westytoploader
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2004
- Messages
- 4,485
Yes, I finally got to see a "plastic" Hotpoint with the FlexCare ("plastic GE" equivalent to DD Surgilator) agitator in action. I had seen the DA clone, as we had one from 1996-1998, but I always wondered what the vaned agitator looked like in action. My grandmother (dad's side) has one from '96 (one of the first), used with an 80's Westinghouse dryer. There was originally a matched set, but the Westy washer died 9 years ago. Since I was never there on laundry day, I never got to see the Hotpoint in action. (The picture below is not from my grandmother's but a BOL machine I saw on eBay)
Fast-forward to today (2/6/2005) when she called this morning, saying she was having trouble with a light as well as her washer. Luckily my dad & I were in Houston at the office, so we could help. There was also an outdoor security light by the garage that suddenly stopped working, so while my dad went over to tackle that, I went ahead and checked the washer out. The problem was simple: the "hot" side was barely trickling out and was ice cold. I've dealt with this problem before on my own machines and knew there was A LOT of sediment in the filter screens, but it was an easy fix, or so I thought. I pulled the machine out (a "lightweight" at 140 lbs. or so), started shutting the valves off...and I suddenly ran into my first problem. The "cold" valve was STUCK, having not been shut off in close to 10 years. I grabbed a can of WD-40 and plumber's pliers, and 30 seconds later I finally got it to budge. I then proceeded to take off the fill hoses from both the machine and faucet ends. There was the plastic strainer from the "hot" side, clogged beyond belief with 9 years' worth of sediment from the water heater...it's no wonder the water was slowly trickling. The "cold" side had a reasonable amount of sediment as well. I ended up putting a hole in one of the strainers from trying to pry it out with a screwdriver (like I could do with metal strainers and re-use them), and the original fill hoses needed replacement BADLY, so it's off to Home Depot. I found a pair of metal strainers and burst-resistant fill hoses and pulled the old, clogged ones out with needlenose pliers (another indispensible tool, IMHO). I couldn't believe how much sediment was on them. 10 minutes later, problem solved. I also Windexed the machine off, what a difference as it was in a garage laundry (70's home).
So, to test out the new hoses, I fired it up and stuck a screwdriver in the lidswitch. I didn't realize it was so much like my GE Portable...the suspension is literally the same. The only thing that differs from my machine is the spin brake; mine is the "clunking" version. I started filling the machine, and at the low water level, agitation started, with the typical "tub-doing-the-twist". At first I thought it was just the inner tub as the result of a weak spin brake, but then I felt the topmost part of the tub and the whole tub assembly was shaking!!! So it's the suspension that's the problem...I see now! The transmission also seemed to be "knocking" slightly...although this was typical on these machines. The water action was quite splashy; I was surprised. On "gentle" speed it was still OK, but keep in mind this was the lowest water level. Large water level on high speed was good; gentle speed, forget it. Hardly any water moved around. So I drained the water, and since this was one of the earlier models, it neutral-drained with the lid up. I spun the tub dry, and high speed spin actually looked halfway decent, although the soft suspension did make the tub move a little bit. And since this machine has had little use, the brake worked well.
I'm probably going to buy a 2-speed plastic GE or Hotpoint with this agitator later this summer to use in the shed, just for fun. I'll be sure to get pictures of what happens...
--Austin
Fast-forward to today (2/6/2005) when she called this morning, saying she was having trouble with a light as well as her washer. Luckily my dad & I were in Houston at the office, so we could help. There was also an outdoor security light by the garage that suddenly stopped working, so while my dad went over to tackle that, I went ahead and checked the washer out. The problem was simple: the "hot" side was barely trickling out and was ice cold. I've dealt with this problem before on my own machines and knew there was A LOT of sediment in the filter screens, but it was an easy fix, or so I thought. I pulled the machine out (a "lightweight" at 140 lbs. or so), started shutting the valves off...and I suddenly ran into my first problem. The "cold" valve was STUCK, having not been shut off in close to 10 years. I grabbed a can of WD-40 and plumber's pliers, and 30 seconds later I finally got it to budge. I then proceeded to take off the fill hoses from both the machine and faucet ends. There was the plastic strainer from the "hot" side, clogged beyond belief with 9 years' worth of sediment from the water heater...it's no wonder the water was slowly trickling. The "cold" side had a reasonable amount of sediment as well. I ended up putting a hole in one of the strainers from trying to pry it out with a screwdriver (like I could do with metal strainers and re-use them), and the original fill hoses needed replacement BADLY, so it's off to Home Depot. I found a pair of metal strainers and burst-resistant fill hoses and pulled the old, clogged ones out with needlenose pliers (another indispensible tool, IMHO). I couldn't believe how much sediment was on them. 10 minutes later, problem solved. I also Windexed the machine off, what a difference as it was in a garage laundry (70's home).
So, to test out the new hoses, I fired it up and stuck a screwdriver in the lidswitch. I didn't realize it was so much like my GE Portable...the suspension is literally the same. The only thing that differs from my machine is the spin brake; mine is the "clunking" version. I started filling the machine, and at the low water level, agitation started, with the typical "tub-doing-the-twist". At first I thought it was just the inner tub as the result of a weak spin brake, but then I felt the topmost part of the tub and the whole tub assembly was shaking!!! So it's the suspension that's the problem...I see now! The transmission also seemed to be "knocking" slightly...although this was typical on these machines. The water action was quite splashy; I was surprised. On "gentle" speed it was still OK, but keep in mind this was the lowest water level. Large water level on high speed was good; gentle speed, forget it. Hardly any water moved around. So I drained the water, and since this was one of the earlier models, it neutral-drained with the lid up. I spun the tub dry, and high speed spin actually looked halfway decent, although the soft suspension did make the tub move a little bit. And since this machine has had little use, the brake worked well.
I'm probably going to buy a 2-speed plastic GE or Hotpoint with this agitator later this summer to use in the shed, just for fun. I'll be sure to get pictures of what happens...
--Austin
