Repairing a GE Filter- Flo

[toggleswitch]

pics motor and pumps

Here is the motor assembly.

top to bottom:

1) Not clearly shown-- recirculating pump for filter flow "waterfall" and pan filter that sits over agitator. (black rubber hoses).

2) Drain pump (with white corrugated plastic hose).

3) There is a concrete block (not shown) opposite the motor for counter-balance.

3) "Flexible" drain pump drive. The pumps are mounted to the ourer tub which is fixed to the machine's cabinet. The motor however, moves with the inner tub and the transmission. The pump drive therfore need to be flexible!

4) motor- reversible- one direction agitats and recirulates water, the other drains and spins. Second speed IIRC is achieved by a "gear" in the transmission.

 

[toggleswitch]

pics

pump

Ah- here is the recirculationg pump atop the drain pump.

Each engages with different direction of motor rotation.

American machine manufacturers went to great lengths to have only one motor for all-- it was considered a reliablity issue at first..

 

[toggleswitch]

pics

tranny... well no actually it's a transmission...LOL on top in white.

Unique motor-mount showing motor and concrete block voutner-balance. Bottom right shows "dampers" that allow the motor to move (withing limits) inside the cabinet. The motor and transmision assembly is mounted from the top on a metal cable.

Notice the garage floor below, the machine does not have a bottom. (poor thing!)

I dont think it's visible, but there is an overflow tube to the right of the pic near the front of the machine. Water is diverted away from the works in case of overlow and/or fill solenoid failure!

Thank you very much for sharing my adventure with me.

 

[toggleswitch]

OOOPPSS that black vertical hose to the right IS the overflow tube!!!

 

[peteski50]

GE Filter- Flo

Steve,
Real cool washer. Nicely styled and looking good.
Peter

 

[kenmore1978]

underwear

So did you ever tell the person who "curbed" this washer that they just spent hundreds of dollars for a new washer because of a pair of $3 underwear?

 

[bostonwash]

A 2 speed model

The last series made with that style backsplash/control panel. Made about 1991.
As you may know, don't change the speed while the machine is operating. At least, don't change to the gentle speed.

Thanks for the well lit, close-ups.

Looks great.

 

[toggleswitch]

Nah. Ignorance is bliss.

 

[fixerman]

Articles stuck in pump is a very common problem with the GE Filter flows. I have repaired many like that. Sometimes the article is so stuck one has to replace the whole pump. One shouldn't overload or add items, especially small items, after the machine is filled. And make sure the clothes guard around the opening is not damaged or has not come off.

 

[westytoploader]

Very nice Filter-Flo Steve! I bet that ramp Activator is fun! Whatever you do, don't misplace the clothes guard or attempt to wash socks in the filter pan! (LOL)

Thanks for posting!

 

[jmirawm]

filtewr flowing.....

Have you got to run a load in this machine yet? It looks like a fun machine. Love the agitator. And I am wondering what happens if one switches from normal to gentle or vice versa while the machine is running. I am afraid I would have been in trouble as a child. I would have been pushing those buttons.

 

[toggleswitch]

Yes I ran a full load in the garage to see if the elbow that looked like it needed a red sealant would hold..so far it has held.

The machine starts at slow speed then shifts to a quicker one-IIRC-- the motor is ONE speed. What a big design flaw it is to be unable to shift speeds while operating!

This machine is very close to my first washer that I had when I set up house in 1981. Mine was more deluxe and was still the cheapest one at Macy's warehouse sale, while I was a poor struggling student! LOL

Just the sound of it working brings back memories. Now all I have to do is get some liguid "All" detergent and POOF! total immersion flash-back. That, and some blue Dawn dishwashing liquid, and it will be perfect recall.

I went to Fordham University at Rose Hill in the Bronx and lived off-campus in Little Italy.

Every saturday morning the buildngs' hot water would run out and shortly afterwards every clothes-line (there were 40 apts in two adjacnet buildngs) would be filled with clean wet clothing catching the breeze.

Every sunday afternoon you could DIE from the magnificent cooking smells. The onion, the garlic the gravy (tomato sauce), the sausage and peppers and other meats... OMG. I feel the need to get a lasagna going... LOL ...and my room-mate was Italian .. Did I ever learn how to cook!

As a tribute to the old days, I thnk I may have to line-dry a load on Saturday after having washed it in this GE and then cook Italian on Sunday. *SIGH*

 

[bostonwash]

Yum, Your cooking description makes my hungry. I don't know if it is the vegetables and meat or if it is the Italian and meat. Either way I could go for some Italian. I mean ..lasagna.

Oh, now, what do you use the Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid for. Not as a detergent substitute I hope. Shame Shame.

 

[fixerman]

"OOOPPSS that black vertical hose to the right IS the overflow tube!!!"

You were right the first time. The hose coming out the right side is the pressure switch hose. The placement of the pressure switch hose is different than on most other Filter flows. I think placement of the pressure switch hose on the bottom of the tub rather than on the side is to allow for extra small load selection, probably to accomodate mini basket loads.

 

[toggleswitch]

LOL

Bostonwash:
Blue Dawn- for dishes. Which at the time was a new product at least in this market! (Sorry my mind wanders.) But to this day it reminds me of that apartment and that living situation.

Fixerman-
I was referring to the the vertical hose that runs along the side of the machine from top to bottom and terminates just above a leaf seen on the garage's concrete floor. Are you talking about the hose the comes out to the right of the clear elbow?

I think the pressure switch is the latter....and I agree about your login on its placement.

