Maytag Model N2LPS

[tomturbomatic]

Our model J has the red Bakelite agitator. I heard that they were the rarest of the three because if people had the money to upgrade they went for the Master. I like the porcelain tub. Our Chieftan is one of the newer ones like yours with the turquoise plastic. Funny, I just remembered that our 57 Pontiac came in three models, the Chieftan, the Star Chief and the Super Chief. We had the middle one. Our Master has the black lint filter agitator. Until we found that machine, John had a hard time believing that they made one for the wringer machines.

 

[geoffdelp]

Hi Tom ... cool! I like the Model J, too. Mine is so quiet. I have to finish restoring it. It is from 1968; just before the safety pedal was introduced. The only features I find different between the J and E is the splash crown and the "connected" lid on the E. The Model E's splash crown was great (as was the lid) but the J is so "wide open"; it's very easy to load and unload large articles. I don't know why the J wasn't so well received; was the pricing really close to the E? If so, I can see why women upgraded to the E.

I don't know ... my Model E is really good, don't get me wrong. But, the aluminum tub is a little "strange". The aluminum was spun rather than cast and is really sensitive to additives in the laundry. When I use it steadily, the tub gives off a "metal" odor and if I use bleach or other additives it darkens the tub. When I use just regular Tide, it brings it back to the shiny tub. I figure that can't be a good thing; the metal is reacting. I like the porcelain finish best on the J and N, too.

I also have the black lint filter agitator that used to go in the Model E's. I think they used those for a few years when the Model E had the chrome M-A-Y-T-A-G letters on the front of the machine.

Isn't it funny how things were named in the 1950's? I love the name of your family Pontiac ... the "Star Chief". I don't know ... it sounds so powerful and safe. Maybe that's what the manufacturers were trying to achieve!

Have a good one ...

Geoff

 

[bobbyderegis]

Sorry folks,
Absolutely no letters on the serial plate! An ageless Maytag wringer?
Bobby in Boston

 

[mixfinder]

Agitator

I remember Grandma's old Maytag bang, banging away, on wash day.

(Did you hear about the new breakfast cereal called Prostituties? No Snap, Crackle or pop. They just lay there and bang away!)

One day in the late 50's, the agitator quit turning.

A repairman, took the metal drive out of the red agiator and replaced it. In the process a chunk broke out of the base of the agitator and it was patched with this glop of grey junk, which remained until the day it went to the dump with a broken wringer housing.

Some years later, the same thing happened to the black agitator in mom's Maytag wringer. She bought a new replacement agitator, in Turquoise. The drive was molded into the agitator and was plastic.

My first thought as a 17 year old was, "This will never last!"

To my amazement, it worked perfectly, without any metal noise as the agitator stroke reversed.

Kelly

 

[geoffdelp]

Bobby ... Maybe Maytag stopped putting the letters on right at the end of production? I doubt there is anyone at Maytag left who could help us; my sources left last year after serving over 35 years there. They could not longer handle the changes in management. Too sad.

Maybe there is someone on our site who might know the answer to this puzzle.

I like the idea of agelessness!!

Geoff

 

[abcomatic]

Loud Maytag

HI Geoff and everyone, My Master wringer is loud when it is washing. When I plug it in, the motor seems to have a sort of rumble to it. I was just wondering if that was the nature of the beast or what? My ABC's are very quiet. Just curious. Gary

 

[geoffdelp]

Gary ... is it "loud" when loaded with water and clothing? What sort of noise is it making? When you put your ear down on the right side, is the noise coming from the motor area or the transmission?

The Master was unique because of the aluminum tub; the noise reverberated off of it and the steel skirt. When empty, the Master was loud.

Have you checked the belt lately? Our local electric motor service has some standard sized belts available. I just take the old one in and they can match it up.

Also ... make SURE your tub is not overloaded (not that you would!!). The clothes should tumble toward the center when loaded right.

 

[scott55405]

Tom, I was fascinated by that agitator in your wringer. When I saw it at the convention, I had just assumed it was an agitator from an automatic. I saw a Pontiac Star Chief at a car show recently...very nice car!

Geoff I've often wondered why they didn't go whole hog and make the tub stainless steel in the "E", particularly since Speed Queen was offering that feature in their washers. In fact for years I guess I assumed they were stainless steel, until Robert told me. It must be all in the chemicals as you say; I've seen some that look perfect as the day they were new, and others are just bleh.

 

[geoffdelp]

Scott ... good point. Aluminum was definitely cheaper and if they had put a stainless tub in there, it probably would have made it more cost prohibitive to the people purchasing them. They went from cast aluminum in the early 1950's to "spun" aluminum; it used a lot less product.

Funny ... I think one (of many, I'm sure) of the reasons Maytag stopped making these was they were having problems with the EPA. They used aluminum, lead, rubber ... and they made the parts right there.