Poppy comes to Boston

[jetcone]

Well even though this machine is so unused its still policy to renew rubber seals no matter what after  40 years installed. Tub seals collapse in that time and each time the jetcone bounces water will get in. 
Also one of my goals with this machine is to make it as quiet as the 1957 Charcoal live water action machine.

I will install Frigidiare's "Qui-A-Pak II" system. It will be fun to compare to my 3 speed machine that has no sound deadning once Poppy is up and running.

 

 

[this post was last edited: 11/21/2014-20:42]

 

[jetcone]

The first obstacle to overcome

is its been 30 years since I was rebuilding and selling these machines, I know them like the back of my hand but some subtleties have escaped me. 

 

Like oddity of the "T" machines. The only year Frigidaire decided to save a penny and not install the oil bellows under the water bellows. 

 

It created warranty havoc when whole transmissions had to be replaced that were frozen with water rust and detergent - see the Tech Tips 1973 a year after the "T"s were produced.

 

Off to Doctrine to bone up, after two hours researching I found what I was looking for, what parts I would need to add to Poppy to bring it up to speed with her 1970's sisters.

 

Can you spot what parts are missing in the "T"s?

 

 

[jetcone]

Dissassembly and cleaning

Poppy came apart without any effort, like she had just been assembled off the line. And well....

 

look at her- I have not seen such a gloss on an outer tub yet!

 

 

 

[jetcone]

the mechanism is in

stellar shape too ! The rollers look pristine. 
And if you look closely in picture #2- you can see that infamous bottom agitate driver , its darker than the spin driver above it. Another S & T failing. On these machines Frigidaire decided to go with a cast iron driver. Bad choice as it did not sit well with the polyurethane agitate roller. Cast iron was too hard and caused the poly roller to lump up and go out of round.

 

They even produced a repair kit to replace the cast iron with an aluminum drive roller. 

After the 'T's Frigidaire went back to all aluminum drive rollers.

 

But a change now would take a very long time and since this is now in retirement the machine can stay original for now. 

 

[jetcone]

I am amazed at the gloss

still left on the cabinet. Usually these cabinets are rust buckets by now. Look !

 

[appnut]

I've got chills lookin at that gloss, so pure and new. 

 

[combo52]

Poppy 1-18 Frigidaire Washer

WOW Jon it is in great shape, you should install the sound insulation that I installed in my Imperial 1-18 and we can do a comparison afterwards, currently I have the quietest 1-18 ever, the race is on for silence.

 

[philr]

And I have listened to Jon's 3 speed 1-18 two years ago and I found it very quiet too (even without sound insulation!). From what I remembered, the poppy washer he just got was a lot noisier (and noisier than mine too) maybe I'm confused, it's been a few years since I connected this machine at Henson's. Unless they swapped the cabinets with the otherwise identical white one I got at the auction. I haven't tried it yet!

On my harvest gold 1-18, I replaced a minimum of parts to make it work and the rollers are a bit noisy. I have new rollers but I didn't install them. Instead, I tried to "resurface" the old ones with my bench grinder to remove the flat spots (and this machine is one of the newer ones with the aluminum drive roller). They have worked ever since but the agitate roller makes some noise during spin!

 

[bluejay]

Wow, that washer is mint! I'm always surprised at how the really cool colors never seemed to catch on; poppy is nice looking!

 

[toploader55]

Hmmmmm...

Beautiful Jon...

I suspect a "Too much coffee Saturday Wash Cam Insanity" is due soon ???

 

[jetcone]

You are Correct Sir Edward - wash cam in the offing

Phil your memory is correct too, when I ran her she was the noisiest 1-18 I've heard in a long time.  S & T's were if only for the fact of the bellows breathing through the spin shaft - chuff chuff chuff. 

 

John I am going full bore with this one on the sound deadening - as I recall  you used K-mart carpet scraps.

 

Side note, go back and look at the hole pattern in the tub, this was the original hole pattern that was outlined in the patents on this machine. Water is an incompressible fluid which means that at the BDC and TDC of the Jetcone the water was stopped for a second and the sediment would drop out down thru the holes in the bottom of the tub. Later Frigidaire moved them to the side walls for more spin extraction. I prefer original sediment removal- what do YOU prefer?

 

This baby is getting Sound-B-Gone see the link:

 

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[turquoisedude]

Wow, John, that machine is in amazing condition!   Thank heavens for wealthy families who equipped their summer homes well back in the 60s and 70s!  

 

I have got to figure out a way to get down there soon and see this baby up and runnin'...

 

 

[ovrphil]

Incredible - reminds me of how clean the Maytag set Iooked when I peeked inside(still in use).

I checked the llnk, Jon - do you just apply that to the four sides and bottom(not the lid)..or are there some other surfaces included? Would you get any benefits from double layering?

( I'd like to do that to my washer)

Phil [this post was last edited: 11/22/2014-06:40]

 

[jetcone]

You better Mister

The whole New England Chapter is tapping their fingers on porcelain. LOL

 

 

[toploader55]

Oooooooooooooo !!!

Good.

I love those Saturday Wash Cams. Especially with the Coffee Overdose !!! LOL

 

[nmassman44]

Jon that poppy 1-18 is gorgeous and looks brand new, no rust and that cabinet is beautiful! Is the dryer in the same condition as well?

 

[jetcone]

Yes Mike!

The white seal around the door is still pristine white and its not crushed, the drum looks like it never took clothes! These are a find !

 

 

[jetcone]

Reassembly

Parts I'll  need are up and first is replacing the tub water seal: Pry the old one out with soapy water and install the new.

You can see what I'm writing about, the old seal has collapsed and wont' make good upper contact with the face seal in the tub bottom, so every time the jetcone bounces water can get in.

 

The four holes in the casting under the seal are breather holes for the bellows as they puff.

 

[jetcone]

Installed

and a final lube of the agaitate shaft before the bellows goes in will really quiet things down and make for a  fast Jetcone.

 

I also use NEvaSeeze on most of my installs. Once on parts come off years later.

 

A quick check of the mechanism bolts to be sure they haven't wiggled loose over 40 years. Another source of leaks for the 1-18s. These bolts never get NEvaSeeze as they get blue loctite only!