Vintage Amana washer dryer set questions

[Chetlaham]

And before I forget- the lack of shaking and vibration you see in spin is not common for most other washers. This washer spin cycle wise is in a class of its own. You can set it on an average wooden floor and will not shake, vibrate or make noise like a lot of other washers do. It is difficult for a load to become unbalanced in this machine, and IIRC if it does this machine has a trip function that will shut the motor down. This  washer is perfect for a second or third floor.   

 

[repairguy]

Pump belt:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3035551432...UosYaQBtgLE96gVsK7Bw/ljw==|tkp:Bk9SR4jMlv_KYg

Drive belt:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3350045103...p+BxvMSzqLWoA9cWAA6g1iVSAy|tkp:Bk9SR7iWqv_KYg

 

[repairguy]

Pump belt:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3035551432...UosYaQBtgLE96gVsK7Bw/ljw==|tkp:Bk9SR4jMlv_KYg

Drive belt:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3350045103...p+BxvMSzqLWoA9cWAA6g1iVSAy|tkp:Bk9SR7iWqv_KYg

 

[repairguy]

I apologize for the double post. To remove the agitator get your fingers under the skirt on opposite sides and wiggle back and forth while pulling straight up.

 

[spin-doctor]

Chet thank you for the deep dive on this washer and also the heads up on the Maytag Dependable Care model. I saw a very nice older (probably 80s vintage) Maytag set (not sure what model it was though) for sale while I was shopping for this one recently. The guy wanted $400 and wouldn't budge. I was about to relent when I found this Amana set for $175, so went for this set instead.

I will pop the top off to see if I can find any paperwork on the cool down cycle. In the meantime I located the user's manual and on page 11 it describes the COOL DOWN function and its use during PERMANENT PRESS cycle. Also see pic below.

https://www.amana.com/content/dam/global/documents/201306/owners-manual-33416.pdf

If I find anything more under the top, I'll share it here. In the meantime, I'm psyched for learning more about this robust machine. I also plan to put some sound dampening materials and foam gasketing inside to help quiet her down even more. Will update with pics as I progress.

John, many thanks for the belt links. I eventually sorted out the model number is LW1503L, it just doesn't always come up in all the data bases out there. Appreciate pointing me in the right direction.

 

[spin-doctor]

A little off topic on this thread, but I'm curious if this Maytag washer is a Dependable Care model? I almost bought this one before I scored the Amana set I now have.

 

[qsd-dan]

if this Maytag washer is a Dependable Care model?

Yes.

 

The washer is from 1990-1993. The dryer is from 1984-1989.

 

[Chetlaham]

Yes, that is a Maytag Dependable Care. The simplest, longest lasting, most durable washer ever made hands down. 

 

Regarding your Amana according to the use and care manual you posted the machine has a real cool down! It will drain, then refill itself with cold water several times until the total drain time accumulates enough to advance the timer into the next increment. This is the best type of cool down a washer can have- the same type of cool down used on 70s and 80s Maytag Dependable Cares.

 

The rest of the cycle times are ideal. For example Regular has a 7 minute final spin- this is enough time to get even a heavy load damp dried for the dryer. 5 minutes of rinse agitation to get everything turned over and detergent washed out. Permanent press has shorter times for compliment more causal fabrics and delicate uses intermediate agitation for gentle garments. Spin Sprays seem long- 45 seconds? A lot of newer washers were limited to a 5-10 second spray- later models didn't even spin-spray.

 

 

You're very lucky to have found a washer like this.

 

 

[spin-doctor]

Thanks Chet! My whole life I don't think I've ever washed a single load of laundry on Permanent Press setting. I had no idea cooling down the fibers was such an important aspect of washing synthetic fabrics. For all I know this washer may have cleaned John Travolta's white suit at some point. ;-) Anyway that is very cool, glad I understand it now. The manual also talks about the timer's 2 minute pause between cycles I was wondering about.

