Whirlpool Imperial Mark 18 - She runs!

[streakers]

Had these two sets in my basement for about 5 years, unfortunately no washer hooks-up available till today...!

The Whirlpool has a tiny water leak which will need investigating, but the Speed Queens are brand new, just been sitting - waiting to be put into service.

I picked up these Whirlpools from an estate sale in Cleveland, the homeowner was still using them as their daily drivers... The washer and dryer came with all instruction manuals and service receipts.

Now, to investigate the small water leak and repair that! (Any tips on where/what I should be looking for are greatly appreciated)

 

[mayfan69]

Good going!

Hey Steve,

They both look great! The WP runs very quietly.

Congrats!

Cheers
Leon

 

[maytag85]

Is the leak coming from above the baseplate or below the basement? If it’s above the baseplate it’ll need a new tub seal, new tub bolts/seals, and a new pump grommet. If it’s below the baseplate it simply needs new hose clamps and they are the kind you tighten up with a screw or nut driver.

 

[appnut]

Oh boy!! Love the Whirly. It's so quiet. Noticed it has the arrangement of separate delicate & knits cycles. Was only offered for a few years. Beautiful set!!!

 

[gregingotham]

whirlpool

we had a whirlpool of this same vintage and color, just not this many bells and whistles, growing up. Good machine, solid workhorse. Didn't stop me from envying my Aunt's 1-18.

 

[rp2813]

Beautiful machines.  That is the quietest Whirlpool I've ever heard.

 

[toploadloyalist]

Knit Cycle era

The Knit cycle, which featured a single cool-down, as opposed to the double cool-down in Permament Press or no cool-down in Gentle, lasted from 1973 to 1979.

 

[launderess]

Congrats on a great WP Set!

Hope they bring you many years of laundry pleasure.

Am by no means an expert but to determine leak have one suggestion. Remove agitator and let washer fill about 1/3 to 1/2 then stop water. Wait and see if any air bubbles start coming up from around center seal area. If so then leak likely means center post seals need replacing.

Had same issue with my vintage WP convertible washer (also in Harvest Gold), and repairman diagnosed small leak in that manner.

 

[combo52]

Beautiful 1975-6 Whirlpool Imperial Mark 18 Pair

These were the last WPs with florescent console lights, these machines are far more rare than their sister Lady Kenmore models of the same time period.

 

To look for the leak you just have to move it out and look through the rear panel or underneath after running a load Etc, Seans suggestions in reply #2 are a good start,

 

Removing the agitator and looking for air bubbles does not work because water leaking out of a hole in a bucket does not produce bubbles in the water in the bucket, LOL

 

Good luck with these nice machines

 

John L.

 

[launderess]

Well one did try...

But wonder does anyone want the bother nowadays.

 

[swestoyz]

Beautiful set! A shame their cousins were much more plentiful - Whirlpool always had such nice TOL lighted panels.

Hopefully the leak isn't anything drastic. One suggestion I'll add to pay attention to when it's leaking during the cycle. If during the fill portion pop the top and check out the water valve/hose/air breaker.

Ben

 

[reactor]

pulsed timer

One of the coolest thing about those Whirlpool, which fascinated me as a child, was the pulsed timer. Unlike most other machines, Whirlpools timer does not rotate continually and imperceptibly. It is stationery,then visibly moves several degrees foward at periodic times.

When I was a child, of about five years old. my mom's Imperial Mark XII seemed alive (and kind of spooky) when all of a sudden the timer knob silently rotated itself.

Just out of curiosity, how did Whirlpool achieve this pulsed rotation in their timers?

 

[peteski50]

Whirlpool!

Love the Whirlpool especially the console light!

 

[frigidareu]

Beautiful machines! Totally customizable wash/spin speeds are my favorite and somewhat rare for this time period for Whirlpool. IMO best agitator ever made-- nothing could stand in its way.

 

[DADoES]

 
My favorite console design for the Imperial Mark 18 line.  I like the graduated shading on the buttons and hash-marks on the water level control.

Per parts diagrams, the "0" and "1" engineering versions apparently have the full QuietPak treatment with skinny belt?  The "3" and "4" versions have the standard 95405 belt but still with the special rubber isolation grommets on the motor mount.  Which is yours?

The previous LAA9800 pair had a 3-speed motor and 3-speed tumble on the dryer.  LDA dropped back to 2-speed on the washer and two tumble speeds on the dryer.

 

[washerlover]

Beautiful ‘Pools! Such nice machines.

Norge/Wards had the same “pulsed” dial. It would make a loud click, then advance. I’m still fascinated to this day!

 

[DADoES]

 
Whirlpool had intermittent advancing (or whatever is the correct technical term) timers for years.  I never saw one that advanced continuously, like a GE, until the 2002/2003 direct-drive that I have.

