Progress report on the 57 GE washer

[turquoisedude]

I am staying true to my pledge.... to work on the '57 GE washer, that is!

 

After spending the winter out in the garage, I figured the first thing to try would be the motor.  Recall that I  A: had a big screaming beeyach of a time getting that motor out but B: I did manage to repair the starting switch. 

 

My motor repair skills must be improving... 

 

 

[turquoisedude]

I wanted to try a water test, but the 'nag centre' of my addled brain said "don't".  I yielded to the nag and tried to see if I could remove the tub.

I did and without wrecking the filter-flo hose or the suds return hose.  A miracle!!

 

[turquoisedude]

My nag centre was right... the transmission boot was split (quite probably from a 7-hour shake session moving the washer on its side...).

So out it went!

 

[turquoisedude]

I have been prepping for this restoration for years and I am glad I had the good sense to have gotten a new boot!! This one was gotten in 2013 at Modern Parts...

Installation went just fine!

 

[turquoisedude]

I was feeling courageous so I re-installed the pump and ran water into tub...

 

[turquoisedude]

Well, the boot was good and leakproof but there was a drip around where the pump sits below the tub.  That wasn't completely unexpected, so off with the pump and off to dig for the silicone...

 

[turquoisedude]

While I had the pump out, the nag centre kicked in with a concern about the flapper valve inside the pump.

I need to pay more attention to this nag centre... the flapper valve was stuck and would not have directed water into the filter-flo return pipe.  That was cured with a brief soak in hot tap water.

 

[blackstone]

NOW I recognize this machine; on your Facebook post, I didn't see the insides. All looks familiar now.

Always was a dilemma with the metal clamps on the pump & motor--do I remove the screw and clamp completely, or just loosen it enough to slide off?

 

[turquoisedude]

I re-installed the pump, with a coating of the old reliable blue RTV silicone on the gasket.  At this point I figured it would be wise to test the water inlet valve (yeah, I know...me thinking of that BEFORE I reassembled the washer!!).  Well it checked out and should be fine when Maiden Wash Day rolls around.

I won't get back to the house in Ogden until Friday now but you can bet there will be another water test!!  Stay tuned ...

 

[pulltostart]

Congratulations!

Paul - so glad to see that this one FINALLY moved to the front of the line.  Keep up the good work and pictures!!!

 

lawrence

 

[gansky1]

You were smart to grab that boot, a must-have for those solid-tub GE's as they were quite different than the later boots.

Nice to see that washer getting a new lease on life, it's such a pretty GE design.

 

[potatochips]

Nice job, Paul! Thanks for sharing. Cant wait to see the end result!

 

[peteski50]

57 GE!

Great job Paul - real nice machine!

 

[bajaespuma]

Nemesis AND Hero

You are an inspiration. Tell Hubby to build you another storehouse. These models were the beginning of the raised panel Filter-Flo's that lasted until 1963; were and are my favorites. The pink color is so GE and splendid and, as we both know, was lateraled over to the dishwashers for many years. The backsplash design on these units was clever and unique; leftovers were used up for a near-TOL model for the beginning of the 1958 line, but then disappeared. Aferim! Do you have the proper copper filter pan for this machine?

 

[turquoisedude]

Copper filter pan

Yes, I was thrilled to see it was still there when I first got the washer!  

 

And here's an oddity, perhaps because this is a "Canadian" model - the model tag identifies it as a WA857P, yet on the lid instructions the model is stated as WA855.  The model tag also has the CSA (Canada Standards Association - the equivalent of UL) but states the machine was born in Appliance Park, USA.  Go figure... 

 

[pulltostart]

Paul,

The WA850P was the "normal" model, WA855P was the suds return model.  Perhaps the "7" indicates it was built for export?

 

lawrence

 

[appliguy]

Maybe....

Canada has a rule that whether the appliance is made in Canada or not, before it can be sold there the model has to be tested and certified by the CSA! PAT COFFEY

 

[turquoisedude]

That could well be...  I've got a Frigidaire dishwasher (a '57 according to the US date charts, but seller had a bill of sale from '58) that was made in Dayton but had the CSA stamp. 

