Thread Number: 82139  /  Tag: Modern Automatic Washers
What are your thoughts on GE washers and their motors and transmissions?
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Post# 1061590   2/26/2020 at 17:42 (1,492 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        

Hello everybody,
What are your opinions on GE washers over the years? I'm interested in their motors and transmissions.
I had a GE filter-flo when my family and I moved in 1999. When the motor would run, you could tell there was real wash action going on inside. The motor had a soothing sound similar to a whirlpool direct drive humming when running. I did notice the agitation arc was 100 SPM. Their transmissions during that era had an interesting gear whirr sound, and I like the smell of the oil when it was running. I also enjoyed the loud CLUNK sound when it stopped. The GE filter-flo set was a 2-speed model. It would start on slow speed, then switch to fast speed during agitation, and you could hear the suspension clanking. I like the sound of the small load splashing due to the ramped activator.
My main topic I will get to is the transmission. It did get put through heavy use. Who's idea was it to cheapen the design? I believe it used steel gears in them.
Fast-forward in 2000 or 2001, and we got another GE. This time, it was the post-filter-flo matching pair. Let me tell you. It did feel cheap compared to the filter-flo. It did do the usual squeaking/sawing/shaking due to the torque from the transmission. This was, again, with the machine on normal/fast speed. I honestly thought the machine was gonna fall completely apart. I am surprised the transmission lasted this long at 17 years and so did the motor. Speaking of which, the motor had a higher octave when it was running at full speed. The agitation was 155 spm. It sounded similar to the whirlpool direct drive agitation. It did have a dual-action agitator. Everything sounded cheap, including the motor itself.
Back to the transmission, it would make a metallic squeak during agitation, but still worked fine. I too, smelled some gear oil coming from it. Either GE did add something to their oil, or used a lighter or different type of gear oil. Their washer motors did seem to hold up well. I don't know how GE was able to make their transmissions last so long for their new design. I guess I may be lucky.
If you were wondering about the filter-flo, we got rid of it because the transmission leaked oil all over the floor. The new-style GE transmissions used about a few ounces of oil, not even close to a couple of quarts, whereas the filter-flo did. I will forever cherish the filter-flo. The last time I ever used a filter-flo was 2007-2008. I assume the only part that is shared with the filter-flo is the belt.





Post# 1061594 , Reply# 1   2/26/2020 at 20:25 (1,492 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
Also...

The machine would speed up and slow down on the high-speed spin when set to normal/fast. I did that since early 2016. However, it kept running. It would do that grunting noise, similar to the old filter-flo when starting normal agitation on the 2-speed models. In 2017, the machine quit agitating. The machine's motor did run, and the basket did spin - speeding up and slowing down. I am shocked that it lasted that long for 17 years. I now have the Kenmore elite pair Never mind me reiterating. If GE reintroduced the filter-flos and redesigned their motors and transmissions to its former glory while being energy efficient, I will reconsider returning to them. I believe they used 40% fewer parts. It would be interesting if GE had a curved sloped top with rounded corners with sort of a tilted slant design for the washer and dryer. Just saying.

Post# 1061762 , Reply# 2   2/28/2020 at 12:39 (1,490 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
another article...

Another article on the GE new-style washers. I still cannot get over how cheap they felt, granted mine lasted for 17 years.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO GELaundry4ever's LINK


Post# 1061763 , Reply# 3   2/28/2020 at 12:42 (1,490 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
GE's so-called lean mean washing machine

How ironic. I didn't see anything wrong with the filter-flo design. They did this under the guys of "high durability". They seem to be getting cheaper feeling since then. I've yet to try the newest pairs from GE.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO GELaundry4ever's LINK


Post# 1061892 , Reply# 4   2/29/2020 at 19:42 (1,489 days old) by sambootoo (Moody, AL)        

I have had both. Had a filter flo that gave us 25 years of great service with only a few minor repairs, all of which I made myself inexpensively. When the motor died my wife chose another GE, the plastic tub version. I didn't have much confidence in that washer at the time, but January of this year marked 16 years of service from this washer with never a single repair. Yes, it does feel and sound cheap, but it has served us well. The bearing is starting to rumble pretty loudly during spin, so I realize it's days may be limited.

Post# 1061957 , Reply# 5   3/1/2020 at 15:34 (1,488 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
Similar experience.

I had a similar experience. I too had a GE filter-flo pair until 2000. it was a 1993 model. We used that machine heavily everyday. When the transmission died, we bought the same matching set and my dad installed the pair the next day. It was a Saturday. In the afternoon of that very day, we did the first load. When the machine started agitating, the machine cabinet twisted and shifted from the torque. Everything was on the correct speed (normal/fast). Did you read about how they redesigned their transmission? I believe their oil size capacity decreased. Their motors had a higher octave than the filter-flos when at full speed. Incredibly, the machine held up well. I don't know how they did that. I completely expected it to break. Maybe it's just pure luck.

Post# 1061971 , Reply# 6   3/1/2020 at 17:45 (1,488 days old) by 70skid (Texas)        
Cheap

70skid's profile picture
My experience with a 2016 GE GTW460 was that it was a cheaply made and unreliable machine. Would go off balance very easily, motor would just stop mid-cycle, and it was annoyingly loud.

I could be wrong, but I think there was a lot of Chinese machinery, electronics, and plastic in that unit. Had them haul it off and put Speed Queen in its place.

The wash action was good, it was just not reliable.


Post# 1061982 , Reply# 7   3/1/2020 at 18:55 (1,488 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
I believe it.

I do believe that, due to the fact that the GE agitation on my post-filter-flo sounded similar to a Whirlpool direct drive. Also, when you listen closely, the tone of the wash tub has a higher pitch during agitation compared to the filter-flo especially on full load. In fact, the tub sounded more muffled. I've seen the motors of the post-filter-flos seem to be heavy-duty. When the machine drained, the pipe sounded like the filter-flo draining, but with an electric pump. The wash action, like in the filter-flo, was very dramatic, especially on normal/fast.

Post# 1061985 , Reply# 8   3/1/2020 at 19:00 (1,488 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
agitators

I've always had ramped and dual-action agitators. filter-flo had the ramped activator and minibasked while the post-filter-flo had the gentle power agitator with fabric softener dispenser. Both had bleach dispensers.

Post# 1061986 , Reply# 9   3/1/2020 at 19:12 (1,488 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
GE's laundry line

www.thefreelibrary.com/GE...


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