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Thread Number: 30427
Cracking open an early GE AW6 Drive Unit/Transmission |
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Post# 460680 9/1/2010 at 23:02 (4,982 days old) by Unimatic1140  (Minneapolis) |
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So after trying out the new washer I found last weekend I need to learn how to service the aw6 transmission. I have absolutely no service information on this tranmission, just a parts list and one chart that I found recently. GE produced this unit from 1947 thru 1950. What was most unusual about it besides the 1140rpm spin was it is like a refrigerator compressor as it is sealed in oil.
Here is the parts list. I also have this chart and it shows the flow of oil (left side is spin, right side is activation). By the way "activation" was the way GE referred to agitation. The activator was how they said agitator... 
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Post# 460681 , Reply# 1 9/1/2010 at 23:05 (4,982 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 460682 , Reply# 2 9/1/2010 at 23:07 (4,982 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 460683 , Reply# 3 9/1/2010 at 23:08 (4,982 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 460684 , Reply# 4 9/1/2010 at 23:10 (4,982 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 460685 , Reply# 5 9/1/2010 at 23:13 (4,982 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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This is a good sign, this is first time I've ever been able to get a basket hub off without having to cut it off. I heated up with my torch and used a huge pipe wrench to get it turning, I locked the spin shaft in my vice as I was turning the hub. After about an hour I was able to work it up and off of the spin shaft. This is a good part to have because it has only two bolt holes, not the standard three bolt hubs that GE started making from 1951 and went thru 1995.
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Post# 460686 , Reply# 6 9/1/2010 at 23:14 (4,982 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 460688 , Reply# 7 9/1/2010 at 23:16 (4,982 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 460689 , Reply# 8 9/1/2010 at 23:18 (4,982 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 460690 , Reply# 9 9/1/2010 at 23:19 (4,982 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 460691 , Reply# 10 9/1/2010 at 23:21 (4,982 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 460692 , Reply# 11 9/1/2010 at 23:22 (4,982 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 460693 , Reply# 12 9/1/2010 at 23:25 (4,982 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 460694 , Reply# 13 9/1/2010 at 23:26 (4,982 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 460695 , Reply# 14 9/1/2010 at 23:27 (4,982 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 460696 , Reply# 15 9/1/2010 at 23:29 (4,982 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 460697 , Reply# 16 9/1/2010 at 23:30 (4,982 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 460698 , Reply# 17 9/1/2010 at 23:32 (4,982 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 460699 , Reply# 18 9/1/2010 at 23:34 (4,982 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Last a close up of the Bellows and rotor. What I don't understand is how that little oil pump can force oil up through the rotor and out through that tiny little hole and force that stiff metal bellows to expand. I can't imagine that the oil pump would be able to create that much force but it must, it works.
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Post# 460700 , Reply# 19 9/1/2010 at 23:37 (4,982 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Now that I've taken the learning unit apart I have a bit more confidence to tackle the one in the '48 washer. It seems to sound like like the bellows is sort of stuck half way between the wash and spin position. Not sure exactly how I'm going to diagnoise all that once the unit is opened, but what choice do we have than to experiment. Wish me luck! More to come.
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Post# 460702 , Reply# 21 9/1/2010 at 23:47 (4,982 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!) |
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| Post# 460703 , Reply# 22 9/1/2010 at 23:48 (4,982 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY) | ||
Been sitting here with my mouth wide open
could not imagine what the oil pump and tiny impeller would do.
