Work Continues on the Kelvinator

[Unimatic1140]

I've been working the past week or so on restoring that Kelvinator that I got down in Tulsa. The machine was in rough shape to say the least, plus the outer tub boot was ripped so water poured all over the floor. The ABC/Kelvinator mechanism is lubricated with grease as opposed to having a transmission filled with oil. The restoration process means that the entire drive assembly has to be taken apart and cleaned with paint thinner (or other suitable solvent). Here is a shot of the most of the drive system parts after a good cleaning.

After reassembly I have to take a grease gun and shoot the inners of the mechanism full of fresh new lithium grease.

Poor Kelvinator, waiting to have its parts back all fresh and clean.

 

[gansky1]

That does look very familiar! That damper assembly looks different though, my Kelvi of similar vintage has three adjusting bolts on the damper plate, are these removed from yours?

 

[Unimatic1140]

Hi Greg, no the adjustment screws are there on the damper, but they are underneath on the other side.

 

[westytoploader]

Excellent

Hi Robert, glad the restoration is going well! YAY! The Kelvy's Centric transmission appears to be very simple; this is what manufacturers should use today in an HE machine, instead of repair-prone mechanisms, IMHO. Makes a lot more sense using grease instead of oil. Am I wrong, or was the Philco Automagic mechanism grease-lubricated as well? I looked at your (red) Philco restoration photos and I didn't see any provision for oil.

And last but not least, are my eyes playing tricks on me or is that a Frigidaire Spin-Tube DW installed in your basement? BEAUTIFUL!

--Austin

 

[Unimatic1140]

Yes I have two '56 Frigidaire Dishwashers. The one in the workshop is not installed, its only been used about 5 to 10 times in it entire life so its in just pristine shape. It's my dishwasher for later on in life.

As for the Kelvinator if all goes well I might even be able to get some water into it tonight. Boy are my hands dirty, I scrub and scrub, it takes a few days to get all the grease off. Yuk, grease pan hands!

 

[jaxsunst]

Cool!

Can't wait to see the Kelvy in action. I am very mechanically challenged, and I admire the skill of everyone who does this work. I can only appreciate it from afar.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Kelvinator is Back Together Tonight

Well I finished putting the Kelvinator mechanism back together tonight and I did a few tester washloads. It performed rather well and its now water tight YAY. Lots more work to go with the dispensers and cosmetics, but otherwise its getting ready to take its place in the main room.

Thought everyone would enjoy a few more pictures...

 

[arrrooohhh]

Oh WOW!

I just love Kelvinators.

What a beauty!

Cant wait for the DVD, I will be putting my name down for that one.

Well done Uni on your hard work.

 

[appnut]

Robert, another miraculous endeavor performed by you!! I love those blue Kelvi agitators. Seeing the drive mechanism laid out on the counter top, kinda had a flashback in my head of the My Three Sons episode where Steve Doublas does the bedding in the Custom Frigidaire (overloading it and oversudsing it) and one part of the scene shows a big spoked gear rolling across the kitchen floor. Sure glad Uncle Charley showed up an episode or two later to rescue domestic tranquility.

 

[gyrafoam]

Very cool Robert. Thanks for the photos!!! What was the last year this type of machine was built?

 

[jaxsunst]

Wow!

Beautiful, just beautiful, I am so excited for you.

The one that I lost had the blue agitator with a darker cap with a cross pattern on it.

Congratulations, I am glad to see that you plan to put it in the main room.

Keep the pics coming.

 

[gansky1]

Looks good, hopefully no knocking sounds during spin! How much work will the dispensers be? At least all the parts are there.

Knock, knock, knock - it's not a Norge, it's gansky's Kelvinator!

 

[jasonl]

Get you centric on!

Wonderful! a great Kelvy lives again. An angel gets her wings.

I want one.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Bleach and Rinse Dispensers

I’ve seem to have cured about 95% of the knocking during spin by using a combination of shims on the cross brace, adjusting the 4 centering springs and adjusting the belt tension. The ABC/Kelvinator Centric design just seems to always have a spin knocking problem, some worse than others, I wonder if they did that when they were brand new?

As for the dispensers they need to be taken apart and thoroughly cleaned and one of the two solenoids is dead, but I have extras. Unfortunately the Kelvinator engineers didn’t design the dispersers to have water flowing through them during the dispensing process. Instead a solenoid opens and simply lets gravity pull the liquid into the fill flume. I think I have an idea on how to reengineer the softener dispenser system to tap off a bit of the incoming rinse water and direct it into the softener dispenser. I would only do that to the rinse dispenser as fabric softener is much thicker than bleach. Besides with all the new good rubber parts in the Kelvinator I would never risk using bleach on them. I will look into that later after I get both dispensers working they way there were meant to.

 

[jetcone]

They all knock eventually

Even my ABC knocks and they knock for different reasons. My '52 ABC knocks in spin because the trip lever is just too close to the damper assembly and I can't seem to get the tub centered. My '61 Kelvinator knocks after spin finishes and the dasher mechanism does its famous aknocka aknocka aknocka....
I think it goes with the turf like the famous Unimatic

 

[jetcone]

WHOLE MESSAGE BELOW

Even my ABC knocks and they knock for different reasons. My '52 ABC knocks in spin because the trip lever is just too close to the damper assembly and I can't seem to get the tub centered. My '61 Kelvinator knocks after spin finishes and the dasher mechanism does its famous aknocka aknocka aknocka....
I think it goes with the turf like the famous Unimatic "errk" at tub stop.
And the reeky creaky,.. reeky creaky,... reeky creaky of the GE filter flo at the end of suds kill and spin.

WOW the server just cut off my message!! Robert........??

 

[peteski50]

Work Continues on the Kelvinator

Robert,
This is a real gem. On some of these top of the line models with the dispenser on top didn't some have a detergent dispenser also. I thought from other pictures from different machines there were 3 seperate doors to add formulars. I could be mistaken!
Anyway if you are going to do a DVD on this baby - Please put me at the top of the list.
Thanks,
Peter

 

[peteski50]

Work Continues on the Kelvinator

Robert,
This is a real gem. On some of these top of the line models with the dispenser on top didn't some have a detergent dispenser also. I thought from other pictures from different machines there were 3 seperate doors to add formulars. I could be mistaken!
Anyway if you are going to do a DVD on this baby - Please put me at the top of the list.
Thanks,
Peter

 

[jmirawm]

The kelvinator

My mom had an ABC washer that I watched, as a child, religously. I do not recall a knocking during spin. But, there is not a whole lot I do recall. OF course if you make a dvd of this washer, I want to be on that list! Mom's had a black agitator. And, If I remember correctly, it would start agitating before the tub would finish filling with water. I have told mom and dad if they find the Manual "SAVE IT!" I think they are worried about the boy......LOL the first time I found this sight and I was watching the Video of the ABC-O-Matic, I called mom and said "you will never be able to guess what I am doing right now!" Too Funny ! Probably got off the phone and told DAD I am worried about your boy!