One from the Ogden 'project list' - 1947 Bendix coming back to life

[turquoisedude]

Somehow, I just never seem to have enough time on a weekend to get very far with my washer work. OK, it doesn't help that I was out on both Friday and Saturday running around to garage sales, but that was worth it... LOL 

 

However I still needed to do some work on the '47 Bendix.  I started by reassembling the water valve and testing it.  

The 'Valve Reconditioning Centre' in the basement is looking more like Dr. Frankenstien's experiments mixing water and electricity.     Fortunately, I didn't fry myself.  Unfortunately, the original brass Bendix valve does not work correctly (my theory about this being a non-thermostatic valve has thus been disproved...)  

 

[turquoisedude]

Now I had a replacement generic valve at the ready (OK, I do keep a spare one in stock... LOL) so my progress wasn't supposed to be halted.  However, as I posted on Saturday, I was stumped about what to do about that second water flow pipe that directed water into the float valve chamber.   

 

I should have thought to search the archives here;  I found a post from 2005 that explains all (see link below)!

 

Who knew that the idea behind this tube had originally been to flush out soap residue.  This also shows that if you're trying to fix something on a vintage washer and hit a snag, chances are that someone else ran into the same issue.  Better still, they found a workaround!!  So the progress was not impeded too badly.  

47 Bendix Washer

I'm wondering if someone can give me some direction on my 47 Bendix washer. My water solinoid has gone to a better place and woes not work anymore. I have the original valve from the Dole Valve company. Is there another universal water valve that I can use to replace it or is there a place that...

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[turquoisedude]

The challenge now was how to connect the valve and attach it to the Bendix tub.  

 

I think I solved that puzzle reasonably well.  My wiring is a little creative - I got a bee in my bonnet about keeping the original bullet connectors, so I wired up some bullet to spade patch cords.  

 

If anyone would like to start a pool to take bets as to how long those connections last once I get the machine into a first spin with laundry in it....  LOL  

 

[turquoisedude]

For my last task of the weekend,  I decided to paint the body panels of the Bendix.   The cabinet panels were slightly rusty and once I gave them a wash, they did not look THAT bad, but I went ahead with a fresh coat of paint anyway.  

 

Resassembly should be later this week, with any luck.   I do have to figure out what do about that porthole door leak - I'll be searching the archives again!!  

 

[realvanman]

Keeping to originality

I for one appreciate your dedication down to the detail of saving the original electrical connectors.

Save that old valve, and somehow, someone in the future may be able to get it going again.

And it'll plug right into the original connectors.

In the meantime, it'll be great to have it operational once again.

Keith