bethann
New member
Yay Ben,
Glad you got her! Maybe your pictures will help me when you tear her apart! LOL!
Glad you got her! Maybe your pictures will help me when you tear her apart! LOL!
New for 1956! Imperial Unimatic by Frigidaire
- Thread starter swestoyz
- Start date
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Ben that is super cool, what a beautiful machine. I bet the capacitor will be just fine, I've only seen one bad one in a Unimatic, that was in my '47 Unimatic. Now put some hot water down the drain hose and start him up. Let it agitate a few minutes to get the oil pump pumping oil up to the spin bearing and put it into spin, if he purrs he's ready to wash, if he roars well then you have some work to do 
.
To patch the tub I would pull out the tub and use Plumbers Epoxy to seal below the hole and as Steve recommended a good coating of JB-Weld from above.
.To patch the tub I would pull out the tub and use Plumbers Epoxy to seal below the hole and as Steve recommended a good coating of JB-Weld from above.
geoffdelp
Well-known member
Well, Ben ... you ARE full of surprises, aren't you?
"Red-headed stepchild", indeed. I don't see anything that's NOT to like about that machine.
How unique that you are able to rescue it!!! It's in a good home. Besides; it's good to think of something other than a Maytag, huh?
I like Robert's advise; try it out and let us know!
"Red-headed stepchild", indeed. I don't see anything that's NOT to like about that machine.
How unique that you are able to rescue it!!! It's in a good home. Besides; it's good to think of something other than a Maytag, huh?
I like Robert's advise; try it out and let us know!
It looks beautiful!
Can you see the agitator going up and down when you turn the tub? If you can't turn the fan/motor shaft, you may not get far testing it. Hot water in the pump may free up the seal and you could be good to go.
Perhaps we need to have another Unimatic weekend? Get those lab coats pressed!
Can you see the agitator going up and down when you turn the tub? If you can't turn the fan/motor shaft, you may not get far testing it. Hot water in the pump may free up the seal and you could be good to go.
Perhaps we need to have another Unimatic weekend? Get those lab coats pressed!
We need to have another workshop-----
hell, everybody in that old photo still has hair.
hell, everybody in that old photo still has hair.
hell, everybody in that old photo still has hair.
And I think Greg is still drinking Diet Coke out of the same cup!
And I think Greg is still drinking Diet Coke out of the same cup!
Ben, I don't know about that-----
the Diet Coke likely ate the bottom out of the old one long ago.
You can believe the stuff is still flowing though-----
bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
the Diet Coke likely ate the bottom out of the old one long ago.
You can believe the stuff is still flowing though-----
bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Can you see the agitator going up and down when you turn the tub?
Yes, if I would spin the tub, the pulsator would go up and down.
I decided to take the plunge and took Robert's advice tonight. Unfortunately the original drain hoses were not in great shape. I trimmed down the hose from the pump outlet to the garden hose connector to at least allow water to travel through it for this test. I then cut the petrified drain hose to about 3 feet long, and poured about 16 ounces of HOT water into the pump. Then I placed the original drain hook in the hose and set the bucket underneath. I let it sit for about 10 minutes, did a few hail marry's - and plugged her in.
The first pass the motor was locked up. Waited 20 seconds, tried again - still locked up.
I thought I'd give it a third shot, and BAM, I heard some garbling! I looked in the bucket that I had placed under the remaining 3 feet of water and saw some nasty gunk that had flown out. The mechanism had worked itself free!
I then cut the threaded end off of a bad inlet hose, and stuck it along the backside of the wash tub so I could pour some hot water in the outer tub. I got about 2 gallons processed and the pump was flowing out clear water.
Then came time for a spin test. Engaged the spin, could hear the solenoid engage, and .... nothing. The machine continued to agitate and the was just coasting at a snails pace - hardly 1140 RPM. What does this mean, to those who might not be quite 100 percent about the Unimatic mechanism? Let's find out from the Frigidaire doctrine.
Yes, if I would spin the tub, the pulsator would go up and down.
I decided to take the plunge and took Robert's advice tonight. Unfortunately the original drain hoses were not in great shape. I trimmed down the hose from the pump outlet to the garden hose connector to at least allow water to travel through it for this test. I then cut the petrified drain hose to about 3 feet long, and poured about 16 ounces of HOT water into the pump. Then I placed the original drain hook in the hose and set the bucket underneath. I let it sit for about 10 minutes, did a few hail marry's - and plugged her in.
The first pass the motor was locked up. Waited 20 seconds, tried again - still locked up.
I thought I'd give it a third shot, and BAM, I heard some garbling! I looked in the bucket that I had placed under the remaining 3 feet of water and saw some nasty gunk that had flown out. The mechanism had worked itself free!
