My Early Maytag A806 Rework Progress

[d-jones]

So this is it. I started the tear-down this afternoon, and right away I was surprised to find tower clamps installed throughout on this machine. Tower clamps haven't been easy to find for quite some time, so to me that would indicate just how long it's been since this thing had any real work done to it. I'll clean them up and try to reuse them, but no promises. There's quite a bit of corrosion on the base plate that'll need removing. I'll have to see how that goes. I have a new old stock replacement, but I'd rather not use it if I don't have to.

2nd photo - Tear-down coming along.

3rd photo - Done for the day. I've got a bunch of stuff loaded in the trunk to take to work where I can use the sand blaster on some corrosion issues, but for the most part this machine is in descent shape. More tomorrow.

 

[lowefficiency]

(Link to the prior thread for anyone finding this in the future:
https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?86876)

Looks like the pump is still the multi-part serviceable type as well. Is there any evidence that the timer was replaced? (Could the Kingston timer be original?)

 

[d-jones]

I noticed that little detail on the pump as well. I'm going to clean this one up and try to use it, but that may not be possible. As for the timer, I'm inclined to agree with Dan on this. Mallory timers are more commonly found on the early machines, but since I don't know when Maytag began using Kingstons I can't say if it possibly left the factory with one or not. However, since my two other 70s 806's have Kingston timers I'd prefer this early one to have a Mallory. Bye the way, thanks for posting the link. I should've though of that.

 

[swestoyz]

Maytag started sourcing Kingston timers as early as the 00 series machines in the fall of 1961 as well as the 02 line (A302/A502/A702), so it is very well possible that this came from the factory with a Kingston version of the non Suds early A806 2-3182 (dash 1).

Good luck with your restoration! Crossing fingers is it spouse approved when you're finished.

Ben

 

[d-jones]

Thanks for clearing that up, swestoyz.

This place is just such a wealth of information. Ask a question and sometimes you have an answer before you can say Bob's your uncle, even on obscure topics.

 

[good-shepherd]

Stainless steel lint filter

They are rare as hens teeth and a steel motor splash cover.

Never seen a machine with iron stains that bad, diluted Muriatic acid should clean that up.

Definitely worthy of a good refurb. Base plate should be okay after sandblasting unless badly pitted.

 

[lowefficiency]

>> Base plate should be okay after sandblasting unless badly pitted.

I'd bet money it will be fine too. The base on my "free" A408 was in far worse shape, and after 2 1/2 years of use as our primary washer, it has still held together!

For a machine like this, I think I'd take originality over perfection, even if the plate wasn't "perfect" after the sandblasting.

 

[d-jones]

Dave -

That thing looks like it was caught in a flood. I've never seen anything even close to that before. Yikes!

 

[d-jones]

In other news

I was able to spend some time cleaning after work today, so a little more progress to report. The motor shield and the mounting panel for the water valves both had corrosion to deal with, so they got blasted today.

Photo 2 - Fortunately the rust came off easily with very little pitting left behind. The Maytag Gray paint on the underside of the motor shield is in perfect shape, so it's at a paint shop now waiting for a specialist to match the color for me. I've been using Rustoleum Ghost Gray for Maytag base plates and structures, but it's not quite the same shade and has a gloss finish which isn't really correct, so this time I'll do it right.

Photo 3 - This has already been cleaned quite a bit, but some of the crud was being really stubborn, so a quick trip to the store for some CLR, Bon-Ami, and Brillo pads later......

Photo 4 - and finally some real progress. The heaviest crud had collected around the tub light lens for some odd reason, but careful use of a flat tip screw driver blade removed it. Not done yet, but close. There's still more cleaning to be done on this tub cover and I still need to remove that rust spots it has and treat the areas so it doesn't come back.

Photo 5 - The underside had little actual rust, but a lot of staining.

Photo 6 - And it's gone, or at least mostly gone. I'll finish it up tomorrow(hopefully). I had to wrap things up so I could get to the paint shop before they closed.

 

[good-shepherd]

Brillo pads later..

Brillo pads will scratch the shit out the porcelain.

If "the crud" doesn't clean up with a soft sponge and Bon-Ami it is hard water deposits, use diluted muriatic acid to dissolve, it will save a lot of labor and damage to the finish.

