redcarpetdrew
Well-known member
Saw this during a service call on a HOH dryer. It caught my eye as it's in great shape and still in use...
Spotted during a service call: GM/Frigidaire dishwasher
- Thread starter redcarpetdrew
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redcarpetdrew
Well-known member
Control panel left...
redcarpetdrew
Well-known member
and the right...
redcarpetdrew
Well-known member
Say AAAHHHHH...
redcarpetdrew
Well-known member
Love the high loop on the lower rack to make way for the spray tower...
Woo hoo. Notice the little whirly-spray arm at the end of the big spray arm. that is the exact model that a buddy of mine from college, his parents had a weekend home outside of Hot Springs Ark. and it had a Frigiedaire kitchen. And a 1-speed, 3 temp, water level Filterflo and matching GE dryer. All were in harvest gold. This dishwasher actually gave me a faith in Frigidaire dishwahers I'd never really had. It actually cleaned and it actually cleaned encrusted BobLoads. That triple-wash was awesome.
redcarpetdrew
Well-known member
Well, now! This washarm has a little surprise on one end. I haven't seen this one and thought GE's were the only one to have mini washarms on the ends. Did the mini washarm really make that much of a difference?
Put her thru a quick rinse and hold. Yup, sounds like a galvanized barn being pressure washed! Pretty normal. Sorry, couldn't get the model number but I will bet there are those who will know it by heart. (Yes, Bob and Nate, I'm talking to YOU! LOL!)
Enjoy!
Put her thru a quick rinse and hold. Yup, sounds like a galvanized barn being pressure washed! Pretty normal. Sorry, couldn't get the model number but I will bet there are those who will know it by heart. (Yes, Bob and Nate, I'm talking to YOU! LOL!)
Enjoy!
redcarpetdrew
Well-known member
Speaking of Bob...
I should have known you'd see this... LOL!!! Well, what's the model #? LOL!!!
RCD
I should have known you'd see this... LOL!!! Well, what's the model #? LOL!!!
RCD
philr
Well-known member
It seems to be in nice shape!
Today, I got one that's not is so great shape (it has the blue plastisol interior...).
Anyone knows where to get this blue plastisol?
Today, I got one that's not is so great shape (it has the blue plastisol interior...).
Anyone knows where to get this blue plastisol?
Unfortunately, I have no idea what the model number is other than it's a custom deluxe. It's the last of the GM Frigidaire dishwashers. I still remember pretty well what that dishwasher sounded like that long weekend. It was reasonably quiet as far as I was concerned and could hear a lot of water movement. And as with all Frigidaire SuyerSurge designs, loaded correctly, it held a ton of dishes.
philr
Well-known member
The model number should be something like DWU-33B. Among the last GM models.
Mine is among the last Canadian-made models (about 10 years earlier). Here's a picture of the interior, it has a similar wash arm but the tower is attached to the rack. (will need some cleaning!)
Mine is among the last Canadian-made models (about 10 years earlier). Here's a picture of the interior, it has a similar wash arm but the tower is attached to the rack. (will need some cleaning!)
philr
Well-known member
The ID tag which is for a mobile
philr
Well-known member
The older style wash tower (on Custom Imperials, it's attached to the rack to allow more space for the dishes at the back).
philr
Well-known member
Even if the tag and lack of a water level switch indicate it's a mobile, it's an under counter model with a one year older style... I'm wondering if somebody made this with two dishwashers or if GM Canada just used old remaining mismatched stuff! The front panel says General Motors USA but I have seen other Canadian-built GM appliances with that (with the Scarborough tag saying "Made in Canada"!)
dishwasherfan
Well-known member
Great find
Hi Drew,
Thank's for taking the time to photograph it, I've always wanted to see that style of wash arm.
Hi Drew,
Thank's for taking the time to photograph it, I've always wanted to see that style of wash arm.
philr
Well-known member
I'm wondering why it's written "4 LEVEL WASH" on the front panel of this Custom Deluxe. Olders ones like my 1974 Custom Deluxe have no auxiliary spray arm like this newer one and they still say "4 LEVEL WASH". My Custom Imperial pictured above has an auxiliary spray arm and it says "5 LEVEL WASH". The older Deluxe models have no auxiliary spray arm and they also lack the spray impeller at the top and they say "3 LEVEL WASH"
Late sixties DeLuxe "3 LEVEL WASH"
My mid-seventies Custom Deluxe "4 LEVEL WASH"
My Custom Imperial (which has both the auxiliary spray arm and the spray impeller) "5 LEVEL WASH"
Late sixties DeLuxe "3 LEVEL WASH"
My mid-seventies Custom Deluxe "4 LEVEL WASH"
My Custom Imperial (which has both the auxiliary spray arm and the spray impeller) "5 LEVEL WASH"
Multi Level washing
Frigidaire was counting the lower wash arm as a level, the water spraying out of the top of the wash tower as another , the water spraying out of the bottom jets of the wash tower as another and the water jet that is directed to the disk on the top of the tank as yet another. I am surprised that they just didn't count the all the holes in the wash arms LOL.
