Thread Number: 63428  /  Tag: Vintage Automatic Washers
I got a Filter-flo doday! and now this....
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Post# 860083   1/4/2016 at 19:35 (3,005 days old) by mopar65 (Almont MI)        

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Do ya guys think it's got problems? lol


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Post# 860092 , Reply# 1   1/4/2016 at 20:07 (3,005 days old) by bajaespuma (Connecticut)        
Familiar noise

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That's what some of them sound like. Not desirable, but must be some bad feature of the tub braking system.


Post# 860096 , Reply# 2   1/4/2016 at 20:21 (3,005 days old) by joelippard (Hickory)        
Nope

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That's what a Filter-Flo's braking system sounds like.


Post# 860104 , Reply# 3   1/4/2016 at 20:30 (3,005 days old) by mopar65 (Almont MI)        
Well

mopar65's profile picture
My grandma had one from the late 70"s and hers never made that sound. She never had it severest till 2004 and that was only because she passed away. It sounds like a bad brake to me.

Post# 860118 , Reply# 4   1/4/2016 at 21:16 (3,005 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)        

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that bit of a drag sound I would not worry about.....many make it, and many do not...

my opinion, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.....

it locks the tub and agitates, it releases and spins smoothly, and it stops on a dime as designed, I would leave it alone.....until something seriously happens...


I have one that 'knocks' 4 times when the spin is over.....and I have a spare to install once it finally stops working, but as long as it does what its supposed to....leaving well enough alone....

but if you insist, you might have better luck finding a whole tranny than the individual parts.....but still may take some searching


Post# 860127 , Reply# 5   1/4/2016 at 21:42 (3,005 days old) by mopar65 (Almont MI)        
Well I got them with a 30 day warranty.

mopar65's profile picture
So I'm going to call them tomorrow and see if they well replace the brake because I think it's bad. I know it's common for a FF to mare noise on brake but this is so bad that it makes the whole house shake and that's not ok.

Post# 860133 , Reply# 6   1/4/2016 at 22:15 (3,005 days old) by powerfin64 (Yakima, Washington)        

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I am completely with Yogi on this. That is a completely normal braking sound for FF.

I use to work in a laundromat with all FF washers. One of the machines when it would brake from a spin, sounded like a machine gun going off, but otherwise, functioned as it should.

leave it alone. It isn't broke.


Post# 860138 , Reply# 7   1/4/2016 at 22:28 (3,005 days old) by A440 ()        

I have heard louder.
That actually sounds as though it has anew brake on it.
I bet it will get quiet with use.
Have you done a large load yet? Did you have any issues with the tub stopping?
The spin sounds very quiet. I would leave well enough alone. Looks like a very clean GE.


Post# 860149 , Reply# 8   1/4/2016 at 23:24 (3,005 days old) by delaneymeegan (Midwest)        

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It's normal.

If you actually believe a shop is going replace the transmission.....
actually KNOW how to do it....
and do it competently.....

Good luck to you.


Post# 860150 , Reply# 9   1/4/2016 at 23:25 (3,005 days old) by roto204 (Tucson, AZ)        
Nope!

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100% normal.  Quiet, even!


Post# 860174 , Reply# 10   1/5/2016 at 04:06 (3,005 days old) by qualin (Canada)        

With my Mom's old '64 Filter Flo, it would make loud "KA-BANG!" sound kind of like this, but much louder, once the brake engaged. It was a great way to let the entire house know that the washer was finished its cycle. :-)

Part of me wishes machines still did this...


Post# 860183 , Reply# 11   1/5/2016 at 05:50 (3,005 days old) by joeypete (Concord, NH)        

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Mine makes the kabang noise when it stops but that's normal. The last little wind down noise mine does not make but it doesn't sound serious. My machine makes all kinds of rattles and such. Drives me crazy really. I need to pull it out again and tilt it on it's back so i can get to everything and put some tape on the suspension to quiet it down.

Post# 860203 , Reply# 12   1/5/2016 at 08:51 (3,005 days old) by whitetub (Montreal, Canada)        

Our Hotpoint filter Flo, that we had in the 1980's, was actually much louder than this. And it was like that from day one. Brand new. That's how they are built.


Post# 860209 , Reply# 13   1/5/2016 at 09:42 (3,005 days old) by glomain (tuscarawas cnty. (eastern ohio))        
normal

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my mother had a set in the 60s & late 70s top of the line americanas & they both sounded like that from day 1

Post# 860214 , Reply# 14   1/5/2016 at 10:39 (3,005 days old) by brucelucenta ()        

Yep, that's what my mom & dad's GE did from the day they bought it back in '64.

Post# 860215 , Reply# 15   1/5/2016 at 10:46 (3,005 days old) by alr2903 (TN)        

IIRC, after the next fill no matter wash/rinse the tub indexes a bit, you hear one bang when it locks and stops the index. This too is a normal/usual sound.

Post# 860232 , Reply# 16   1/5/2016 at 13:13 (3,005 days old) by mopar65 (Almont MI)        
Full load

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I just put a full load in and on braking it was way werse. I pulled the basket out and you can see were it had been hitting the outer tub from over loading/out of balanced loads. I think I'm going to give it a few days and see if it gets any better as I'm positive it has been sitting for a long time.

Post# 860233 , Reply# 17   1/5/2016 at 13:15 (3,005 days old) by mopar65 (Almont MI)        
And

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Thank you all for your input. Can anyone tell me what year it is?

Post# 860246 , Reply# 18   1/5/2016 at 14:44 (3,005 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN)        
Mom's 82

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did that too.  When it spun, the cinderblock in it would rattle like a freight train coming down the tracks.