And what a bellows would doing be here. Then came the explanations which are so easy to follow. What an amazing mechanism: the way the oil shifts from one chamber to the the other; how the bellows lifts the cup up to spin, and the brake holds the rotor down to engage the activator gears. This is fabulous stuff Robert. Are you starting to think, "Cooler than a Frigidaire?" Pic # 10 is a killer. Bright Orange, still glowing after 60 years. Loved the "exam gloves." ;-> Good night Wizard of Aworg. Mike | ||
| Post# 460706 , Reply# 23 9/2/2010 at 00:05 (4,982 days old) by rogera608s (Tucson,AZ) | ||
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Robert, This is absolutely fascinating to see the inside of the drive mechanism. Copper bellows.........never expected that. Thank you for all the pictures. Roger | ||
| Post# 460707 , Reply# 24 9/2/2010 at 00:11 (4,982 days old) by cfz2882 (Belle Fourche,SD) | ||
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Wow,that is one cool mechanism!good luck getting that running robert! | ||
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Post# 460709 , Reply# 25 9/2/2010 at 00:36 (4,982 days old) by Volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH) |
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Totally speechless. | ||
| Post# 460713 , Reply# 26 9/2/2010 at 01:11 (4,982 days old) by eddy1210 (Burnaby BC Canada) | ||
A question about the bellows | ||
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Post# 460743 , Reply# 28 9/2/2010 at 06:04 (4,982 days old) by bajaespuma (Connecticut) |
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And this is what they mean when they say "Built to last& | ||
| Post# 460747 , Reply# 29 9/2/2010 at 06:24 (4,982 days old) by toploader55 (Massachusetts Sand Bar, Cape Cod) | ||
The Amazing Robert Seger | ||
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Post# 460748 , Reply# 30 9/2/2010 at 06:26 (4,982 days old) by turquoisedude (.) |
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Absolutely amazing... | ||
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Post# 460755 , Reply# 31 9/2/2010 at 07:10 (4,982 days old) by polkanut (Wausau, WI ) |
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Post# 460758 , Reply# 32 9/2/2010 at 07:15 (4,982 days old) by joelippard (Hickory) |
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Wow | ||
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Post# 460761 , Reply# 33 9/2/2010 at 07:22 (4,982 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
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GE UNITZED TRANSMISSION
Robert thanks for sharing the inner workings of this incredible transmission I had always wanted to see the insides of this trans ever since I found your original machine around 1972 but I never had a reason to open it up. The trans in your 1948 was a GE factory rebuilt unit around the mid 1960s. Overall the trans is simpler and more rugged than I would have imagined, I would love to know why GE abandoned this design so early after putting so much work into it. I guess thier were many reasons and just having to have a separate drain pump motor probably made the machine very costly to build, motors used to be one of the most costly parts of an appliance to build other than that it doesn't look like it would cost that much more than what came after this. This design could have been very durable as it wouldn't have been very prone to oil leaks like many other washers of the time and with the motor windings protected from moisture and dirt and cooled by oil it should have been very durable.
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Post# 460776 , Reply# 35 9/2/2010 at 08:54 (4,982 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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is the entire motor submerged in oil? Kind of like a refrigerant compressor?
Well its not submerged, the oil level comes right just slightly lower than the bottom of the rotor. I would think if it was completely submerged it would cause too much of drag. Can you tell how far they have to move up to engage the spin clutch & drum? It appears to be between 1/4 and 1/3 inch that the bellows rises and falls, probably closer to 1/4". When the oil is filling the bellows, is it compressing air that's inside the bellows? Or is there very little air inside it and oil fills up the entire bellows? No air in the Eddy, because it there is a little relief hole at the top of the bellows to bleed out excess oil pressure. I just can't imagine how that much pressure could be built up, but obviously it is. One question with the bellows being copper, could this bellows possibly energize at some point I don't believe so, I would think that would transmit electricity all over the cabinet then as well. How did you learn how to work on washer transmissions? Was it trial and error Yup all trial and error as well as reading repair manuals for years. Unfortunately I don't have anything service related for this transmission. :-( Overall the trans is simpler and more rugged than I would have imagined, Me too John! I'm hoping this simpleness will help in fixing the other transmission. It might just be sort of stuck from sitting for all those years and needs to be taken apart, cleaned and the bellows flexed manually a bit. Here's hoping! would it be feasible to have the motor windings repaired or are you planning on using it as a parts donor? This one will be a parts donor Tom as the other motors all seem to work. | ||
| Post# 460793 , Reply# 37 9/2/2010 at 10:36 (4,982 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY) | ||
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Now we'll know, Robert, | ||
| Post# 460822 , Reply# 38 9/2/2010 at 12:49 (4,982 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c ) | ||
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If That Does Not !!!! Convince everyone just how much better things were built in the old days, I don't know what would,I bet to build that today would be 5000.00! | ||
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Post# 460867 , Reply# 40 9/2/2010 at 15:59 (4,982 days old) by pdub (Portland, Oregon) |
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| Post# 460925 , Reply# 41 9/2/2010 at 20:44 (4,982 days old) by best-cleaning () | ||
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Incredible transmission! Thank you very much for sharing with us. | ||
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Post# 460954 , Reply# 42 9/2/2010 at 22:33 (4,981 days old) by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA) |
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This is way cool Robert. I can't get over the copper bellows. I imagine the 'oil' is some sort of a cross between an air compressor oil and a hydraulic fluid, due to the fact that the little pump is creating such a large build up of pressure on the bellows to force it up against the spin clutch. Also, I love the fact that the rotor and stator of the motor are immersed in the mechanism; subject to many, many coats of oil during a complete operation. No wonder there is no rust anywhere....