Frigidaire was counting the lower wash arm as a level, the water spraying out of the top of the wash tower as another , the water spraying out of the bottom jets of the wash tower as another and the water jet that is directed to the disk on the top of the tank as yet another. I am surprised that they just didn't count the all the holes in the wash arms LOL.
philr
Well-known member
Counting the number of holes!! In the spray arms or in the tubs?!
After a few years, they probably really have a 5 level wash, or even more (might wash the kitchen floor and the basement too!)
After a few years, they probably really have a 5 level wash, or even more (might wash the kitchen floor and the basement too!)
Multi-level wash
Lower wash arm - 1
Whirligig wash arm (if present) - 2
Tower, lower level - 3
Tower, upper jets for top rack - 4
Spinning disk on roof of tank - 5
Somewhere around here I have the doctrine that shows Frigidaire's embellished thinking, thanks to some great sales kits SteveD sent...
Lower wash arm - 1
Whirligig wash arm (if present) - 2
Tower, lower level - 3
Tower, upper jets for top rack - 4
Spinning disk on roof of tank - 5
Somewhere around here I have the doctrine that shows Frigidaire's embellished thinking, thanks to some great sales kits SteveD sent...
philr
Well-known member
Nate, I'm wondering what's missing in the Custom Deluxe on the top of this thread to have 5 level wash since the pictures show it has the
Lower wash arm - 1
Whirligig wash arm - 2
Tower, lower level - 3
Tower, upper jets for top rack - 4
Did they remove the spinning disc at the top of the tank in this model? (earlier Custom Deluxe models had it but lacked the whirligig)
[this post was last edited: 7/2/2012-16:04]
Lower wash arm - 1
Whirligig wash arm - 2
Tower, lower level - 3
Tower, upper jets for top rack - 4
Did they remove the spinning disc at the top of the tank in this model? (earlier Custom Deluxe models had it but lacked the whirligig)
[this post was last edited: 7/2/2012-16:04]
Hard to say when comparing Frigidaire US models
The Custom Deluxe I had (woodgrain trim, big stereo-like timer knob) had the spinner on the roof, plus the isolated tower normally reserved for the Custom Imperials. In the middle of the wash arm was the rubber diaphragm a la Whirlpool that would mate the wash arm to the tower, which spun on two sets of disc "bearings" in the lower rack.
When I fixed-up the Deluxe that Andy (RedCarpetDrew) found, I added the spinner on the top (there was an insert, but no disc) and swapped the "space-needle" spray tower with its rack gantry for the more spacious rack from the Custom Deluxe, along with a whirligig wash-arm NIB and meant for a Custom Imperial for maximum wash on an otherwise more BOL unit.
So, here, at least, the Custom Deluxe was four-level wash because it lacked the whirligig on the lower wash-arm.
The Custom Deluxe I had (woodgrain trim, big stereo-like timer knob) had the spinner on the roof, plus the isolated tower normally reserved for the Custom Imperials. In the middle of the wash arm was the rubber diaphragm a la Whirlpool that would mate the wash arm to the tower, which spun on two sets of disc "bearings" in the lower rack.
When I fixed-up the Deluxe that Andy (RedCarpetDrew) found, I added the spinner on the top (there was an insert, but no disc) and swapped the "space-needle" spray tower with its rack gantry for the more spacious rack from the Custom Deluxe, along with a whirligig wash-arm NIB and meant for a Custom Imperial for maximum wash on an otherwise more BOL unit.
So, here, at least, the Custom Deluxe was four-level wash because it lacked the whirligig on the lower wash-arm.
philr
Well-known member
Wasn't yours an Imperial?
Frigidaire stopped making appliances in Canada in 1970... So my 1974 Custom Deluxe is a US model (and I got it in the US too!). (and even the Canadian models were also quite close if not identical to US models, my Custom Imperial even says General Motors USA on it's control panel (but the tag on the tub says "made in Canada")
From what I understand, the Deluxe models in the sixties and early/mid seventies had the 3 level wash. Custom Deluxe added a spinning disc at the top and were 4 level wash (that's how mine is). Custom Imperials added the auxiliary spray arm in 1966, and by the late sixties, had a stainless ring on their spinning disc and a wash tower fixed to the lower rack instead of being fixed to the spray arm (and some later model Imperials did that too).
The late seventies models with the slanted control panels added the auxiliary spray arms in the Custom Deluxe models too and I think, triple detergent dispensers, which were not even available on the mid-sixties Custom Imperial models (my 1969 has them though). I think they might have lost the spinning disc at the top so they would remain "4 LEVEL WASH" or Frigidaire changed it's level counting procedure!
