

 

[justjunque]

Thanks Larry

Well, it's official.
It resides in our laundry room now!

A couple of details to mention, just to see if this sounds right.
When I removed the wringer before trying to transport the machine, (fortunately, the wringer came right off as intended), there is oil in the center the tube that the post fits into.
Should it be filled with oil right up to the top like that?

Second: I forgot to wrap the tube underneath, to further insure that oil wouldn't leak out of there, even though we transported it front side down.
Interestingly enough, some oil did leak out onto the back side of the skirt.
But it didn't leak from the breather hole. It seems like it came out somewhere in the area of where the tube to the wringer passes through the skirt.

Just taking a quick, uneducated look around at the underside, I can see that it's going to need a new belt.
I'm really hoping that's something that even I will be capable of doing by myself.

The first thing that I'm going to work on is seeing if the agitator will lift off, and getting started on the much needed cleaning.
I'm sure I'll be back with lots of questions!
I'm so appreciative of everyone's help and advice!

Barry