 

[toggleswitch]

logic, not login. lol

 

[toggleswitch]

The mini-basket and the filter arrived, apparently on Friday (today is Sat. ) and appear to have been left by the courier by the side foor. Luckily it was draped in plastic and the box did not melt!

So of course I washed an area rug in the machine with the filter and played with the mini basket.

I might just leave that washer in the garage and get a dryer or two to keep it company. I have friends who rent and don't have machines. [Their buildngs have creatures and I'd rather not have their laundry in this house!]

They'd appreciate saving tons of quarters and being able to double rinse and or pre/wash...all while I whip up a nice hearty multi-course meal !!!!

I'm leaning towards electric rather than propane for the dryers. I will make a 50 amp extension cord and plug the thing in near the panel as needed. I can use one of the two electric stove's breakers! On the other end I will split the line into two 30 amp fused dryer outlets and have plug-and cord-conections for safety...

sounds like a fun time ahead!

 

[toggleswitch]

...meaning two of the four breakers that are used for two electric stoves!!

 

[westytoploader]

YAY for Mini-Baskets! But being the "odd man out" with a straight-vane, I'm dying to see the Ramp Activator wash!

 

[appnut]

STEEEVE!!! first time I've seen the new play toy. I love it. A very distinguished looking last of its kind. Bob

 

[toggleswitch]

Autin-

I will see what I can do to borrow a video camera and take some action shots. Three in mind.

May have to dig and ask around to find out how to post these.

Watching the mini-basket fill (takes a while!), wash then throw the water.

Watching the activator agitator pump the clothes up and down.

Rear view of everything gyrating and flexing as the tub spins!

 

[toggleswitch]

Bob-

It IS very "PERIOD" with black, white and red, but I hate the markings on the dial. Much prefer older version with minutes.

They seem to have fallen into the game of labeling the timer
heavy, normal and light soil/wash and counting this as three cycles!

Don't you just love the marketing gimmicks on the console-

9-cycle
extra large capacity
heavy-duty
2 speed
"variable" water level
-with mini-basket!

Find me a machine that does not say "heavy duty!"

Hey Austin--- does your Japanese "GE" by Hitachi say "Heavy duty?"

 

[toggleswitch]

Back in its day the cardboard-like rear (What is that stuff called Masonite?) and the corrugated drain hose--- others were still rubber--- looked SO CHEAP! Won't even discuss the galvanized sheet metal guards aroud the inlet and drain hoses!!!!

This is SO NOT A CLASSIC MAYTAG ON ANY LEVEL !!!!

 

[tolivac]

"Masonite" goes under the term "hardboard" its a thicker stronger and heavier material than cardboard.Usually one side is very smooth and the other is corrigated-from the mold screen when it was made-It was named after a fellow named "Mason" he discovered the material while he was trying to use a diffrent process to make paper.Don't know exactly when it was invented.when I toured thru Hollywood about 35 years ago-saw the back side of the "Paramount" lot they had movie set fronts made out of it.Was convenient for that use as well as a building material-has numerous uses today.Its all around you.The furniture you are using or sitting on may have some in it.also used as backs on case furniture goods such as dressers and cabinets.also there is two basic grades of the stuff-Standard and "Tempered"The Tempered material is stronger and more flexible than the standard grade.Tempered is usually a darker color.Its more expensive.

 

[toggleswitch]

Well, since heating season here is about 7 months in duration, the GE was relocated to the basement. Want to use him, toy with him and work him full-time!

"Gennaro" seems to be happy in his new home. His drain pipe is firmly strapped to the slop sink (lol) and he has water and electric!

Bought some hardware to intall a (permanent) light fixture on the ceiling...over the tub....must see water action clearly at all times!

*BLISS*

Here is where he got his name...(and it dont matta that I ain't Cat-lick!)

http://www.sangennaro.org/

 

[toggleswitch]

extrarinse 2

Hi Matt-

Noticed you really like filter-flo machines. Adn thanks for you post earlier in the thread.

Cant't seem to get an E-mail to you without it bouncing back! But I wanted to invite you to tinker.

[email protected]

Love meeting local "Washer-heads"

regards,
-Steve

 

[toggleswitch]

..and other NYC /LI locals, feel free to write...

I'd love to invite each of ya personally, but (said with biting sardonic sarcasm....) must watch my reputation. Don't want to appear too "needy"

HA!

 

[geextrarinse]

Thanks for the Invite!

Hi Steve - I'll email you offlist but thanks so much for the invite! I don't know why you can't get an email to me - But I'll send you one. Your pics were so great - I actually have the model line catalog from that years selection. I was in 8th grade at the time (hehehe) and I used to order the catalogs from all the companies - its at my parents in PA - I'd have to scour their basement for them but I know I didn't throw them away. I know I also have Hotpoint/RCA, Frigidaire/ Amana, Kitchen Aide, Maytag and probably others. When I next go home and find them I'll post them. Yours is closer to the TOL if I remember correctly. That truly was the end of the Filter Flo's though. Their TOL was the SPOTSCRUBBER model which had a special cycle for the mini-basket to remove the stubborn stains. I remember my grandmother used to use her mini-basket (1964 GE) in much the same way even though there was no such thing as a spotscrubber cycle then- she had the amazing power of original blue WISK! - I love the smell of old WISK - I only wish they never changed it! So I'll email you and we can wash and take pictures and post them! Thanks for saying hi!
Matt

 

[geextrarinse]

HEY AUSTIN...

And by the way AUSTIN...

The ramp agitators make the most fantastic washing noise - its a sort of "schlump schlump schlump" Very fun! - Though I 'm still waiting of more DISPENSALL PICS!!!

;-D

Matt

 

[toggleswitch]

Agreed....

"Gennaro" does this