 

[d-jones]

Perhaps you’re being too aggressive with it.

I’ve never had a Brillo pad scratch porcelain enamel. The trick is to know how hard you can press and when to throw it away. But the acid idea sounds interesting. I think I’ll give it a try.

 

[good-shepherd]

acid idea sounds interesting.

Works a lot better than hard scrubbing, deposits just dissolve then flush well with water.

 

[d-jones]

Just a quick note.

I bought some muriatic acid to try and was both pleased and disappointed. Disappointed in that it seemed to have no effect on the deposits I was trying to remove, but pleasantly surprised with the way it obliterated the rust that had formed in a few places where the porcelain was missing. That was a great discovery. As for the lackluster performance on the mineral deposits, does it matter that the bottle I purchased is only 34% Hydrochloric acid? I got the only brand they had in the store (it's made by Sunnyside). Does it come in higher concentrations, and would that make a difference?

 

Regardless, I'll definitely be keeping this stuff around for rust removal.

 

[good-shepherd]

only 34% Hydrochloric acid?

The Sunny Side brand is fine and what I've always use.

Be careful not to over do it, muriatic acid can weaken the porcelain. Don't leave it on any longer than necessary and flush well with water.

If its not cleaning some areas that could be hardened detergent deposits or something the acid has no effect on.

Or, you may have to leave it on a little longer and use a plastic tool to scrape stubborn deposits.

 

[d-jones]

Well thanks for trying, Douglas....

but I gave it my best effort with the acid and failed. I don't know what it was that collected around all the little the drain holes, but it took this polishing wheel and compound to finally get through it. I've never had this much trouble cleaning a tub cover before, but thankfully it's done. Now I'm off to the paint shop with the lid to get the porcelain color matched and pick up the Maytag Gray.

 

[d-jones]

It doesn’t look like that much was done today, but this took a while. The front panel was cleaned up and prepped for sanding. The console was disassembled and each of the parts cleaned. The console itself was then polished up, and apart from some minor pitting it came out well. The real pain in the pants was the wiring harness. It was dirty and a bit sticky throughout, so each of the wires was carefully cleaned making sure to leave the wire numbers intact. Each of the tie wraps is located where 1/2 inch gray cloth tape had been wrapped around the harness. That tape was dried out and brittle to the point of uselessness, but with a quick search of the internet I found some new 1/2 inch gray cloth tape to replace it. With any luck the finished harness will look pretty much like the original. I picked up the cabinet paint yesterday after work, then when I got home the new timer was waiting on my front porch. This evening when I got home a set of new Maytag rubber feet was waiting in the mailbox, so things are slowly moving forward.

 

[qsd-dan]

things are slowly moving forward

That's some of the quickest progress and dedication I've seen on this site in quite a while.

 

[d-jones]

"That's some of the quickest progress and dedication I've seen on this site in quite a while."

 

Well thanks, Dan. I guess I'm in a hurry to get this done and out of my friends garage, so things can't happen fast enough to suit me. Now just a quick note. In what can only be described as a stroke of luck, I was doing some touch up painting on the the corporate jet that I help maintain and I had a little bit of paint left over. Just out of curiosity I thought I'd see how closely it matched the porcelain on the chipped top panel. It turned out to be about as close to a perfect match as I've ever seen, so I went ahead and filled them all in. By the time I get a few layers built up and polish it out even with the surrounding porcelain I doubt anyone would be able to spot the repairs. See for yourselves.

[this post was last edited: 4/23/2021-17:34]

 

[d-jones]

A bit more progress to report today.

First, Dan wanted to know the serial number, so I got that this morning. It's 215247DD. Then I was able to further disassemble the machine.

Photo 1 - I got this brake removal tool years ago in case I should happen to need it some day. Someday was today and it was quite helpful. I know some folks don't care for it but it worked great for me.

Photo 2 - Finally free, the base plate has been loaded in the trunk of my car for a trip out to the hangar, along with just about all of the remaining parts.

Photo 3 - Except for this bit here. It'll have to wait a few more days for its turn.

