Really torn on what to do... (Page 1/2)
82-T/A [At Work] DEC 28, 08:58 AM
I have this washer and dryer set. It's from the late 1980s. It's the old style washer and dryer that could care less about environmentalism... but it does have lots of different settings that allow you to size your wash load so you can save water.

I got them with my house in San Antonio that I bought back in 2017, and from what I can tell, they were probably purchased around 1988. When I got there, after restoring the whole house, I rebuilt both the washer and the dryer. For the dryer, I replaced the drum rollers, the lip gasket, the felt strips, the springs, and completely cleaned it out. For the washing machine, I changed out all the hoses, clamps, and lip gasket. I also changed the oil in the transfer case.

5 years later... the washer... one day, started making a grinding noise. It would only do the agitate cycle, but wouldn't do the spin cycle.


I took the entire thing apart, and determined that the damage is in the lower part of the transfer case... which is where the motor mounts to the transfer case. The top gears (which look exactly like timing gears for the 84 Fiero, incidentally) are fine, but I cannot get to the bottom gears, as it appears as though the entire thing is a unit which you would end up buying.


It is this here: https://www.partselect.com/...se.htm?SourceCode=18


I'm debating whether or not I should buy a totally brand new washing machine and dryer combo, or if I should rebuild this one again. Would like your guys thoughts.

I'm really torn... the money isn't really the concern, it's just that I hate to throw away something that I can fix... but this is an old washer... thoughts?
82-T/A [At Work] DEC 28, 09:16 AM
Ugh... NVM... I ended up buying the parts. I just couldn't bring myself to throw out something that I can easily fix myself.

Ordered a new transmission, a new clutch, and also the interference gears between the motor and the transmission (basically rubber isolators). Total came to $374, and I get a new transmission and clutch.

While I have the thing apart, I'll probably repaint the frame, adjust the feet, and disinfect the parts of the drum that I normally can't get to unless I do a huge / full wash.


I don't know why I punish myself.

Anyway, you can't buy the individual parts for the transmission, you have to buy the whole transmission, so I'm secretly really happy about that, because that **** was messy. I opened the transfer case and there was a silver streak in the oil... so I could tell something had stripped, but I couldn't get to it. I changed out the oil... but since I didn't disassemble the bottom part, I couldn't see either way.


Anyway... washing machine will basically be like new now.
Mytime DEC 28, 09:29 AM
Shoulda thrown a 3800SC or at least a Tesla motor in there while you had it apart.
blackrams DEC 28, 09:31 AM
Your attitude about fixing or replacing is applicable to a lot of things we face in life.

Although, there will come a time when throwing out the old and finding an alternative is the best thing to do.
I have a good friend that applies that logic to wives. I never ask for the details.

Rams
82-T/A [At Work] DEC 28, 09:32 AM

quote
Originally posted by Mytime:

Shoulda thrown a 3800SC or at least a Tesla motor in there while you had it apart.




I know, right? I almost think I've heard of FSP before... who are the ones that make those transmissions. It's almost like I've seen them make parts for cars...
82-T/A [At Work] DEC 28, 09:34 AM

quote
Originally posted by blackrams:

Your attitude about fixing or replacing is applicable to a lot of things we face in life.

Although, there will come a time when throwing out the old and finding an alternative is the best thing to do.
I have a good friend that applies that logic to wives. I never ask for the details.

Rams




Hahaha!!!
TheDigitalAlchemist DEC 28, 09:52 AM
Nice. Glad you went with “repair” over “replace”.

I’d rather have an older, solid workhorse than a newer fragile, poorly designed/made piece of garbage…

Last time my washing machine “died”, the fix was a 12 buck water pump. It sure feels better (especially in the wallet”) when you repair something yourself.
maryjane DEC 28, 11:09 AM
I don't know how old my washing machine is; it's just a basic Kenmore. We bought it used in San Angelo Tx around 2000 and we last lived there in 2006.
It sometimes makes a strange noise from deep within the bowels of it's mechanical works. Sounds vaguely like Help me..
It has washed a LOT of muddy, dirty, greasy blue jeans tho.
Notorio DEC 28, 12:14 PM

quote
Originally posted by TheDigitalAlchemist:
...

I’d rather have an older, solid workhorse than a newer fragile, poorly designed/made piece of garbage…




The service tech who just fixed our 12-yr old refrigerator said that most of his calls now are for units that are only 2-3 yrs old, due to the OEM using poor-quality compressors. Sounds like a liberal application of a horse whip is needed in these greedy Executive Suites, wherever they may be.
82-T/A [At Work] DEC 28, 12:23 PM

quote
Originally posted by Notorio:

The service tech who just fixed our 12-yr old refrigerator said that most of his calls now are for units that are only 2-3 yrs old, due to the OEM using poor-quality compressors. Sounds like a liberal application of a horse whip is needed in these greedy Executive Suites, wherever they may be.




YES!!!

My parents have a super-fancy house in The Villages, and my dad's full-height wine fridge is no longer cooling. It's absurdly nice... multiple racks with teak wood and multiple temperature zones, glass face with touch controls... came with the house when he bought the lot / home construction. My dad called someone to come fix it, and they said the compressor is fine, but it continues to leak freon... so he told the guy to replace it. It's sitting in my dad's garage, and he was going to have it hauled off to the recycler.

I'm going to redo my entire kitchen, and this thing is friggin' nice. I'm thinking of trying to fix it. If the only problem it has is a leak... then that's a simple soldering problem, no? Even if I have to replace the compressor, I should be able to just find another one... right? I have an MVAC license that I got about a decade ago from EPA Inc... so I can buy freon (though it uses the new stuff)... but it's been a long time since I even looked at any of that stuff. It's maybe... 7 years old?

[This message has been edited by 82-T/A [At Work] (edited 12-28-2021).]