Thread Number: 62440
/ Tag: Vintage Dishwashers
My New Maytag Portable DW |
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Post# 850366   11/7/2015 at 21:44 (3,090 days old) by gusherb (Chicago/NWI)   |   | |
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Found this at the ReStore today! The pics you see are just as I found it, it's that clean! |
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Post# 850372 , Reply# 1   11/7/2015 at 22:43 (3,090 days old) by whatsername (Denver, CO)   |   | |
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Post# 850377 , Reply# 2   11/7/2015 at 23:57 (3,090 days old) by Gusherb (Chicago/NWI)   |   | |
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Are belts still readily available? Started it up, heard a rattle followed by no pump action then took the panel off and found this fossilized belt: |
Post# 850388 , Reply# 4   11/8/2015 at 02:06 (3,090 days old) by delaneymeegan (Midwest)   |   | |
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Post# 850396 , Reply# 5   11/8/2015 at 03:44 (3,090 days old) by toploader55 (Massachusetts Sand Bar, Cape Cod)   |   | |
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Post# 850408 , Reply# 6   11/8/2015 at 07:13 (3,090 days old) by appnut (TX)   |   | |
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Post# 850410 , Reply# 7   11/8/2015 at 07:47 (3,090 days old) by mayken4now (Panama City, Florida)   |   | |
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Post# 850421 , Reply# 8   11/8/2015 at 09:09 (3,090 days old) by whirlykenmore78 (Prior Lake MN (GMT-0500 CDT.))   |   | |
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Post# 850422 , Reply# 9   11/8/2015 at 09:12 (3,090 days old) by brucelucenta ()   |   | |
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I had one similar to this for years at my old house. It was a terrific machine and cleaned very well. |
Post# 850423 , Reply# 10   11/8/2015 at 10:00 (3,090 days old) by A440 ()   |   | |
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Quite a few new belts on Ebay. $8.95 with free shipping is not bad at all. CLICK HERE TO GO TO A440's LINK on eBay |
Post# 850429 , Reply# 11   11/8/2015 at 10:46 (3,090 days old) by bajaespuma (Connecticut)   |   | |
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Post# 850465 , Reply# 13   11/8/2015 at 12:56 (3,090 days old) by jamiel (Detroit, Michigan and Palm Springs, CA)   |   | |
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Post# 850518 , Reply# 14   11/8/2015 at 18:38 (3,089 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Post# 850519 , Reply# 15   11/8/2015 at 18:39 (3,089 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Post# 850523 , Reply# 16   11/8/2015 at 18:43 (3,089 days old) by appnut (TX)   |   | |
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Post# 850608 , Reply# 18   11/9/2015 at 05:01 (3,089 days old) by chachp (North Little Rock, AR)   |   | |
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Post# 850625 , Reply# 19   11/9/2015 at 07:13 (3,089 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)   |   | |
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Congratulations on finding an almost unused RR DW. There are probably thousands of cool portable DWs in homes across this country that have virtually never been used. I think in most cases people bought them thinking that having a DW would transform their life in the kitchen, but after they used it a few times they found it was more brother than it was worth. This was often because most people still have no idea how to use a DW. They waste time and lots of water rinsing every thing and then they really do not know how to really load the machine.
The stretch urethane belt that these DWs used does not necessarily need to be greased, MT started greasing the belts to reduce squealing and other strange noises these belts could make, but even greasing only lasts a short while anyway. Using this type of belt was a major cost cut that MT took a gamble with when they designed these DWs, a regular 3/8" V belt with an idler pulley would have outlasted the DW in most cases but would have cost more. And I don't just criticize MT for for their cost cuts, WP-KM used one of these crappy stretch belts on their full sized dryers from 1961-1965 and the pump belt on there combos from 1962-1971, although at the price MT charged for its appliances it seems far less acceptable.
These MT convertible DWs can be converted to a built-in pretty easily without the official conversion kit, so I would not worry about trying to find the official kit or paying a lot for one.
Even though the top rack comes out easily, the bottom rack is not a great design for things like stock pots. Have fun with your new toy, let us know how it works out. |
Post# 850631 , Reply# 20   11/9/2015 at 07:27 (3,089 days old) by mayken4now (Panama City, Florida)   |   | |
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Post# 850716 , Reply# 21   11/9/2015 at 19:01 (3,088 days old) by gusherb (Chicago/NWI)   |   | |
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Can anyone tell me when my machine was made? And possibly how to read the serial number? It's 002727 (from what I can see) if you can't make it out in the picture. |
Post# 851615 , Reply# 22   11/14/2015 at 17:40 (3,084 days old) by gusherb (Chicago/NWI)   |   | |
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But she weeps! Is there a way to tighten the door latch? It doesn't feel like it latches tight enough, and on her maiden voyage I had to hold the door in to keep the water from gushing out past the seal. |
Post# 851637 , Reply# 23   11/14/2015 at 19:19 (3,083 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)   |   | |
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You just loosen the strike, move it in slightly, re-tighten the screw and see if that fixes the problem.
This DW had not been used in so long that the door gasket might soften up and start sealing better after a few more runs, but one must keep in mind that MT DWs were not nearly as reliable as KA, or WP or even GE DWs for that matter.
MT DWs have always been great profit makers for us guys in the repair business.
John L. |
Post# 851641 , Reply# 24   11/14/2015 at 19:29 (3,083 days old) by gusherb (Chicago/NWI)   |   | |
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Thanks! I will go and do that and see how it goes. I probably will need a new door seal. It is a bit stiff. I'm curious, what are the most common failures/repairs on these machines? |
Post# 851694 , Reply# 26   11/15/2015 at 00:19 (3,083 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)   |   | |
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What are the two letters at the end of the serial number? LV?
That would date it from November of 1983. CLICK HERE TO GO TO PhilR's LINK |
Post# 851804 , Reply# 28   11/15/2015 at 17:19 (3,083 days old) by Gusherb (Chicago/NWI)   |   | |
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Ok I got a video up for those interested! Did it in the rinse hold cycle to keep it short, plus my camera can't film an entire light wash cycle. |
Post# 851907 , Reply# 29   11/16/2015 at 03:15 (3,082 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN)   |   | |
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Post# 851977 , Reply# 30   11/16/2015 at 12:56 (3,082 days old) by brib68 (Central Connecticut)   |   | |
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Wow! That's the exact model that we had for our first dishwasher when I was growing up. We got it sometime around 1980 (+/-) and it lasted through the early 2000's. It was also the portable/convertible, and my folks built it in after they moved to the 'new' house in the early 90's. Ours was always very heavy to roll across the kitchen to hook up to the sink...but then I remembered that we had a ginormous Litton microwave that lived on top of it because it was too big to fit under our upper cupboards and couldn't live on the counter.
The rack designs were wonderful, despite the 'tunnel' for the center tower. We NEVER had a complaint about double-stacking smaller items on the flip-down racks flanking the tunnel (unlike the similar racks on my 2009 KA!). Everything always came clean. And the keeper rail that ran along the inside of the outer sides of the lower rack were brilliant for plasticware lids! Why don't we have those today??? My only complaint was the noise (which I recognize many here regard as an asset, not a liability). I had to crank up the TV, which led to getting yelled at, of course. Oh, that old Quasar-Motorola! And it's sworn enemies, the dishwasher, the Mixmaster, and the vacuum! But I think that's another thread. |