Well It Was Fun While It Lasted

[launderess]

Put last of dinner dishes in the Mobile Maid, connected to water/sink and fired her up. Went about my business sorting out things before bed then it happened; machine stopped at the first rinse but wouldn't pump out the water. Once again could hear the telltale sound of something trying to engage (relay?) but nothing happening. Turning the timer dial did nothing, machine won't wash or pump. What it will do is fill, which gets me no where.

Last time this happened (about a year ago) took the bottom of motor off to lube bearing. It cannot be time to lube that thing *again*!

So there was me with hands in hot water washing dishes by hand and cursing the day ever clapped eyes on this machine. *LOL*

Am thinking either the pump and or motor needs a right going over, but don't feel am up to that.

Another option would be to swap out the motor for NIB one has in one's stash. However while that unit came with a new relay it did not include a pump assembly including impeller. Having read the archives and spoken with the late Larry at Parma parts know well the impeller and other pump parts for MM dishwasher are long NLA. So if one damages the pump, seal, impeller while trying to remove and seat on the new motor am out of luck.

My final thought is to take my lumps and move on. Perhaps part the machine out hopefully recover some costs and find a new toy.

One thing is certain cannot have this; a dishwasher that goes on the fritz every so often.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Quelle Horreur! C'est dommage!

I am sorry for your loss. I hope that you can find a top loading WP or KA portable. It does have to be a top loader for space considerations, right?

 

[alr2903]

Laundress, would one of these little countertops machines work for you? I was reading the comments, one guy put his on a little cart.

Robot or human?

 

[turquoisedude]

Launderess,  if you can post or send me the model number of your 'Maid, I may have at least some of the needed parts (used, mind you).   I'll be 'off the grid' until Sunday however...

 

[bajaespuma]

I feel your pain

Sounds like the pump is jammed, but that's a hopeful guess. While these machines aren't common by any means, they do pop up from time to time on eBay and the lists. We will keep our eyes open. Being a fan of these machines I sympathize, I use them as utility machines to wash big nasty stuff that I don't want in the same tank as things I eat off of. Have you tried examining the works from above by removing the wash arm assemblage and looking into the sump? Maybe trying to spin things by hand with the power disconnected?

 

[launderess]

Thanks guys

Am not sure what to do at this point.

Tired the DW again a few hours later and same; sort of "ringing" or "engaging" sound as if something is trying to start the motor. According to my service manual copy a motor failing to start could be a relay problem. That looks like a simple swap out job so maybe will see....

@alr2003

Am going to take my time finding something new. Rushing into things is how I got landed with this MM in first place. *LOL*

 

[whirlykenmore78]

Launderess:

I found this one in your area. It is a WP Powerclean. I had the exact same one as a built in and the cleaning is excellent.
WK78

http://longisland.craigslist.org/app/5200312416.html

 

[frigilux]

Sorry to hear about your Mobile Maid troubles. I vote for cutting ties and finding a new toy. The universe will not abide your delicate hands in cruel, hot dishwater.

 

[launderess]

Looked under the bonner earlier

To see what there was. Motor smokes when called to engage so ceased all experiments. Took the bolts out and removed lower housing; bearing is clean as is the housing. Shaft turns freely as well. So don't thing the thing is bound. But something is causing it not to start.

Have reading older posts from other members and thinking if one can do so without damaging anything may try to swap out the motor. I mean one does have the NOS other motor sitting around. According to my service manual dropping the motor on these GE/Hotpoint portables is a pretty straight forward affair. Just take of the rotor and tower from inside....

Again my worry is the pump assembly and seals. Am sure can lay things out like a wedding cake as they come off the motor to put back in proper order, but you don't know how over fifty year old parts are going to act do you?

If the elusive impeller isn't frozen to shaft it seems the thing should come off with little bother. Or am I wrong?

 

[combo52]

Smoking Mobile-Maid Motor

The motor start relay is probably the faulty part here, these were notorious for sticking and making the motors smoke and sometimes burn out.

 

You may be able to just replace the relay if the motor is not too badly damaged, if you can't find a new replacement relay you can sometimes take the old relay apart clean and file the contacts and lightly lubricate the plunger with a good silicone spray lubricant. DON'T even think about replacing the motor without doing something about the relay on one of these troublesome GE axial flow pump and motor assemblies, these were only made from about 1962-66 and these P&M assemblies were not very durable or cheap or easy to repair. Parts for this short lived system are long gone, GE discontinued them 20-30 years ago, but they sometimes surface in old parts stashes.

 

After the impeller GE DWs GE never had a really good main pump and motor design in any DWs until the last decade or so, even the pump assemblies in their cheaper line of standard tub DWs today with the built-in drain valves are very poor in durability IMEO.

 

John L.

 

[launderess]

Thanks guys

As it happens the NOS GE motor (WD 26x63) came with "hardware for installation" packet. This includes directions, diagrams, a small bag of screws and "O" rings, relay, screws and a bit of metal inside a small plastic tube. The last thing while shown on the part diagram/instruction list does not say what it is for.

So JohnL you are saying just to swap out the relay first? If so I can probably handle that. That is long as everything matches and replacement parts are in the box.

Also have two other smaller worries. When taking putting the lower housing back on one of those darn nuts slipped into the motor as was attempting to screw on the bolt. Blasted thing now won't come out even after turning the machine upside down. Then can see a spot of oil (from where one lubed the bearing cup again) has leaked onto the copper windings. Will either of these cause problems.

