MOVING A MAYTAG E2L

[e2l-arry]

I just joined this club as I purchased my first vintage washer yesterday, a Maytag E2L, and will be bring it home this Saturday. Does anyone know if it's OK to lay these flat in the back of a truck or do they need to remain upright? My concern is that if I lay it flat and travel 30 miles that way that oil from the transmission or wringer post might leak. I have access to a covered pick up which would necessitate laying it down. If that's no good I can rent a van and bring it home upright. Any input will be appreciated. I'll start posting pictures when I get it home. It'll need some clean up and TLC but it'll be sweet when I'm finished. Everything works, no rust, been sitting in a garage for over 20 years and I got it for $25.00 on CL.
WOO!HOO!

 

[qsd-dan]

My concern is that if I lay it flat and travel 30 miles that way that oil from the transmission or wringer post might leak.

Yup, it must remain upright at all times or it'll begin leaking trans oil out the vent hole in less than 30 seconds.

 

BTW, congrats! Hope pics will surface soon after its arrival.

 

[e2l-arry]

Thanks Dan, That's what I was thinking might happen if I laid it flat. The van it is then. Where is this vent hole? I mean, if I have to take it horizontal to get it loaded or unloaded, which side should be facing up? Front, back, right side or left. If the location of the vent hole would even make a difference. And as far as I can tell, I think this is a mid-60's E2L. It has the black agitator with the red safety release. There's no Maytag decal on the front but it does say M A Y T A G on the front in raised letters. One web site said that was around 1965. Can anyone confirm that?

 

[electronicontrl]

Nice find

And for $25.00. Nice!
I agree, best to keep it upright. You can move the wringer control to the "swing" position and lift the wringer head up & off the base and that makes the machine easier to transport. (Careful the wringer head is HEAVY).
I use my avocado Maytag E2LPS at least once a month.
Congrats! and welcome!

 

[stan]

Hi Larry

I'll third that up right moving idea. LOL

The raised MAYTAG on the front, I believe puts it somewhere after 1960?

The vent hole, is on top of the right angle drive. (The part that's coming off the power unit, going towards left leg, where the wringer is) Sometimes it hard to see, but if you run your hand across the top, you'll feel it.
Post pic's when you can!

HTH, and welcome to the forum.

 

[e2l-arry]

Sounds like transporting it upright is what I'll do. I've been reading some of these posts for awhile and it's confusing about adding oil or grease to these machines. Can you or can't you and do you need to or don't you and so on. We had a 1965 Maytag automatic w/ suds saver. It replaced my mother's 1952 Kenmore with suds return. Hear that Stan? My mother had it over 20 years. Then gave it to my brother after they moved to Florida. It started leaking oil when my Mom still had it. There was no way, that we knew of anyway, to replenish it. My brother used it another 5 years before it must have finally lost enough oil and either the motor or transmission burnt out and it went to the washer bone yard.

Great pictures in here. I like the 1970 Avacado Green E2LPS, Is that original? It looks showroom new! Thanks for the tip on taking the wringer off. That'll make the move easier. I'll upload pictures of mine this weekend. Keep a picture history so to speak. Cosmetically it's not perfect. Some scrapes and scratches and the finish is rather dull. I'm lucky there's no rust and it runs. So 1st order of business is to clean it up inside and out. The agitator was still on so and I've read horror stories about them being stuck. I though it was common practice to take the agitator off when finished? That's what my Grandma did with her Speed Queen when she was through. So I'll clean it up and do a test wash load to check for leaks and overall performance. Then decide what's next. I'd like to sand it down, prime and paint it. I saw at Home Depot they sell an appliance enamel Rustoleum.

I'm so looking forward to this weekend! I'll be sure to keep you posted.

Larry

 

[rp2813]

Try Meguiar's Car Cleaner/Wax on the finish and see if you can revive it.  You may not be able to reproduce the same durability of the original finish even with Rustoleum enamel. 

 

You can hide scratches by using a small bottle of white appliance touch-up -- very sparingly -- the brush should have barely any product on it and you should apply by lightly dabbing just enough to obscure the scratch.  Go slow.  Less is more.  Slather it on and it will be very obvious.  I used this method on a vintage refrigerator and I can't even find the repaired areas anymore.  Use the Meguiars after doing all of the touch-up work.  It made the original enamel finish on my fridge shine like new.

 

[stan]

Larry

Thats a very good question about the oil!! I have asked here before, and really never got a answer that I was comfortable with.

I have read on another thread here where someone claimed that he added spindle oil thru the side cover of the power unit while the machine was laying on it side?? However I have talked to Phil at Phils Maytag (someone many of us here have gotten parts and advice from) some years back and If I remember right, he said no? And I defiantly remember him saying that it could not be added thru the wringer post, and have it reach the power unit.