Anyone out there have a GE product manual that describes the transmission fluid for one of these? An incredible mechanism - John said it best, UNITIZED! (Reminds me of a 1972 GM/Pontiac ignition system, terminology wise anyway *grin*) CLICK HERE TO GO TO swestoyz's LINK | ||
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Post# 460956 , Reply# 43 9/2/2010 at 22:44 (4,981 days old) by Supersuds (Knoxville, Tenn.) |
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Copper bellows
I used to see a lot of copper bellows made here in Knoxville by the Fulton Sylphon Company -- I had several relatives who worked there. Weston Fulton supposedly invented the copper bellows in 1903 as a weather instrument.
I recall my uncle, who worked there from 1934 to 1977, saying they used to make a lot of copper bellows but they got to be quite expensive. They were used in automotive thermostats among other things. Here's a link to Fulton's early patents. CLICK HERE TO GO TO Supersuds's LINK | ||
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Post# 461062 , Reply# 45 9/3/2010 at 09:55 (4,981 days old) by Jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers) |
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Seeing the forbidden transmission is way Kewl and I have a s
From my car rebuilding years:
It appears that you can change the oil in these! Ya know Robert, I had a partially seized engine oil pump in the BMW and instead of dissassembling the motor, we filled it up with MARVEL MYSTERY OIL instead and drove it 50 miles, then drained it and charged it with regular oil. You should have seen the gunk that came out and the motor ran another 100,000 miles beautifully. I would suggest you try the same with your transmission first and see if that improves its performance before dissassembly. I'll bet that motor shares a lot in common with the motor inside my Monitor Top frig! I am surprised the motor isn't exposed to more oil, how do the bearings in the motor stay lubricated, are there weep holes into the motor bearings as well? | ||
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Post# 461067 , Reply# 46 9/3/2010 at 10:34 (4,981 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
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GE UNITZED TRANSMISSION
Hi Jon , Robert This unit has a pressured lubrication system to keep lubricated, Robert the one thing I didn't see in the pictures was what causes the oil to start flowing to the bellow to shift from agitate to spin, I expected to see a solenoid valve in the pressurized oil system. I do think that Jons idea of flushing and changing the oil would be worth a try especially on the balky 1948 machine you got from me. Its amazing what some of the automatic transmission products can do to fix problems with out actually dismantling and rebuilding, it is almost like going to the doctor.
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| Post# 461084 , Reply# 47 9/3/2010 at 12:42 (4,981 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY) | ||
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"What causes the oil to start flowing to the bellows? | ||
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Post# 461120 , Reply# 48 9/3/2010 at 16:30 (4,981 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Robert the one thing I didn't see in the pictures was what causes the oil to start flowing to the bellow to shift from agitate to spin
That I know, its the spin valve in the picture of oil coming out. The spin valve is energized which is similar to a water valve and the plunger rises to close the hole to the tube and open the hole to the rotor. The new washer transmission sounds like something is scraping so it shouldn't be run anymore until it opened and make sure nothing is broken off inside. 
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| Post# 461139 , Reply# 49 9/3/2010 at 18:57 (4,981 days old) by best-cleaning () | ||
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So, the motor runs only one direction for agitation and spin!? I'm checking the drive shaft and rotor, one thing I still don't understand. How does the gears stops the agitation when spin starts? | ||
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Post# 461148 , Reply# 50 9/3/2010 at 20:06 (4,981 days old) by Jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers) |
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Scraping sound | ||
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Post# 461354 , Reply# 52 9/4/2010 at 20:38 (4,980 days old) by Jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers) |
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Ohhh I Love that | ||
| Post# 461829 , Reply# 53 9/7/2010 at 02:08 (4,977 days old) by aldspinboy (Philadelphia, Pa) | ||
Iv'e got emotional seeing you in pic seven maybe i see something in myself that want ever be, what a talent, well for sure it feels really good to see a person so passionate about the washers we all love and that there is a talent that we can all learn from.
