Need help with late 70's Frigidaire Model

[Help]

Hello, I emailed Automatic Ephemera and was advised to post here for help on this matter.

I sent the following letter directly to the Frigidaire company.

"I am trying to find a user manual for an older Frigidaire dishwasher. I have searched the dishwasher over several times, inside and out and cannot find a model # or serial # anywhere. On the front it says "Deluxe GM Frigidaire 3 Level Wash". It has one dial on the front and one locking mechanism. The settings on the dial are "off, normal soil, quick wash, rinse, dry, plate warmer". It was installed in the kitchen when the house was built in June of 1977. It has never been used. We would like to use it now, but would also like to read over the manual before trying to use it. Please help in identifying this model and advising where to get a replacement user manual. No manual was ever left after the installation, of this I am absolutely certain. We don't even know how to use the detergent cups properly. Many thanks.

They replied with the following response:

"We regret to say that we are unable to locate a manual for your appliance. Regards,
Frigidaire Correspondence Specialist"

Can anyone tell me anything about this model or where I can find a manual or how to use it? I have attached one picture here, if I can figure out how to post more, I will.

Many, many, many thanks!

 

[Help]

This is the inside of the front door.

 

[Help]

This is what it looks like in its natural environment. Obviously, the front was put in to match the doors and drawers.

 

[danemodsandy]

Well, Okay....

....If you want to hold out for a manual before putting the machine to use, you can, but it's not a complicated dishwasher. Here is what you do:

1) Load it. Common sense here; this is not a dishwasher with a strange or unique loading pattern.
2) Fill the detergent dispenser. Both cups for Normal cycle. Rotate the dispenser door (probably clockwise) to close it.
3) Close the door, turn the dial to Normal cycle, and flip the door latch to the right. The machine should start, go through all its gyrations, and reward you with a tub full of clean dishes.

There is one tricky part, I must warn you. It is finding someone as anxious to put clean dishes away as they are to stuff dirty ones in the machine. Oddly, this problem is not confined to any one make or model....

 

[mickeyd]

In the Manuals & Literature section (top right of main page), you can click Publisher and scroll the drop-down menu to Frigidaire, then click on Restrict and scroll to dishwasher. There you will see a manual for 1978. Should be close to what you have.
Clicking on the picture of the dishwasher, it looks like yours.

 

[philr]

Many instruction manuals are available on the Frigidaire website. Unfortunately, their database isn't searchable anymore. I did manually search most of the manuals available and I found a few similar models with more features but not exactly yours.

Here's a Custom Deluxe, just on step above from yours in the lineup...

http://manuals.frigidaire.com/prodinfo_pdf/augusta/2001SL/003/00000035.pdf

 

[philr]

And here's the model that followed in 1978 (another Custom Deluxe).

http://manuals.frigidaire.com/prodinfo_pdf/augusta/2001SL/001/00000085.pdf

 

[turquoisedude]

Wow, that's a very nice looking dishwasher - that stainless access panel below the door is sweet!

Before you run the dishwasher for the first time, pour a bucket of very hot tap water into the tub and let it sit for about an hour. Even though the machine has never been used, gaskets and seals can dry out and this could result in leaks when you do run a cycle.

 

[Help]

Thank you all, very much! All of that was very helpful!

PhilR, The manuals that you posted were close indeed. I wish I could find the model # on the machine itself somewhere, so that the original manual could be located!

danemodsandy, Your step "2) Fill the detergent dispenser. Both cups for Normal cycle. Rotate the dispenser door (probably clockwise) to close it." Leaves me wondering...what if I want to use one of those pods that little kids are so fond of eating nowadays? Which cup do we use then? Also, what if you want to use a spot elimiator? This machine doesn't seem to be set up for such modern newfangled conveniences. And, if you want to use the "quick wash" cycle then which cup to you use? In other words, being as they are not numbered, which one is #1?! I must seem like some kind of space alien, but as you said, even though it's a simple machine, it is so different from all the options on the new models that I'm actually confused. Also, remember, we've never ever used this machine.

turquoisedude, that's good advice about using the hot water. I was worried about the seals and such leaking all over the place and I wasn't sure what to do about that. Thank you!