I have a service manual for the machine, and I have studied it carefully, and can not see any way to add oil to the PU other than removing the PU from the tub, and adding gear lube directly to the to the top, and re bolting it back on. In that case it may require new seals ect if going that far! (now I think i want to get a hold of Phil and ask) LOL

Think the MeGuire's is a good choice as well. MeGuire's also make a "fine cut cleaner" that will remove scratches and imperfections and then follow with the cleaner/wax that Ralph suggested.

Since it's a E model, you may also have a little work to do to restore the brilliance to the aluminum tub, and crown. If so I would suggest you do that part first, then move on the the body, wheels ect.
If I had mine to do over I think after getting the crown clean and polished, I would have sprayed a clear lacquer over it, then dealt with the body, as I'm always re polishing the crown from water spots.
The E is a good machine for overnight soaking, as it holds the heat of the water for a long period of time.

Glad to hear that the 52 lasted so long, they were great machines!

Stan

 

[maytagmike]

my mom's maytag

I have the exact same maytag with the raised letters on the front. moms machine was manf in july 1962 and mom bought it right around the same time.

 

[e2l-arry]

meguire's

Good call. I'll stop be the Auto Zone and pick up some Meguires tomorrow. I thought about rubbing compound and car wax but thought that then if I did decide to paint it would never stick. But then again, if you prep it correctly there should be no trace of wax or anything else. I even have a buffer I use on an old car, 71 Chevelle convertible, that might help the finish. I KNOW I'm going to be going at this thing non-stop once I get it home.

I found something on line yesterday where I downloaded a Maytag Operator's manual in a PDF file for only $1.99. It didn't tell me anything about the operation of the machine I didn't already know but was crystal clear on the steps to loosen and tighten back down the wringer. The rest was just on washing the "new" synthetic fabrics and other ancient laundry topics like using bluing, tinting and starch. A different time indeed!
"Sherman, set the Wayback machine for the year 1945"
"Right Mr. Peabody!"

 

[geoffdelp]

Hi all ... Stan is right; there really is no way to add transmission oil into the power unit of a Maytag wringer without removing the tub and the center plate. Also correct that once the center plate is removed, gaskets should be replaced. If your tub has the hex-head bolts, it is easier to remove using a 1/2 drive on a socket wrench. If it has the old brass gulmite bolts with the rubber washer/retainer seal, you will need the special gulmite wrench. Not sure but Phil is a wonderful resource for parts, etc.

You can move a Maytag wringer by laying it down ... but ... you MUST lay it down on it's front ... or where the "Maytag" decal is. Removing the wringer head is also a must if you do that. If you have oil/water that comes from the right angle drive, it means that you have a leak in the water retainer in the center seal and water has entered the transmission and pushed itself into the right angle drive.

These wonderful machines were meant to be used and if they have sat for long period of time, the gaskets sometimes have a tendency to dry out. I've even had oil leaks stop with continued use; that's not always the case, however. A lot of these machines were abused with overloading and improper care ... so ... it's a Catch-22; if you have one of these machines you might want to consider learning to strip it down to the transmission and get new gaskets and transmission oil. You might also want to learn to remove the right angle drive and get the proper lubrication to pack the wringer post. Again, Phil should have all of these parts/fluids necessary. I don't have his email address handy but he seems to have a lot of things available on eBay.

Good luck and I hope you enjoy washing in your E2L!!

 

[stan]

Hi Geoff

glad you stopped by for this,
hearing this from you, confirms it for me, so don't feel the need to ask Phil! LOL

My E2LP (1954) on occasion leaks thick grease out of the breather (right angle) dose'nt "appear" to have water in it, so I leave well enough alone??

 

[e2l-arry]

HI GEOFF

Glad you stopped by. Just joined the other day but have been reading posts for a long time. As I have said, you seem to be the "GO TO" guy on these Maytags!

Thanks and I'll keep you posted once I give the patient a thorough going over on it's maiden physical. Once cleaned I figured I'd fill her with hot water and check for leaks. Might as well do a load of whites since it's filled anyway. We'll see how far I can get with it.

Larry

 

[geoffdelp]

Stan ... the thick grease coming out of the breather hole could be one of two things. The wringer post is packed with a heavy lubrication that reminds you of Vaseline but oilier and Maytag would pack at least a half pound of it into the post at the time of manufacturing. Through the years, that lubrication breaks down and can seep into the right angle drive. Or ... it could be that water has entered the transmission through the center plate seal causing the transmission lubrication (like heavy motor oil) to become thick and forcing its way into the right angle drive.

