Whirlpool Kenmore water inlet solenoids

[akronman]

My 1959 or 60 Whirlpool Imperial Mark 12 has a 3 solenoid water inlet valve, hot cold WARM. After about 15 loads of clothes, one valve started being anemic, barely any water. I checked for 115 Volts at all 3 solenoids, good. Then I checked for resistance, all are good. So I took it all apart. I have stolen photos from other threads, mine is the same internal parts. One of the 3 diaphragms has a small slit in it, and whichever port I use that diaphragm on allows minor tiny water flow. I've swapped it around, regardless of the outer magnet/coil, it strongly seems to be this torn diaphram.

The main plastic body of my 3 solenoid valve says DETROIT CONTROLS

Gemline rebuild GVW-1000 is NLA, per Gemline today.

Any ideas on where to find any rebuild kits?

 

[akronman]

more

Also, Invenysy/UniLine items 84-743. 84-438, and 84-430 are all called obselete, per phone calls today.

I'm having trouble posting the PDF here, but it's diaphragms for Dole and Detroit valves, 1" dia, and also rebuild kits, about exactly like the ones in the post above

Any ideas?

View attachment akronman++4-7-2011-21-23-30.jpg

 

[akronman]

Sears Parts direct

Helpful folks, but no parts yet. Even Sears doens't recognize the model number, but they suggesetd that if I can get a model number from an early 60's Kenmore, LK, that may have used a similar Detroit controls valve, I might have luck.

so, does anyone have a model number for a Kenmore or Lady K from early 60's, maybe TOL with a 3-solenoid water inlet valve? Maybe even a MOL design used 2 solenoids from sme vendor, Detroit controls. I just don't know any Kenmore model #s, sorry.

 

[turquoisedude]

Larry at Modern Parts in Parma might be able to help out here...  I got a NOS 3-solenoid Maytag inlet solenoid from him not too long ago...

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Mark -

That's good advice about Modern Parts.

About Sears - I am absolutely stunned that the person at Sears had the sense to give you the advice about a Kenmore model, very IMPRESSIVE! That person was correct, btw.

Here are a couple model numbers:

1963 Lady K - 110.6304802
1965 Lady K - 110.6504901
1962 Kenmore 800 - 110.6204801
1961 Kenmore 70 - 110.6114721

The '61 has a Detroit valve, but 2 solenoid that you mentioned. The rest should have the 3-solenoid. I viewed the '63's documentation online at SearsPartsDirect and it has a parts breakdown of the valve, though it's a crappy picture. Try 110.6304800 through 110.6304807 or so and see if any of those are better.

Gordon

 

[kenmoreguy64]

One other thought

Mark -

If you get nowhere on the current valve, I have one harsh, but potentially feasible suggestion. The most recent two-solenoid valve that fits most all belt-drives from the late 60s to the 1986/1987 machines is part number 358277. I know of one or two installations where this valve was fitted in place of an original 3-solenoid valve in an older machine out of necessity. You loose the 'medium' feature and have a pair of wires hanging to deal with, but it may be your best bet for a short-term solution. These are very inexpensive as well.

Just a thought.

Gordon

 

[combo52]

1960 WP IMPERAL MARK 12 WASHER

Larry may have the complete valve which is always the best bet in the long run. As Paul suggested, I have also gotten several new valves from him, he will differently have new diaphragm kits to rebuild your valve.

 

When you install a standard two coil to replace the three coil valve you loose the warm temperature. I have done this many times the valve will fit easily. Hot will still be hot, Medium will become warm, warm will be cold and cold will still be cold. When you install the 2 coil to replace the 3 coil valve you jump the hot wire from the warm coil and hot wire from the cold coil and connect both to the new cold coil the hot wire from the old hot coil goes on the new hot coil.

 

[akronman]

Larry to the rescue

Larry says he has a few repair kits for the solenoids, Gemline GVW-1000, and he says he thinks he has the entire valve, so I'll be over to his store within a day or two. I'll see what the price diff is, this machine impresses me tremendously, but I ain't rich.

Here's pics for the record. I don't mean to post too much too often, but I have found searching in here has helped TREMENDOUSLY, hopefully someone else gets some needed info from my posts.

3 pics total, looks like a stamp of ink in a poor photo says JUL 68, so this valve was already a replacemnt

 

[akronman]

2nd pic of solenoid

The molded plastic body of the valve says DETROIT CONTROLS DIV, DETROIT MICH U S A

FSP 81992 3 61 W 26

 

[akronman]

the innards

here's an interior shot, and hopefully Gemline rebuild kit GVW-1000 will work, I'll post that info too, in a few days.

This is my oldest automatic by far, so close to my year of birth, luckily repairable and TOL, purely by luck I stumbled upon it, an it has MARK in the name, so to me, it's worth repair costs.

 

[akronman]

Sears Direct

Hey Kenmore guy----I told the Sears guy about a possible cross to Lady Kenmore, not him telling me. Nevertheless, they searched quite a few databases, switched me to a techie also, but no, they did not locate either the rebuild kit nor the valve, since neither they nor I had a specific Kenmore model to compare.

Many thanks for the Kenmore cross references, I'll keep them handy, will probably be very helpful next time