Timer/ Timer Motor issues on a 1956 Westinghouse L-9 Laundromat

[emanm18]

Hi! My name is Eli and I have a matching set of Westinghouse front loading machines. They are a 1956 L-9 Laundromat and a D-9 Dryer
For the past four or five weekends I have been working on getting the L-9 washer functioning since I finally scored a boot for it on eBay recently. I have pretty much all the leaks fixed now and today I tested the machine for the first time. I was very excited at first as everything seemed to be working perfectly. Water poured into the tub and the washer went through the wash cycle. However, when it got to the end of the wash cycle nothing else happened. The inner tub just stopped turning. The lights were still on and the timer motor sounded like it was still ticking, however, the dial would not turn on it's own anymore when it got to the beginning of the rinse cycle. Nothing past the wash cycle functioned and I believe it has something the do with an issue in the timer and/or timer motor. Does anybody know someone that could rebuild these? I'm assuming there wouldn't be a suitable modern replacement bc I'm guessing they were made specifically for this washer.

 

[maytag85]

Timer issues aren’t fun, the timer on a Whirlpool of mine conked out 2 years ago, repair attempts only made it worse. Been in search of a replacement for the past couple of years, so far nothing.

Hopefully it’s something simple like a timer motor, sometimes the timer motors can get real screwy with age.

Can’t tell what kind of timer it is, almost looks like a Mallory timer, could also be a Controls Corporation timer.

 

[qsd-dan]

It sounds like it's an escapement problem if the timer motor is still opertional.

Remove the timer motor and bench test. If it functions, test the escapement.

If escapement has metal gears inside (pretty sure it does), sometimes the grease hardens and causes then entire mechanism to freeze up. Disassembling, cleaning and lubricating the workings usually gets it going again if none of the gearing is stripped. Wouldn't be a bad idea to open up the timer motor and do the same.

 

[emanm18]

To qsd-dan

Thank you for your reply! I did take the timer apart today and nothing appears to be broken. I cleaned up all the contact points. I also took the gear box apart and scraped away all the old grease and then lubed it with clock oil. Hopefully that will help it to work again! If the washer still won't do anything after the wash cycle when I put this timer back on I am going to assume that it is something else not working because I did not see anything that looked worn or broken in the timer.

 

[combo52]

L9 Westinghouse front load washer timer problem

This is a Mallory timer, which is by far the most popular timer used by different brands during this time. They’re usually pretty fixable, as Dan mentioned it could be the escapement with the timer off the machine you can energize the timer motor with a test cord and see it should turn all the way 360°. If you leave it plugged in for about 45 minutes.

I don’t know anybody that rebuilds timers any longer, but there’s probably still someone out there, the good news is this was a very common timer and you can use the escapement and even Time motor office similar timer.

John L

 

[emanm18]

Update

So I discovered that the brass gear that is on the back of the arbor that all the wooden cams attach to and the contacts ride on was in poor shape. Most of the teeth on it were bent or worn and some were even broken. I sent the gear off to a clock repairman in Texas to have a ring of new teeth made for it. He finished that job and should be shipping it back to me tomorrow. Now I have another question. I took the escapement apart but unfortunately as I was taking it apart one piece fell out before I could see where it went. I believe I figured out how it all went together so I cleaned all the old grease out and put clock oil on all the pivot points and put it all back together. I then wired up a power cord to the motor to test it all. It all spins, however, the motor gets pretty hot almost to the brink of burning your hand after running for about half an hour and I don't know if it should get that hot. Also I timed the intervals between when the escapement clicks to the next tooth and it is not consistent. it ranges from 4 seconds all the way to 12 and I don't know why that would be. Any ideas?

 

[combo52]

Timer repairs

It sounds like you’re making progress, it’s pretty normal for those Time motors to be pretty darn hot to the touch. I wouldn’t worry about that too much.

I probably have some used Westinghouse washer timers from that era. I’ll try to remember to look and see if I have a spare one. That you could use for parts keep us posted how it’s going.

John L

 

[emanm18]

To Combo52

Yes, I am making progress. I'm glad to hear that it is normal for them to be hot. Please do let me know if you have a spare timer! I would be interested in it!! The part number on my timer is Q-3259.

 

[hoover28]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2547098382...fI7q0l7AkA2AvumnWefNNzwA==|tkp:Bk9SR67HpdDFZQ

I would also replace your washer motor start capacitor, as they go bad with age, this is what I used on my 2 sets of Westinghouse's

Chris

 

[hoover28]

timer parts

also I was able to use the gear and motor ASSY off a similar timer. hope this helps you.

Chris

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