Other than taking the motor totally off cannot see another way of fetching the errant nut out.

 

[roto204]

Ugh

I feel your pain, Launderess.

I had mine apart a billion times to fix ten different leaks (including compromised seals around where the pipes are pressed into the pump body--what a stupid design), and ended up having to convert the whole process to a recovery mission when it was apparent that the carbon-porcelain seal was shot. The dishwasher ran nicely, but also did a great job of cleaning the kitchen floor.

The errant nut probably needs to be extracted--if that got loose later, it'd be bad.

The NOS motor is great, but as John pointed out, you're going to fry that new motor unless the faulty relay is addressed. For peace of mind, I'd try to get a replacement for the relay, unless you're always around to monitor it closely lest the cleaning/filing handiwork get stuck later on. (Invariably, in the middle of the cycle.)

The pumps on these are fragile and chintzy. It's held together with one screw and a piece of metal that bends up with a tang on the end. If you take it apart, it's imperative that A) you keep exceedingly close track of how things came apart, are oriented, and are reassembled, and B) that you guard that carbon-porcelain seal with your life. As you noted, those are long gone, and I knew mine was curb-food when I recalled that the last seal from Modern had wandered out the door years ago.

The one thing that will screw you completely is if the impeller assembly is seized onto the motor shaft. I was phenomenally lucky in my case, since the impeller slid right off. But if you recall Pete's (soberleaf's) chronicle of his Mobile Maid rebuild, he had to rig a puller to get the wash impeller off. Since all of these parts are relative-unobtanium, it's a ticklish thing.

Still, if it's this or abandoning the thing, it's worth a try. If the parts come out without exceeding despair, it may not be too bad.

Be REALLY careful and surgeon-gentle when removing the hoses from the pump. Those ports are pressed into the pump, and if you loosen them so that they spin, the seal around them will be shot, and it will leak from where they meet the pump body.

I wish you all the best, and shall henceforth experience my Mobile Maid vicariously through you. ;-)

 

[launderess]

No such luck, Chico

New relay fitted (from the NOS motor kit mentioned above), and motor still does nothing but go "hmmm". You hear loud clicks and even see some "light" (relay charging motor?), but no movement.

At this point am inclined to offer this as a donor machine or sell parts as requested by members. Yes, one has a NIB motor but quite honestly after being scared to death from the above stories: this or that part is NLA, this or that part is "chinzy", and so fort am afraid of causing more harm trying to repair than good. Someone more capable than I probably can fit the old pump system onto a new motor without causing damage. Then there are of course the racks, timer, hoses, etc...

Thoughts?

 

[launderess]

Oh and about the new relay.

It matched part number for part number the one already inside the MM. Only difference is the bracket went in horizontally instead of vertically. General Electric seemed to have planned for this as there are two sets of screw holes in the cabinet to mount relay.

When putting in new relay made sure that the "single" connection and word "top" was orientated towards arrow indicating top of machine. Took each connection from old relay one at a time and placed on new relay in proper position.

 

[launderess]

It's Alive

Alive I tell you!

 

[launderess]

Decided had enough of the MM for one day and put the project aside and went out to some errands/shopping.

Got back home and figured "what the hell"! Plugged in the unit again but forgot that the timer was left "on" at wash portion of cycle. The old gal powered up and was *NOT* happy that her sump was empty. Quickly unplugged the unit (my Hotpoint service manual warns expressly and in clear detail after doing any work on motor or pump the thing must not ever be run "empty"). So added a kettle of hot water, turned machine to "drain" and voila (yeah that Frenchman again, there was nothing he didn't know), the machine at once began to spew whatever was left inside the sump/drain hoses. This time noticed no "light show" as the start relay did its thing.

Moved machine over to sink connected and now am running her though a complete cycle, and so far so good. Back to her noisy but could scrub a trailer hitch free of rust glory. You know, when run empty Mobile Maids acutally move back and forth as water bounces about.

Will keep my eyes on things and still will be looking for something more modern as a backup. Now have that motor but no relay so that kit is incomplete. Will have to just store it until it is needed or whatever.

Thanks to all that offered assistance and payers.

L.

P.S.

About the missing nut.

Noticed had not aligned the bolts properly last time (they were not though proper holes) so took the lower half off again; nut fell out of bottom. [this post was last edited: 9/18/2015-21:59]

 

[tomturbomatic]

I am happy for your success.

Sometimes, depending on what was loaded into them, both of our MMs could be seen slightly moving during the washing and rinsing phases of the cycle.[this post was last edited: 9/18/2015-23:19]

 

[bigalsf]

<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">Congrats Laundress!!  Very happy to hear you were able to save your MM!  They are very cool machines.  Over the years i've had several, which always ended up going to friends when I moved; they loved them!!</span>

 

<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">I love my current one, but it's not my daily driver;  I use it about 1/month just to keep it "flexible".  My aunt had the built in version of this in her Manhattan apt.  It was noisy, but it cleaned very well.  I loved listening to it!</span>

 

<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">Congrats again & enjoy!</span>

 

[tomturbomatic]

Sometimes, depending on what was loaded into them, both of our MMs could be seen slightly moving during the washing and rinsing phases of the cycle.