Whenever I've seen that in machines I've repaired, I've always taken the transmission, right angle drive and wringer post out to clean, re-gasket and refill with the correct lubrication. It will run for years and years after that. It will be like new. It's worth the effort if you want to keep the machine.

The wringer head is another story and "if it 'aint broke, don't fix it"!! There are a lot of gears in the wringer head and it takes a whole pound of the thick lubrication to re-pack successfully. I bet Phil would be able to fix a wringer head just like that!!

Larry ... put some hot water in the machine first and make sure you don't have any water leaks!! I usually put enough to cover the bottom of the agitator and if there is no leaks, I shut the lid and run it for a few minutes ... to be sure. I've had hoses break with full tubs of water; fortunately, that's only happened in the garage!! BUT ... running the old gal with a tub of hot water is PERFECT to clean it out and get the lubrication flowing again.

Good luck; send pictures!!

 

[stan]

Thanks Geoff

for the info!

Yes I do plan in keeping the machine, and as of now it is the daily driver for the household laundry.

I believe, or I hope it's the the "first" of the two things you mentioned LOL

Im assuming the oil in the power unit is 90 weight gear oil, and the right angle and wringer post is packed with something like wheel bearing grease? ?

As I mentioned this only happens on occasion (oil Leak) from that location, and is usually about the size of a nickel, on the floor, with a little more that gets caught on the cross frame, from where it actually drips off of.
The machine seems to run fine otherwise!

Do you think it's time to take it seriously ?

Stan

 

[rp2813]

PDF file for only $1.99

Larry, it sounds like you pulled up the "Automatic Ephemera" site which was just recently launched by our webmaster here.   There are a lot of interesting appliance documents in the library there.  You might find service & repair information there at some point in the future.

 

Ralph

 

[laundromat]

That looks like the one I was just given to by a friend here in Rosedale. We were in "comformation" at Church and classmates in school. His Dad replaced an older model with a newer the last of which were made around 1972. She used it three times and hated it so it has been covered with plastic in a corner all by its lonesome until I found it and was happily told I could have it. I need to get the weight so I can have it shipped to Hawaii.It is my favorite style of single tub wringer washers.

 

[e2l-arry]

SHIPPING WEIGHT

When I was doing a Google search on Maytag wringer washers I can across some sites that will bid on LTL (Less Than truck Load) shipping. I've seen the weight listed anywhere from 150 to 200 pounds. There was some variety in the dimensions too. Some had 3' x 3' but most had it 24" x 23",which I think is closer to the actual size. I can measure mine when I get it for exact dimensions. Geoff Delp on this site had a good idea about removing the wringer. For me that will make the moving easier but in your case I'm sure they'd go by total weight and size for costing. Shipping will be pricy but I don't expect you come across too many of these classic machines in Hawaii.

Good Luck!

 

[e2l-arry]

PROBLEMS!!!

Well, I got it home and cleaned it up. Scrubbed it down. The paint was badly oxidized but it looked better after it was washed. Now some wax and touch up paint and it'll be pretty as a picture.

I did notice when I saw it Monday that the agitator switch was bent upwards. I looked under the machine and all I could figure was it got bent by accident some how. I was able to straighten it out with a pair of vice grips. One problem solved. Smooth sailing?

Then, just as I feared, the agitator is as stuck as can be. I actually lifted the machine off the ground, sans wringer. I bought some WD-40 with the adjustable nozzle and tried to get some under the agitator. While doing that I noticed the top of the agitator had been glued and broke off when I gave it a tug. So if the WD doesn't work I can bust it off. I already ordered a new one. It'll be aqua instead of black but that doesn't bother me. I also ordered the new rubber ring the holds the agitator down when the machine is full of water.

Then when I was looking under the hood I noticed that the belt was badly worn so I ordered one of those as well.

So before I worked on the cosmetics any further I rolled it up to the utility tub. The door to the utility room in my basement was too narrow so I had to take the door off. Still wouldn't fit so I had to remover the door frame as well. Always something, that's for sure.

Wait! It gets better! So I start to fill the tub and I left the room for 30 seconds. I figure by now I'd earned a beer. When I got back, you guessed it. WATER ALL OVER THE FLOOR!!! So I grabbed the drain hose and emptied as fast as I could. I stuck a bucket under the machine and had a look hoping it was only a bad drain hose. No such luck. The water was coming out all over the PU. So now I'm figuring I need to do a whole rebuild. Or is it as simple as a new gasket between the PU and the washer bottom? But I don't think it's that simple because it looked to me like water was coming out at ever possible connection or seal. I'm not sure where to even start with this but feel I'm certainly capable of the task.

Any advise on how to start? or where to start? Or where to get a gasket kit? I really was hoping to wash for the first time in 44 years with a wringer washer but looks like I'll have to wait a few more week/months???