I have no fear anymore about liking washers ever again. Amazing machine Robert. My colleges will never laugh again at this site. Darren k. | ||
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Post# 461877 , Reply# 54 9/7/2010 at 11:13 (4,977 days old) by Jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers) |
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Well???/ | ||
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Post# 462276 , Reply# 55 9/8/2010 at 22:03 (4,976 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Good News
Now that I understand what goes on inside an AW6 Drive Unit, I took out the mechanism in the new machine that would not spin. I took it apart and sure enough I found that one of the two post that the control spring bracket attaches to has sheered off! I took the entire drive unit completely apart, soaked all the parts in Acetone and installed the bellows from the other mechanism and filled it with 40 ounces of Air Compressor oil.
I was a bit worried that the original oil that GE used was very specific and our standard air compressor replacement oil might not work. To my relief the Drive Unit works perfectly!!! It sounds so nice and quiet and rev's up to 1140 rpm like a champ. You can see the broken post below, this let oil out of the bellows and prevented it from rising under oil pressure. Next it time to work on replacing the pumps. 
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Post# 462285 , Reply# 56 9/8/2010 at 22:17 (4,976 days old) by Jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers) |
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Brilliant piece of | ||
| Post# 462286 , Reply# 57 9/8/2010 at 22:21 (4,976 days old) by A440 () | ||
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Great news Robert! When are you going to release your tech book? Thanks for the picture! Brent | ||
| Post# 462300 , Reply# 58 9/8/2010 at 23:13 (4,975 days old) by austinado16 () | ||
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Nice work!! It looks like that pin was soldered in place. Very cool that you got the transmission working again. | ||
| Post# 462304 , Reply# 59 9/8/2010 at 23:22 (4,975 days old) by lebron (Minnesota) | ||
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| Post# 462386 , Reply# 60 9/9/2010 at 11:20 (4,975 days old) by macboy91si (Frankfort, KY) | ||
Different Years
Robert, are the internals of these early GE's all interchangeable or are there differences in them? This is an absolutely fascinating transmission, copper bellows and all. It also seems strangely simple and very "car-like" in may respects. Although not REALLY simple, I was expecting a much more complicated unit for whatever reason. It seems like it can be bench serviced pretty easily though, which is good in this case. Is it hard to get the transmission out of the washer? Since it's a sealed oil bath unit I can see why field service was not recommended. I also agree with a statement that was made by someone else about the one that you opened up showing very little wear.
Thanks for posting this little marvel. -Tim | ||
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Post# 462415 , Reply# 61 9/9/2010 at 13:25 (4,975 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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What does that control spring and bracket do?? It looks odd!
I don't know Jon, I can't figure that out either. I'm sure it serves some good purpose. Robert, are the internals of these early GE's all interchangeable or are there differences in them? Close but not all Tim, I noticed there was a difference in the design of the clutch drum and related springs in the older 1948 tranny as opposed to the 1950. Thankfully the copper bellows and related parts were exactly the same so it was an easy replacement. | ||
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Post# 462430 , Reply# 62 9/9/2010 at 15:37 (4,975 days old) by Jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers) |
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I have an idea
that spring system looks to me like a centrifugal clutch, it may be that at slow spin the oil pressure is enough to engage spin but as speed picks up,the oil maybe be slung against the inner walls of the copper bellows thus reducing pressure so at that speed the centrifugal spring may take over to keep engagement between the motor and tranny.
You know I just realized, that tranny looks identical to the belt driven trannys of the early 50's, there is just a different bottom plate with a pulley instead of a motor attached. I bet those tranny gears fit all the later machines. | ||
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Post# 462624 , Reply# 63 9/10/2010 at 17:55 (4,974 days old) by Jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers) |
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After looking at your parts manual | ||
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Post# 462626 , Reply# 64 9/10/2010 at 17:59 (4,974 days old) by Jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers) |
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I love the way the oil | ||
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