Post# 860256 , Reply# 19   1/5/2016 at 15:34 (3,005 days old) by ken (NYS)        

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F=March. A could be 1977 or 1989 among other years we can rule out. Considering the console is black I would say 1989. My 78 FF has a silver console. My 83 black.

Post# 860294 , Reply# 20   1/5/2016 at 18:53 (3,004 days old) by mopar65 (Almont MI)        
Ken

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Thanks I was thinking 83 but was unsure. I did call the place and the told me if it doesn't stop with the grinding on brake the will come out and replace the brake.

Post# 860296 , Reply# 21   1/5/2016 at 18:59 (3,004 days old) by delaneymeegan (Midwest)        

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Yes, the wear marks with rust on the inside tub is normal, as well.

Whenever you have a stationary outer tub, and an inner tub that can literally bang into that porcelain tub, ..... without the benefit of at least a cushioned bumper, you know you have a design flaw.
And GE made these for 30 years.

Notice too: fill that tub with the water level set on high, open that top and take a look at the large volume of water on the OUTSIDE of the wash tub. That's why these are called water hogs.
and again, GE made these for 30 years.

They sure are fun though. The first washer I got back in 1983, was a trade-in 1970 avocado sudsaver GE with 4 toggle switches on the control panel, and a lit timer dial. It had a sock stuck in the pump.

Oh, notice the drain connection from the tub to the pump.
Is there any grill on that tube? Nope.
A sump under the tub to collect large things that could damage the pump? Nope.
Any type of device, anywhere, to protect the pump from getting damaged by large items? Nope, Nada, none.
Drop a 3" nail in the outer tub and you're screwed.

If your washer is in generally good condition, as it looks to be, it will have a filter flo smell, as well. I don't know how to explain it. I think its the combination of traditional Tide, Downy, and rubber mixed together. I love it. If they made an air freshner labeled 'traditional GE filter-flo', I'd buy it.

I recently acquired an Almond 1982 GE with 3 push button instead of toggles.
I opened the lid and smiled. It has 'the smell'. lol

Consider yourself lucky to have a filter-flo vs. a rim-flo. With the rim-flo, as was found on JCPenny and Hotpoint washers, the lint accumulated in the rim mounted lint filter and was supposed to awkwardly spin off, fall into the bottom of the machine, and somehow magically make it's way to the drain and be expelled.
But that's not how it worked.

What usually happened is the lint would get spun off the rim filter but it stuck to the outer tub wall, and there it accumulated. Sometimes, as it decayed it would slowly slide down the tub, and between wash loads, dry and form masses on the bottom of the tub.

Emm, yeah. Smell THAT. The smell of traditional GE filter-flo but with the tinge of wet dirty lint balls molding on the outer tub wall. Nah, we don't need to bottle that one.



Post# 860298 , Reply# 22   1/5/2016 at 19:01 (3,004 days old) by delaneymeegan (Midwest)        

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They told you "...the(y) will come out and replace the brake" ?

See, that should worry you right there.



Post# 860300 , Reply# 23   1/5/2016 at 19:10 (3,004 days old) by mopar65 (Almont MI)        
Lol

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Yeah I know what you mean. I pulled the basket and used toilet bowl cleaner to get all that smell out and lime bulled up off.

Post# 860301 , Reply# 24   1/5/2016 at 19:16 (3,004 days old) by mopar65 (Almont MI)        
Pics

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  Photos...       <              >      Photo 1 of 2         View Full Size
Post# 860307 , Reply# 25   1/5/2016 at 19:37 (3,004 days old) by delaneymeegan (Midwest)        

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Very nice. I love the toggles on the dryer.
Yours is mid to late 80s.
Large capacity washer and standard capacity dryer.

As far as the smell. Don't bother. Like a ghost of wash loads past, it will haunt your washer for ever. It's a good ghost. Think Casper.
You shouldn't have lint build up, though.




My recent GE. Standard capacity. Needs cleaning.
similar console but older.


  Photos...       <              >      Photo 1 of 3         View Full Size
Post# 860309 , Reply# 26   1/5/2016 at 19:47 (3,004 days old) by mopar65 (Almont MI)        
Nice

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It was an ok deal and I know they were a good washer as my grandma had one and so did my other grandma. I remember them washing everything so hard it would almost take all the color out lol

Post# 860379 , Reply# 27   1/6/2016 at 05:59 (3,004 days old) by joeypete (Concord, NH)        

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Yours is the Extra Large capacity without mini basket. It has the same cycles as mine does...though mine is just Large capacity. The Extra Large is good...Large is just a wee bit too small sometimes. I've had to split some of my laundry loads, wouldn't have to if I had the Extra Large. But I was lucky to find my set so I won't complain :)

Post# 861276 , Reply# 28   1/11/2016 at 19:33 (2,998 days old) by mopar65 (Almont MI)        


mopar65's profile picture
It has quited down a bit now after nunning several very heavy loads. It's washing is just what I remember as a kid 😀. Lol im likening having 4 washers now😀 Not the future husband though. I'm looking for the turquoise set he would love to never let go of.y

Post# 861291 , Reply# 29   1/11/2016 at 20:35 (2,998 days old) by washerlover (The Big Island, Hawai’i)        

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All normal sounds -- had a '79 and '67 FF and they both sounded the same. Though they both paled in comparison to my Norge and Wards machines! Now with those you had to know there is some serious washing and spinning going on!

Post# 861505 , Reply# 30   1/12/2016 at 21:07 (2,997 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
Question for yogitunes...

When did GE start using digital computer controls? Was it during the flter-flo era or their post filter-flo era? I am talking about the very TOL models.


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