Frigidaire stopped making appliances in Canada in 1970... So my 1974 Custom Deluxe is a US model (and I got it in the US too!). (and even the Canadian models were also quite close if not identical to US models, my Custom Imperial even says General Motors USA on it's control panel (but the tag on the tub says "made in Canada")
From what I understand, the Deluxe models in the sixties and early/mid seventies had the 3 level wash. Custom Deluxe added a spinning disc at the top and were 4 level wash (that's how mine is). Custom Imperials added the auxiliary spray arm in 1966, and by the late sixties, had a stainless ring on their spinning disc and a wash tower fixed to the lower rack instead of being fixed to the spray arm (and some later model Imperials did that too).
The late seventies models with the slanted control panels added the auxiliary spray arms in the Custom Deluxe models too and I think, triple detergent dispensers, which were not even available on the mid-sixties Custom Imperial models (my 1969 has them though). I think they might have lost the spinning disc at the top so they would remain "4 LEVEL WASH" or Frigidaire changed it's level counting procedure!
philr
Well-known member
If this is the one you're talking about, it also has the "5 LEVEL WASH". Otherwise, it had the same control panel as my Custom Deluxe save for the 5 level wash and pilot light. It must have been a bit older as mine has the white interior and plastic inner door while yours had the blue plastisol metal inner door and blue plastisol interior.
philr
Well-known member
Here's the door and interior in my Custom Deluxe
philr
Well-known member
And now the control panel
philr
Well-known member
And a newer Custom Deluxe similar to the one at the top of this thread.
philr
Well-known member
But not as new (still has the detergent dispensers with the stainless covers, but these Custom Deluxe have been upgraded to triple dispensers (and two electric dispensers)
GM Built Frigidaire DWs
Phil the machines with the white interior and the molded inner door linner with the detergent dispensers molded into the door are newer than the blue plastsol inner door machines, the white molded inner door was a HUGE improvement over the plastsol coated steel doors as the door was often the part of these machines that rusted out first. It is really too bad that Frigidaire never converted the entire tub to a molded tub like GE started to do on their TOL models in the late 1970s, I have little dough that they would have done this if GM had been serious about keeping Frigidaire appliances going. But it was easy to see by the mid 1970s that GM was not investing any real money in the appliance division as their were almost no real improvements introduced in the appliance line-up after this time, When the pressure was on to have a SXS refrigerator that dispensed water and ice in the late 70s they just sourced it from WP and it was undoubtedly the best refrigerator to wear the Frigidaire name that they sold in the 1970s and Frigidaire refrigerators were not that bad in the 70s but they were far behind WP and GE in features, performance and reliability.
Phil the machines with the white interior and the molded inner door linner with the detergent dispensers molded into the door are newer than the blue plastsol inner door machines, the white molded inner door was a HUGE improvement over the plastsol coated steel doors as the door was often the part of these machines that rusted out first. It is really too bad that Frigidaire never converted the entire tub to a molded tub like GE started to do on their TOL models in the late 1970s, I have little dough that they would have done this if GM had been serious about keeping Frigidaire appliances going. But it was easy to see by the mid 1970s that GM was not investing any real money in the appliance division as their were almost no real improvements introduced in the appliance line-up after this time, When the pressure was on to have a SXS refrigerator that dispensed water and ice in the late 70s they just sourced it from WP and it was undoubtedly the best refrigerator to wear the Frigidaire name that they sold in the 1970s and Frigidaire refrigerators were not that bad in the 70s but they were far behind WP and GE in features, performance and reliability.
philr
Well-known member
I know that the plastic doors were an improvement. This weekend, I had to remove the rust around the rinse agent dispenser on my older dishwasher. The plastisol had already been repaired but the result was not so good... It cracked again and rust was showing up both sides of the door in a 6" diameter circle... The printed instructions in the door were already partially destroyed and I needed to scrape an even larger area to sandblast it so I washed all the remaining instructions away... There's a foam gasket between the dispenser and the door that probably stays wet constantly. It reminds me the rear side marker lights on my 1975 Buick Electra. They used the same kind of gasket to seal them and they absorb water and these make the metal rust quickly!
I wasn't aware that Frigidaire outsourced it's side by side refrigerators with water dispensers from Whirlpool. Here, Frigidaire didn't sell many appliances during the 1970's after the Canadian factory closed in 1970.
I wasn't aware that Frigidaire outsourced it's side by side refrigerators with water dispensers from Whirlpool. Here, Frigidaire didn't sell many appliances during the 1970's after the Canadian factory closed in 1970.
My machine
You're right, it was an Imperial! My mind blurred everything together after the re-fits. I apologize!
You're right, it was an Imperial! My mind blurred everything together after the re-fits. I apologize!
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