 

[arris]

Great Machines !!

I have a set of those also, I got from Kevin, like you though I have not had the time to finish them.... Hopefully soon .... they had the Quiet Pack... the thinner belt and pulley's to minimize Noise, I also like the option on the dryer to adjust the tumble speed.....

 

[appnut]

Jim, I'm glad to know you ended up with that Whirlpool set from Kevin. When I saw these in the original post upthread, I thought of him and wondered if he still had them. I remember wen he got them.

 

[maytag85]

Reply #18

Are you talking about these machines?

 

[streakers]

So, by reading everyone’s comments...

Seems I have myself a pretty neat matching pair? I just figured they were ‘nice’ in the sense of being fancier than anything else I’d seen here in my time of paying attention....

I honestly do not have a clue about where they stand in the model line up.

Someone mentioned about the belt, skinny etc, I have no clue, I’ve not had a chance to open her up and have a look for the water leak as yet, but I’ll post some extra pics if you all like... First though I will need to dust them off properly, I still need to find an electrician to come and install some outlets - and no doubt will be needing a panel upgrade for more 240v.

No hookup for the dryer as yet to see her lit up, but here’s some extra pics! Perhaps the exact model number (in the pics) will answer some of your questions...

Cheers
Steven

 

[repairguy]

Very nice machines! They were both built the 34th week of 1975.

 

[arris]

#19

No I have the exact set as Steven, I got from Kevin... I've rebuilt them from the ground up... new centerpost in the baseplate, new Transmission.... I sent them to get re-painted and am waiting to get them back.....had the other tub re-porcelained The dryer has 30,000 btu burner that modulates down to 20,000 when on the low/delicate setting they were my first !!!! I also have the set from post 19 that I got from Kevin... those I have started up but have not had a chance to do anything to.... right now I'm looking for the kit 239076, or the 338093 orifice for the soft heat kenmore dryer...I got from Jon L, so I can convert it to propane... I think I'm done now though... I need to put a garage up to store all of them in... my basement is getting pretty crowded. I also have a like new 73 Lady Kenmore garage door set.... the washer was only used 6-7 times the dryer more....along with several other sets.... one being a 62 whirlpool set, the washer is a suds-saver

 

[maytag85]

Reply #19

One things that’s ironic is I have a friend in Colorado who has the same Imperial Mark 18 set as you do but is in the process of putting it all back together. Recently did a partial rebuild to my 1963 RCA Whirlpool Imperial Mark XII washer in turquoise and everything works but I ended up having to replace the transmission pulley since it got damaged in the process of trying to transfer it to the used transmission I bought off of eBay. Only issue I am having with my ‘63 Whirlpool is the clutch for the spin seems to have a mind of its own and it engages smoothly when you do a load of laundry in it but tends to not really work when you do a second load of laundry in it and the belt slips quite a bit on the pulleys.

 

[DADoES]

 
9800 models are top-of-the line, that's where they stand in the model line-up.

Seems rather much rare that a set, even a matched set by model number, has the exact same production week.

 

[DADoES]

 
Also, just to say, and someone correct me if wrong, I believe the proper procedure for changing the dryer's tumble speed is to do so *after* starting it running.  It's not a 2-speed motor.  The belt is mechanically shifted between larger- and smaller-diameter areas on a tapered motor pulley, which involves less stress on the belt if it's running at the time.

 

[mrmaytag]

Reply #22

Curious... You mentioned you rebuilt your machines from the ground up, including, specifically replacing the centerpost in the baseplate. Can you tell me more about this? I've heard of having SS sleeves welded over the original centerpost, but have never heard of a WP BD centerpost being replaced?

Thanks
Dennis

 

[arris]

Dennis

Being that the 9800's were my first set of vintage appliances I was pretty gung-ho with them....one because they were my first set and two because they were nice looking and top of the line.... I have since cooled with that now that I have " So Many other Machines " I took the baseplate to a machine shop here.. I bought the 10 foot length of stainless steel.. ( I need to check if it's magnetic or not after talking to Jon L ) they matched it up with the old one... I'm not sure if they froze it first or pressed it in then heated it up... I know they did something like that...... it is thicker than the original center post as it had to be milled out for the bearings to fit.... tomorrow I can post some pictures.... I did a few years ago but can do it again... it looks like a brand new baseplate and center post..for added protection I applied 2 coats of Marine Epoxy for added protection, not covering where the suspension balls fit in.. Jim

 

[arris]

#25

Yes you have to change the speed while the dryer is running... both machines still had the original spec stickers on them... I can't remember what the speed change was...I do remember though the sticker said in Low/Delicate the burner modulated down to 20,000 from 30,000

 

[arris]

New centerpost and baseplate

Here are the pics of the new centerpost and re-done baseplate