I then cut the threaded end off of a bad inlet hose, and stuck it along the backside of the wash tub so I could pour some hot water in the outer tub. I got about 2 gallons processed and the pump was flowing out clear water.
Then came time for a spin test. Engaged the spin, could hear the solenoid engage, and .... nothing. The machine continued to agitate and the was just coasting at a snails pace - hardly 1140 RPM. What does this mean, to those who might not be quite 100 percent about the Unimatic mechanism? Let's find out from the Frigidaire doctrine.
BIG OH NO!
Rats - the clutch torque spring is probably broken. When I engage the trip I can hear a rattle inside the mechanism, probably the broken segments just laughing at me inside. I should take back my statement of thinking that I was the first to pull things apart. I could see some orange RTV around the drain plug tonight, which leads me to believe that someone has been inside of it before.
So, I've got some parts to start gathering up. Probably could use a new carbon seal for the pump, new clutch spring, and may as well put a new bearing in it if I'm going to have it apart. One of those is easy - the other two hard. The only lead I have on parts for Frigidaire lost EVERYTHING in the Floods that happened back in June. I will go back to beg and plead to go through the stuff to see if I can find anything. Otherwise, she'll be a pretty show piece while I go searching for the parts.
Until then -
Ben
Rats - the clutch torque spring is probably broken. When I engage the trip I can hear a rattle inside the mechanism, probably the broken segments just laughing at me inside. I should take back my statement of thinking that I was the first to pull things apart. I could see some orange RTV around the drain plug tonight, which leads me to believe that someone has been inside of it before.
So, I've got some parts to start gathering up. Probably could use a new carbon seal for the pump, new clutch spring, and may as well put a new bearing in it if I'm going to have it apart. One of those is easy - the other two hard. The only lead I have on parts for Frigidaire lost EVERYTHING in the Floods that happened back in June. I will go back to beg and plead to go through the stuff to see if I can find anything. Otherwise, she'll be a pretty show piece while I go searching for the parts.
Until then -
Ben
mickeyd
Well-known member
Ben, it's gorgeous
How cool that the '56 has LIGHTS. The Blackstone uses the same kind of Christmas tree lights. Just think you can change them for any holiday--green for Saint Paddy's, red for Valentine's, etc. Jon put Halloween orange in the Blackstone.
Good luck on the parts, Buddy, and with your Karma--hey--a piece of cake.
How cool that the '56 has LIGHTS. The Blackstone uses the same kind of Christmas tree lights. Just think you can change them for any holiday--green for Saint Paddy's, red for Valentine's, etc. Jon put Halloween orange in the Blackstone.
Good luck on the parts, Buddy, and with your Karma--hey--a piece of cake.
geoffdelp
Well-known member
Ben ... will it be almost impossible to find that clutch torque spring?
Well ... at least you know what the problem is.
You love a good challenge, don't you?
Well ... at least you know what the problem is.
You love a good challenge, don't you?
... will it be almost impossible to find that clutch torque spring?
I think if I cross my arms in front of me, and nod my head down real fast, one will magically appear in front of me ;-)
You love a good challenge, don't you?
Life just wouldn't be fun without them.
I love Robert's message. I'll make sure to remove and bring the mechanism to the 'shop', which is about 20 feet away ;-)
I think if I cross my arms in front of me, and nod my head down real fast, one will magically appear in front of me ;-)
You love a good challenge, don't you?
Life just wouldn't be fun without them.
I love Robert's message. I'll make sure to remove and bring the mechanism to the 'shop', which is about 20 feet away ;-)
Be careful with those spells - you might just get stung!
I can hear the music from Pyscho!!!!!!! There is nothing more horrifying than finding your Unimatic replaced with a MODERN machine!!!!!!
What does the little white button do on the water level control?
golittlesport
Well-known member
When the lid is fully open and rests against the little button on the load size control it shuts the machine off. Sort of a safety shut off, but not really. On my 1955 model that little shut off button is in the middle of the water temperature dial. (But mine has been conveniently disconnected.)
Torque springs are around, if you do need one. This '56 sure is nice. I'm still curious as to who got the other set.
Rich
Rich
I got a little antsy Friday afternoon before going out (since I was at a good stopping point on house work), and found myself digging into the '56 for no apparent reason. With all the Unimatic fun that is going on this month, I thought I'd provide more for the fun!
Top off. I was very relieved to find that the gasket is in superb shape. Not to say that was the same fate of the fill hose. Mind you, this was as far as I wanted to go.
Top off. I was very relieved to find that the gasket is in superb shape. Not to say that was the same fate of the fill hose. Mind you, this was as far as I wanted to go.
"Ah what the heck, pull out the pulsator," I said to myself. Well that was easy.