 

[washer111]

If you are using tablets, place it in the cup that opens second. Whatever cup is covered first when shutting the detergent cup is the one to use. Add your anti spot agent here too, provided it ist jet dry, for that, you'll need one of those ones that are hung on the racks. The second cup covered is for pre wash; use a powdered detergent in here, or another tablet.

For quick wash, use the cup for the tablet. I wouldn't recommend this on your model, since the pre wash phase helps flush away dirt: this machine has no filter, so the more rinses the better!

 

[philr]

The model number should be something like DWU-2 or DWU-22. I don't think the manual for either of these models is available online as I have looked at most of what's on the Frigidaire website. I even found a GE manual there (see the link below!). I don't know how it ended being there but it's mostly brands that merged into Electrolux like Frigidaire, Westinghouse, Tappan, Okeefe&Merritt, Gibson, Kelvinator from the late 1960's and on.
I guess they scanned old documents they got from a retailer and they inadvertently scanned one from a competitor's brand! Or Electrolux did make 40" ranges for GE like they did with their front loading washers? Even when the database was searchable from the Frigidaire website, some model numbers hosted somewhere on the site didn't show.

Your dishwasher is the basic, bottom-of-the-line model and it lacks the triple detergent dispenser or the rinse agent dispenser that some models have. But that also means less things that can go wrong on an old dishwasher.

The model number of the machine was probably located on a label on the toe plate (probably gone now).

http://manuals.frigidaire.com/prodinfo_pdf/augusta/2001SL/002/00000402.pdf

 

[Help]

Thank you!

Thank you all so much. All of that was extremely helpful. We are now ready to try this "experiement". I do, however, have two last questions....

Perhaps someone here will have an idea?

1.) If it is going to leak water (scary) where should we expect it to pour out? 2.) Will it start to leak as soon as the water starts to go in, or after it is turned on to go thru the cycle, if it is going to leak at all?

Thanks again! Can't wait to see how it turns out on its "maiden voyaage"!

 

[philr]

I wouldn't worry too much about that! Just take the lower panel out to see what happens under it... You can pour some hot water in and let it sit for a few minutes to see if there are leaks in the sump...

I have a similar dishwasher that had not been used for years that I got in non-working condition last year. The only issues with it were a timer that didn't advance (that was easy to fix) and a broken pump (it would drain water but not circulate it during the wash/rinse cycles). That required to replace some parts. Now it works fine. 

 

[dustin92]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned this- even though it seems like an all too standard procedure, don't pre rinse the dishes before loading the dishwasher. At most, scrape leftovers into the trash (or garbage disposal if you have one), then load up. Obviously all dishwashers are different, so you may find that you have to give the dishes a light rinse, but dont scrub, and don't even bother with using soap on the dishes *before* putting them in the dishwasher. If you are going to wash them first, don't even use the dishwasher. If you load clean dishes in the dishwasher, over time, the detergent will eat away the coating on the dishwasher racks, and you will end up with permanently etched glassware. Use common sense though, don't expect last weeks burned on saucepan to come clean without soaking/ scraping. For detergent, I recommend Cascade platinum tabs, Cascade complete tabs, and Finish quantum tabs. Yes,they are all a little pricy, but I don't pre rinse anything, and everything always comes out perfect.

 

[washer111]

Detergent:

I would recommend something along the lines of BubbleBandit, which appears to contain enough Phosphates to give a good clean each time. Failing that, Finish POWDER with some phosphates added should help significantly.

 

Don't use tablets with this machine, as the high level of water action *MAY* cause some over-sudsing, or using two dosages could cause etching (unless your water is hard as nails...)

A good powder detergent is far better, and you can adjust your dosage for each load. With our DishDrawer, we can get roughly 3 months of daily usage out of a 1.5kg box. Roughly 90 washes. Your Cascade/Finish tablets cost at least double for almost half the number of washes. Powders can work just as well, and give far better value. Tablets can be too much, but do a great job if water hardness is a REAL issue.