Thread Number: 33777
Easy Whirldry Washer 		[Down to Last]

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Post# 507615   3/28/2011 at 13:13 (4,769 days old) by tsteves5 ()        

I just acquired a 1940's Easy Whirldry washer from a thrift store. It agitates and spins, but has an oil leak. I have a couple of questions:

1. Has anyone ever taken apart one of these transmissions?

2. What weight of oil did Easy use in these?

3. Any ideas where I might be able to find a replacement oil seal?

4. Has anyone ever used an automotive oil stop-leak in a transmission like this? This assumes I can't find a replacement oil seal.

Thanks!




Post# 507785 , Reply# 1   3/28/2011 at 21:39 (4,768 days old) by washerlover (The Big Island, Hawai’i)        

washerlover's profile picture
Any photos? That might help with the diagnosis...

Post# 507795 , Reply# 2   3/28/2011 at 23:00 (4,768 days old) by tsteves5 ()        
Flooded Tranny...

 I've removed and torn down the transmission from the washer. Interesting little transmission since it agitates and spins at the same time. I did find the problem. The tranny was flooded with water a long time ago and it forced most of the oil out of the breather hole. The oil seal is still good, and the tranny is repairable. It looks like there was a fundamental design flaw with these machines. There is no substantial seal on the upper agitator tube. If the machine is overfilled, the tranny will flood with water.

I will post some pictures and video later.

Post# 507835 , Reply# 3   3/29/2011 at 06:50 (4,768 days old) by akronman (Akron/Cleveland Ohio)        
Easy Spindrier

 akronman's profile picture
Pictures or video would be great. I have a working Easy Spindrier, and one with a bad clutch for the spinner, but have never opened up the trannny.

Post# 507852 , Reply# 4   3/29/2011 at 08:48 (4,768 days old) by macboy91si (Frankfort, KY)        
Easy Whirldry

 macboy91si's profile picture

 

Mark, this isn't a full-size Easy, it's a little counter-top job with a little basket in it. The agi-tub style basket washes the clothes and then you drop the basket down and it spins. The transmission is always in agitate and spin mode and agitate, which one the machine does depends on the position of the basket. You pull up on it for spin, and press a little button to drop the basket down to agitate (I think). John Lefever has one as well, I would love to see it in action.

 

Below is a link to a previous thread that shows this machine.

 

-Tim

CLICK HERE TO GO TO macboy91si's LINK



This post was last edited 03/29/2011 at 10:04
Post# 507860 , Reply# 5   3/29/2011 at 09:09 (4,768 days old) by tsteves5 ()        
Transmission

 Tim, you are absolutely correct about this machine. I failed to take a photo before I tore it apart, but it looks exactly like the one on Ebay right now. From the sounds of it, I bet the Ebay version has my same problem.

Here is the link to Ebay.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO tsteves5's LINK on eBay


Post# 507861 , Reply# 6   3/29/2011 at 09:10 (4,768 days old) by tsteves5 ()        

What a mess...

Post# 507862 , Reply# 7   3/29/2011 at 09:11 (4,768 days old) by tsteves5 ()        

Looking better, but still need to clean the shafts.

Post# 507873 , Reply# 8   3/29/2011 at 10:03 (4,768 days old) by macboy91si (Frankfort, KY)        
Wow

 macboy91si's profile picture

That's cool, how hard was the transmission to get out? What did you use to cleanup the mess? Reminds me of some of the transfer cases I've seen taken apart after 4-wheeling through a pond.

 

-Tim
Post# 507894 , Reply# 9   3/29/2011 at 11:17 (4,768 days old) by tsteves5 ()        

Here is my method for removing the Whirldry transmission:

1. Soak the lower shaft nut in PB Blaster
2. Wait
3. Try to loosen nut
4. Bust a knuckle
5. Heat the nut with a torch
6. Try to loosen nut
7. Swear at the nut
8. Use a torch again, get the nut extremely hot
9. Try to loosen nut
10. Swear at the nut again while drinking beer and wondering “why am I doing this?”
11. Try to cut off the nut with a Dremel
12. Realize the nut must be made of diamond or some other ridiculously-hard-to-cut material
13. Finally, pound the nut off with a hammer and chisel
14. Apologize to the wife for waking the kids with all the hammering and cussing
15. Remove the wash tub
16. Remove the single transmission mounting screw
17. Drop the transmission out of the bottom

Once removed, the tranny came apart easily. I used brake cleaner to clean the “mud” from the transmission.


Post# 507947 , Reply# 10   3/29/2011 at 15:30 (4,768 days old) by qsd-dan (West)        

qsd-dan's profile picture
SmiliesFTW.com

Post# 507953 , Reply# 11   3/29/2011 at 16:07 (4,768 days old) by akronman (Akron/Cleveland Ohio)        
similarities

 akronman's profile picture
it's amazing how your 17 step solution works on almost all washers!

Post# 508008 , Reply# 12   3/29/2011 at 19:43 (4,768 days old) by tsteves5 ()        

Transmission video

CLICK HERE TO GO TO tsteves5's LINK
Post# 508017 , Reply# 13   3/29/2011 at 20:03 (4,768 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
EASY WHIRL-DRY PORTABLE WASHER

 combo52's profile picture

Very cool Toby thanks for taking the time to show us the tear-down and rebuilding tips. I have one of these that is also very stiff and lethargic running, this may encourage me to tackle fixing it. Technically WP DD transmissions are agitating and spinning at the same time as are several other older automatic washers, can anyone guess witch other ones operate the gear box while the washer is spinning.
Post# 508166 , Reply# 14   3/30/2011 at 08:58 (4,767 days old) by macboy91si (Frankfort, KY)        
John...

 macboy91si's profile picture

Nudge nudge, you should get it going!
Post# 508978 , Reply# 15   4/3/2011 at 10:52 (4,763 days old) by tsteves5 ()        
Oil seal...

 I completed the transmission, filled it with fresh oil, wet tested the oil seal and put it back together. My free time has been occupied for a few days with other projects, but upon returning to the washer I noticed the oil seal was leaking. I guess one day wasn't a long enough wet test for the seal before closing up the transmission. I figured I would add some Lucas Oil Stop Leak. I've used it before on hydraulic manifolds with success. No such luck with this seal.

On the oil seal is stamped "Garlock Part 13". Lucky for me that Garlock is still in business. I contacted them and they were able to cross-reference the 1940's "Part 13" to a modern oil seal. They provided the dimensions of the modern seal and it's a perfect match. I never would have guessed that I could obtain a new seal for this old washer. What are the odds?


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