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Thread Number: 61820
/ Tag: Vintage Automatic Washers
Opinion of vintage (late 70's?) Maytag Washer? |
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| Post# 844759 , Reply# 1 10/7/2015 at 23:54 (3,115 days old) by scoots (Chattanooga TN) | ||
A207
Hi Dustin - I presently have an A207 for my daily driver and before that an A208 going back to the 90s, so it's not an exact match for what you are looking at but pretty close. I've been very satisfied with these machines, mine have been quiet, dependable, and not too prone to walking or vibration once leveled and if loaded properly.
A possible drawback is that they are rather simple machines. The lint filter is a screen collar inserted into the top of the agitator. Filtration is due to passive water currants drawing hair and lint into the screen, rather than forcing the water through a strainer by means of a pump. That being said, hair and lint control was personally acceptable to me. By the way, check this filter (it simply pulls up). The condition of the filter gives you an idea of how well the machine was treated. Likewise there is a fabric softener dispenser cup in the top of the agitator that uses centrifugal force to dispense. The biggest complaint is that the bleach dispenser (if fitted at all) is simply a tube that leads from the filling cup to the outer tub, meaning that the bleach is added much too early, reducing the cleaning power of the detergent. I usually set an egg timer to ring in the last 4 minutes of the wash cycle and add diluted bleach at that point. An annoying quirk: the Maytag has an "ALL OFF" safety switch ... lift the lid at any time and the entire machine comes to a stop. This includes harmless activities like the tub fill, and things you'd want to monitor like wash agitate to check on loading and roll-over. I find a half clothes pin wedged between the switch and the lid will defeat the switch just fine. One last thing if you're new to Maytags: be careful of the lid hinges. The lid actually is held in place and pivots on two nylon ball bearings which means the lid is apt to spring loose and you may loose the nylon bearings and they are no longer cheap! Typically this happens while the machine is being moved. The loose ends of the cord and fill hoses are put into the tub and the lid is put down to hold them in place. Any pressure on the lid after that will cause the lid to un-hinge and the balls will fly out. Good luck with your new machine. | ||
| Post# 844777 , Reply# 3 10/8/2015 at 05:14 (3,115 days old) by Maytagbear (N.E. Ohio) | ||
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I had the 2 speed 208 It was a great washer! It handled everything I sent its way very well. Quiet, and solid. I don't know about loading on its side, sorry. It is well worth the 40.00 Lawrence/Maytagbear | ||
Post# 844867 , Reply# 5 10/8/2015 at 18:27 (3,115 days old) by wayupnorth  (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine) |
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The out of balance switch is connected to the lid switch. I ran a piece of wire around it to keep it on all the time and tied it to the top of the drain hose on my Maytag to keep it running with the lid up. If it goes out of balance, the lid will hit the timer and shut it off. Iron out will work on hard water stains and has never hurt the inside of my tub. You can get those stupid lid balls to go back in if they come out but it aint easy.
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Post# 844877 , Reply# 6 10/8/2015 at 19:51 (3,115 days old) by jons1077 (Vancouver, Washington, USA) |
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LA 308 | ||
| Post# 844887 , Reply# 8 10/8/2015 at 21:25 (3,115 days old) by Dustin92 (Jackson, MI) | ||
and the cleaned but still needing cleaned filter...
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| Post# 844888 , Reply# 9 10/8/2015 at 21:26 (3,115 days old) by Dustin92 (Jackson, MI) | ||
after a quick wipe down...
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| Post# 844889 , Reply# 10 10/8/2015 at 21:28 (3,115 days old) by Dustin92 (Jackson, MI) | ||
inside... hard water anybody?
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Post# 844891 , Reply# 12 10/8/2015 at 21:38 (3,115 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine) |
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| Post# 844893 , Reply# 14 10/8/2015 at 21:48 (3,115 days old) by Dustin92 (Jackson, MI) | ||
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The people that sold me the washer said the original owners were an older couple, the husband passed away about 20 years ago, and the wife just recently passed away, they had bought it from the original owner's son while he was cleaning out the house. So likely had pretty light use. | ||
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Post# 844897 , Reply# 15 10/8/2015 at 22:42 (3,115 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine) |
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Dustin, unless you have a water filter and softner and use rust remover salt in the tank or keep using Iron Out regularly, you will get that. I have VERY hard well water and that is the only thing that has worked for me in 20+ years of living here. My outside hose is directly from the well and when I wash my truck, it looks like I poured milk on it when it dries.
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Post# 844910 , Reply# 16 10/9/2015 at 01:19 (3,114 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN) |
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I'll bet Lime-away or CLR would work wonders on that filter, not sure about the porcelain tub though. Nice machine, Mother had one older than that and it survived 16 years of hard use (we two kids both were in cloth diapers). Only reason she replaced it was the trans started leaking oil. Her lid balls disintegrated once upon a time and my dad took a piece of wooden dowel pin and smoothed it out round with his bench grinder, stuck them in and they never messed up again! | ||
| Post# 845001 , Reply# 19 10/9/2015 at 18:39 (3,114 days old) by beekeyknee (Columbia, MO) | ||
Yeah Dustin. Some Iron Out should help with that tub and some CLR. You might want to spray the CLR on the basket and let it set for a bit. Long enough to remove the iron but not etch the porcelain. Use a nylon bristle brush. Rinse often and check closely for scratching or etching of the basket. I think I did that once a long time ago. It's laborious and time consuming. That hard well water is just miserable.
But just imagine what's under the agitator and between the basket and the tub. It will most likely be a thick crust of yuck. If you can get the agitator out (hopefully that agitator shaft seal is still good), fill the washer with the hottest damn water you can find, put in several scoops of STTP in the machine, replace the agitator, let it agitate for a full cycle, stop it and reset the machine to the beginning of the wash cycle and let it set overnight. Then go back the next day and turn it back on again. You may be shocked at the crud that comes out in the water. I'd do it with the front off. If it's encrusted with minerals and other crud and there happens to be a pinhole leak somewhere, it might start leaking. Sometimes that crud forms a barrier for leaks. Kind of like cleaning out the bottom of an old water heater that's had a build up of sediment for years. It can be a blessing and a curse. You know your doing something good but in the process you start another problem. I'm the type that will just tackle it, but some people don't like opening a can of worms. Just depends on the person. Anyway, your machine is looking better. I've used a needle on the lint filter before. Good luck. p.s. If you own your own home the installation of a water softener will slowly solve most of your problems. Especially if set to very soft water. | ||
| Post# 845658 , Reply# 23 10/13/2015 at 18:19 (3,110 days old) by beekeyknee (Columbia, MO) | ||
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Post# 845702 , Reply# 25 10/13/2015 at 19:55 (3,110 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine) |
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| Post# 845715 , Reply# 26 10/13/2015 at 21:00 (3,110 days old) by washer111 () | ||
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Water Hardness Well, a kettle in these parts can go bad within one year without cleaning. Water is 25gpg.
Dishwashers, washers, everything. The scale is hideously bad. | ||
| Post# 846580 , Reply# 27 10/19/2015 at 11:08 (3,104 days old) by Dustin92 (Jackson, MI) | ||
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Belts are changed, took about 5 minutes :) Really made a difference in spin, clothes are coming out much dryer, but unfortunately it's wanting to dance a bit now. I think I just need to level it though. Surprisingly, the old belts looked to be in pretty good condition- just weren't doing the job properly. | ||
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Post# 846594 , Reply# 28 10/19/2015 at 13:50 (3,104 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey) |
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