Photo 4 - This was a disappointment. There is corrosion on the polished inner surface of the damper leaving it very rough in a few places. To my knowledge this sort of thing isn't repairable, so I'll be replacing this part.

 

[hobbyapocalypse]

At what point is a damper unusable

Mine looked and felt rough at first but it was mostly stuck on crud that I was able to clean off. It's not like new but I think it will last many more years with proper lubrication. You might want to try cleaning yours unless it is worse than it looks in the photo.

 

[good-shepherd]

this sort of thing isn't repairable

Hard to tell from the photo. Is there deep pitting and oxidation or can it be polished with compound.

Dampers are typically unsalvageable when the pads detach and it goes to metal on metal contact.

Your pads look intact albeit very dry.

P.S. -Kooky way you've got it disassembled, I've never seen the trans, damper, and tub removed as a unit.

 

[qsd-dan]

Birthed from Newton, IA in February 1967.

Your filling, painting, and blending skill are very impressive with the cabinet top.

The aluminum damper face may polish out if you're willing to experiment with some compounds. At least keep it as a spare since they're already getting hard to find without gouges from the base.

 

[appnut]

Tremendous going David!!!

 

[d-jones]

I understand that this isn't the normal way to disassemble a Maytag washer, but the darn agitator stubbornly refused to cooperate and let go this morning, so I had no choice. The base plate absolutely had to come off so I could take it to the hangar and rework it, so upside down it is, at least for now. I also seem to remember someone on this blog saying that letting a Maytag helical drive transmission sit upside down can feed fresh lubricating oil to the upper bearing, so maybe sitting around upside down for a while is a good thing. LOL.

After reading the comments about the damper I guess I'll try cleaning it up and see how that goes. So Joseph, Douglas, and Dan, the damper restoration effort is for you guys. Maybe I'll get lucky and it'll be okay.

Thanks for the information on this machines date of manufacture, Dan. That falls right in line with what you said in the initial thread in Shoppers Square. I also had a look at the lint filter today since you mentioned it was unique for more than just the stainless top. Do you happen to know how long this type remained in production? I've never seen another with this type of lint screen, so I'm guessing not long.

Edit - One other thing I forgot to mention. Upon disassembly I found the brake rotor bearing (200835) inner race badly cracked. A minor setback. This seems to be a part that's still available, at least for now.[this post was last edited: 4/24/2021-20:56]

 

[eurekastar]

I love seeing the progress you're making!  Thanks for letting us have a look at the wonderful work you're doing!  I restored an A407 then converted it to an A606.  However, your skills are far superior to mine!  I had fun learning, but it took making a lot of mistakes, as well as a lot of help from the kind people on this site!

 

[good-shepherd]

transmission sit upside down

That definitely gets much needed oil to the upper agitator shaft but this machine deserves the full treatment.
and from the look of things it needs a new lower trans oil seal anyway.

Replacing the seal involves disassembling the trans and fishing out the worn o-ring seal but it will run better with fresh lubricant. The old trans oil has by now the consistency of molasses and may cause sluggish agitation especially in cold locations.

 

[sprog]

Paint Question...

Hi David,
Thanks for sharing your workflow. It's great to see your progress!

Quick question: what did you do to achieve such great results with the porcelain? Was it 2K paint, 2K clear?

Cheers,
Chris a.k.a. sprog

 

[d-jones]

Hi Chris

Unfortunately, I don't know what brand the paint is. It was mixed for us at a service center and provided in two one quart cans, one base and one hardener. The labels on both cans are generic, offering little information beyond mixing instructions. The fact that the color was such a perfect match for the top panel porcelain was just dumb luck. What I can tell you though is that due to the environment that corporate jet aircraft operate in, paint made specifically for them tends to be pretty high quality. I'm sure that isn't very helpful to you, but I'll continue to update the touch up paint progress until it's finished. Hopefully that will prove useful.

 

[latchlock8111]

Inner damper surface

To smooth out the aluminum try fine sandpaper and wd-40 for the sanding lubricant. 1500 grit would be my start point. Wear rubber gloves as it is messy and will stain the fingers.

 

[qsd-dan]

I just remembered getting wonderful results polishing a damper dome with a brass wire wheel. This was the outside rather then the underside, but it may be worth a try if you have kicking around.