And now that I know about the Maytag Dependable Care model I'll keep an eye out for one of those in the future. I may swap my Amana out for one if I stumble upon a super deal somewhere. Good to know the top tier machines and the features they have. Thanks again for all the great insights.

 

[DADoES]

 
Pausing when changing modes, from agitation to spin, is because the motor reverses direction.  It must come to a complete stop before restarting in the opposite rotation and the simplest method to do that is by turning the motor off for one timer increment.

 

[Chetlaham]

Cool Downs

There are 4 major types of cool downs-

 

 

Type 1 Cool Down: the tub drains, refills, drains, then refills as many times until the timer advances out of that increment. The timer only runs while the motor is in drain mode, so the lower the water level switch is set the more drain and refills take place.

 

Type 2 Cool Down: Half the tub drains (only once) and then stops when the pressure switch resets. The timer continues to run but no more draining takes place. The timer advances to the next increment where the tub re-fills with cold water before moving onto the first full drain/spin.

 

Type 3 Cool Down: The machine goes right into drain and spin, and when the pressure switch resets cold water is sprayed into the tub. Cold water continues to run into the tub during the whole duration of the first spin cycle. When the drain/spin stops the cold water continues to flow filling the tub up for the rinse cycle. 

 

Type 4 Cool Down: After the water has drained out and the tub is more or less up to speed cold water is sprayed into the tub for 5 to 30 seconds. Spray ends and the first spin continues without more water.

 

This of course assumes a machine with a cool down, a lot of machines from the 2000s onward did not even have a cool down of any type.

 

Type 1 is the best type of Cool Down in that is does the most amount of water change-outs before advancing into spin. Type 3 and 4 often do little to properly cool down the fabrics, especially type 4 which already has the hot fabric being creased into the tub before any type of cool down takes place.

 

 

 

 

[DADoES]

 
You missed some WP/KM variations of Type 1 and Type 2.

 

[Chetlaham]

2 minute pause between cycles

This is normal. Before a machine can go into spin a half dozen contacts must open and close in the correct sequence. Typically the pressure switch bypass contact must close first, the motor run contact must then open, both wash fill contacts must open after that, and then the first motor reversing contact must break from the line side of the timer bus and afterwards make contact with the neutral side of the timer bus, then the second motor reversing contact must break contact from the neutral side of the timer bus and then make contact with the line side of the timer bus. Finally the motor run contact must close. All this must take place in the correct sequence with a broad enough timer increment to assure everything opened and closed in the right order, in full fashion. For example if the motor run contact closed before both reversing contacts had the opportunity to close into their respected polarities the motor would just hum for several seconds before the motor's thermal protector trips out. The pause is essential in assuring the correct switching sequence is not left up to chance. 

 

[Chetlaham]

@dadoes: Most likely I did- that would be my mistake. 

This is where my ignorance shows. Can you fill me on how WP/KM did Type 1 and Type 2 Cool Downs?

 

[DADoES]

 
Early Wash-n-Wear, begins at 26:15.  Lower water level and/or faster fill rate would possibly garner more than two water changes, although user instructions (WP and KM) advised to always use a high fill.  The cool down refill levels are too high, apparently a glitch with the pressure switch.  This cycle is Super Wash-n-Wear which includes a prewash, pause, partial drain and refill into the main wash period.


Kenmore Perm Press version, four two-minute timer increments.  Begins at 15:02.  First increment drain, refill begins *with* (low) agitation on pressure switch reset, which I believe was unique to KM, never saw a WP agitate during the refill.  Second increment agitation (and timer) stops, fill continues until the target level is reached, agitation and timer resume.  Third and fourth increments are a repeat of first and second.  Whirlpool was a double cool down except pause for remainder of the drain period (first & third increments), refill didn't begin until the timer advanced (second and fourth increment).