 

Not sure when, but GE (and Frigidaire among others) did start building appliances in Canada.  I'd have to guess in the early 60s - I remember that the fabled GE V12 set of my youth definitely said "Made in Canada, eh" on the model tag...   

 

[mickeyd]

After watching the movie right away, I thought, how is that Wizard Paul getting the GE to agitate without water? And then, OH MY, a suds. Have never had the GE suds experience. Is it as much fun as classic WP/KM--pump on full speed! Must be cool to see the suds coming from the top, huh?

Good luck, my friend, but you always manage regardless. Have a Turquoise surprise coming soon you'll enjoy!

 

[turquoisedude]

Agitation without water...

It's not wizardry, honest!  GE solid tub machines from 1953 on had a 'water saver' button on the upper-end models - it simply bypassed the pressure pad at the bottom of the tub and started agitation.  Unlike the WP/KM/Inglis models with Suds-Savers, GE doesn't have a 'spot' on the timer where the agitator runs while the pump returns saved water to the tub. 

 

Why I know this was in place in '53 was because that's how I got that '53 of mine to agitate!   Actually, the switch on the '57 is a little sticky; it should be a momentary contact....  

 

[Unimatic1140]

Super cool work Paul, very impressive! You'll love the '57 GE. That pump flapper was an issue for sure in that design. Can't wait to hear about its first wash in decades!

Working on my '58 GE I've learned a lot about the electric circuit of this machine, and it's quite complicated compared to most of the time, but it works well.

 

[appnut]

Great work Paul!!  Proud of ya!!!

 

[lesto]

This is so exciting. The 57 was such a unique and attractive model with the timer on the left. Can't wait to see pics and video of it's maiden wash!

 

[turquoisedude]

It was a long weekend here in Canada and it was also the first time in three weeks that Hubby and I got to spend an entire weekend together. But I wasn't going to let that get in the way of the 57 GE washer restoration!!

So, the goal this weekend was to leak-proof the pump/tub area...

 

[turquoisedude]

I got it right this time. It 's holding vater!

In the 2nd picture, I wanted to see just how much water was needed to make the pressure pad switch click on. It's a lot! Oh, right, it's a GE...LOL 

 

[turquoisedude]

As the leaks were resolved, I figured this would be a good time to start prepping the cabinet for a new paint job.  There was a lot of grime on the cabinet from storage but also quite a few rust spots (the machine sat idle in a basement for 32 years).  Getting the trim plates off was a challenge but I did it!  The only paint that got applied today was a good coat of POR15 on the base.

 

[turquoisedude]

And just for the thrills of it, I thought I would investigate the suds valve assembly.  Full disclosure: I am most likely not going to put the suds saving system back into this machine initially. I already have 2 suds savers and only 1 washtub!  And restoring this GE system is going to need some creative and innovative thinking. Which means I am beat... lol

Well nonetheless I took the suds valve apart.  The word 'cruddified' is all I could think of ( if that is even a word).  Look at the stuff that was in there! Even the ubiquitous bobby pin...  Well at least I have a NOS gasket for the valve!

The plan for this coming weekend is to paint the cabinet.  But there is a washer rescue mission planned for this week also.  Such excitement!!

 

[pulltostart]

Paul,

Looking good!  Two comments about your progress - 

 

First, don't be so quick to discard that bobby pin.  It's vintage!

 

Second, the three black spots on the lower front of the cabinet - is that aluminum panel installed with adhesive?  Or a combination of mechanical fasteners and adhesive?

 

lawrence

 

[turquoisedude]

Lower panel

Lawrence,  it is held on with both mechanical fasteners and adhesive.  Those three black blobs remind me of the stuff used on the old asphalt floor tiles.  I'll guess that was a mid-production-run hack by GE to assuage complaints of the panel vibrating when the machine would spin...  I shall use the same technique on re-assembly!

 

[Unimatic1140]

In the 2nd picture, I wanted to see just how much water was needed to make the pressure pad switch click on. It's a lot! Oh, right, it's a GE...LOL

LOL is right Paul. The service manual says to adjust the switch (I assume by bending the metal actuating arm, ironically they never tell you how to adjust it) so 4 to 6 gallons is in the outer tub before activation begins. I've found that about 2 gallons is more than enough to operate the filter-flo stream just fine, thank you. GE.