Begins at 7:35, this is the same as the above but water pressure is high so the target fill level is reached *before* the first (and third) increments advance which triggers drain to resume until the timer advances, which isn't long enough to reset the pressure switch again, so the water level is lower when agitation resumes on the second and fourth increments.  Note that it isn't intended to function that way.  The fill level is also a bit low (pressure switch needs adjustment) which, along with the high water pressure, is the reason it happens.


Begins at 15:10, a Kenmore (or WP) single-stage cool down (both with no agitation until after refill) when water conservation steps came into play on belt-drives.  Whirlpool models with a dedicated Knits cycle did the single-stage on it, even earlier when PP was double.  Direct-drives also did a single agitated cool down on Perm Press until further water reduction eliminated a drain/refill cool down for a spin spray.

 

[Chetlaham]

I forgot about these cool down variants!  Thank you for posting them.

 

 

BTW- I love the cool down and the sprays in the first rinse. I forgot these had essentially two different types of cool downs

 

When can modern washers be like this again?

 

[gelaundry4ever]

Amana washer and dryer

What's the status on this Amana washer and dryer pair? I'd like to see a video of a full normal cycle with everything fixed up.

 

[spin-doctor]

Amana update

Ok, just wanted to give an update on the Amana washer/dryer combo. They have been sitting idle in my garage for over a month now while I do some home renovations on my new fixer upper house and especially the bathroom where these two units will reside.

The washer needed some new belts so I went ahead and ordered . the two needed thanks to the helps of the folks here. Pretty easy job to loosen the tension adjustment mounts, slip the old cracked belts off and put the new ones on. I also lubricated the idler bearing on the main tub drive with a few drops of oil for good measure (hard to reach, but managed to deposit a few drops of oil onto it).

As for the dryer, I followed your guys advice and looked under the hood. I took off the front panel and then the duct that funneled air from the removable lint filter to the blower fan. Glad I did because as you can see it had quite a bit of built-up lint inside. Broke out the shop vac and thoroughly cleaned the entire insides best I could get the vacuum nozzle into the guts. The motor and pulley and belt seemed pretty inaccessible buried deep behind the drum. Kinda looked like I'd have to remove the entire sheet metal box enclosure to get to it.

Didn't want to deal with that hassle, so I looked for another way. I could see there was only one little bolt holding the exhaust vent onto the back so I took that off and voila - a nice hole in the back of the dryer that provided a "window' into the inner workings inside.

The belt looked fair to ok, not really sure because it was hard to see clearly from that angle. The idler seemed ok, and as per ya'lls advice, I lubricated it with a few drops of oil (again hard to get to completely, but did the best I could). I stuck the vacuum nozzle and hose deep inside and removed as much residual lint as possible. Overall looked pretty clean and orderly when I was done. The drum spun freely and quietly, everything looked great (the previous owner said it always worked fantastic). I turned it on after reassembly and it seemed to purr like a kitten. Heated right up too, in just 2-3 minutes it got hot inside. So the dryer seems to good to go.

After that I used my hand truck/dolly and wheeled both units into their permanent home. Hooked up hoses and drain line and now we're all set for our next load of laundry. The wife just did a load just 2 days ago at the laundry mat, so we'll have to wait a little while before the christening wash and dry cycle. Looking forward to it and possibly adding some sound insulation to the washer after getting an acoustic baseline in situ.

Thanks to all for the tremendous advice and assistance in figuring this set out. Presheate it dudes!

 

[combo52]

Amana - Speed Queen, washer and dryer

Glad you’re getting these all in shape. Hope you get some good use out of them, when you service the dryer, you just take the front off and then the front shroud off and the whole drum just lifts out allowing access to the motor idler and rear rollers it would be great if you could get a few drops of on both rear roller shafts as well. Other than that I think you’ll get some good use out of these.

John

 

[spin-doctor]

Thanks John! Ahhh I should've known, the whole drum just pops out! Darned, I was thinking there had to be an easier way to get to the motor and pulley system. Well at least now if something does go wrong with it, I'll know how to deal with it next time. Thank you so much again for the tips and expert advice, this website is an awesome resource.