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Hi all,
James again, my spinner also has a small intermittent leak which appears to be coming from the pump seal. The sump hose is not perished. I understand that the pump is in two halves and screws together around a gasket or something. Is the gasket still available and how to I go about removing the pump from the machine. The leak is not desperate as it disappears after water has been through it so I can live. There is also a quiet squeal when the machine was in use tonight with a full can and I’m scared if it is the clutch as it would be a big task for a 16 yo. It doesn’t happen when there are no clothes in it.
James.
Re: Hotpoint 1018 Spinner Leak
The pump has not been available in separate parts for over 30 years and is now almost certainly obsolete in any form. The gland seals for these pumps were never available as spares although the cork gasket was.
The original metal based, pump with the black plastic cover was changed to a one piece, moulded pump when I still worked at Hotpoint and that was over 31 years ago.
The same basic pump is used for both the wash & spin pumps on the 1450/60 twin tub onwards, they pulley is the only difference.The early metal alloy based pumps used to corrode through, hence the change to a fully moulded nylon bodied pump.
If it is the cork gasket that is leaking then it is possible to open the two halves of the pump and reseal using a suitable sealant, debhor or silicone sealant would work.
Pump is best removed by standing the machine upside down and working from underneath.
Not wise to ignore a leak as the water can be sprayed onto other components depending on were it is leaking from.
Not sure what you mean by a 16 yo, is that the spin dryer or yourself you are referring to?
The clutch itself is a very simple affair consisting of two small clutch shoes on a simple disc inside the clutch housing. I actually still have a pair of these as they were also used on the later top loader.
It would take me about 2 minutes to change the clutch shoes on one of these machines. 😉
If the squeal is when the machine is at speed then it is either the spin can bearing shaft that is dry or the pump itself.
Clutch noise is only apparent when picking up to speed.
What is the serial number of your machine?
Jim. ( James on Sundays 😉 )
Re: Hotpoint 1018 Spinner Leak
Hi Jim,
I am 16 years old. The spinner is 36 years old! It is a 1018/01 and I don’t know the serial off by heart but the date code is 66 = June 1975. The squeal is intermitent too so it could be the pump again. It is a faint squeal so I wouldn’t say it is the bearings as they would be more louder I’d imagine. It didn’t squeal before either or when it’s empty. Maybe it will be gone tomorrow as I’d hate to learn to change bearing in this thing! I’ll take a look at the pump tomorrow and see what to do with it. I see that it is attached to the motor too, does it just screw out? These vintage machines are lovely but they have quite a temprement! The clutch must be ok then. All Hotpoint Supermatics and Spinners make the most lovely high pitched whirr when they power up. Quite good at coping with unbalanced loads too.
James.
Re: Hotpoint 1018 Spinner Leak
I wouldn’t worry about changing bearings or anything like that.
All parts with the exception of the odd belt are totally obsolete so you would only be looking for old stock that may be lying around in someones shop or garage.
If you are talking about the noise the spinner makes when you run it up to speed empty then to call it a whirr is doing it an injustice.
I was doing a repair on one once for a music teacher and he informed me that the noise it made was in fact three perfect, ‘pure’ musical tones. Not quite sure what he meant but I do know that you could tell the machine had reached full speed by listening for the three distinct sound changes up to 3100 rpm.
Changing or removing the pump on these is a bit fiddly, if you do remove it take care not to lose the small spacer collar on the long bolt. I still have my Mk 1 pump spanner which is very handy for this job. The Mk 1 pump spanner was in fact made specially to fit the wash pump mounting bolts on the very first Hotpoint twin tub, the original 1400 made over 50 years ago.
Re: Hotpoint 1018 Spinner Leak
Hi Jim,
It looks complicated though. I’m lucky and I’m sure the British collectors are jealous that my local shop has a whole warehouse full of NOS!
Yes maybe a whirr would be an understatement. Still a lovely high pitched, loud yet soft noise. Like rubbing a finger around a glass only amplified? Why does in not make that noise when loaded? It grunts instead, but its still easy listening.
I’m glad I can get much help here for these vintage collection pieces.
James (probably the youngest vintage appliace collector ever! :D)
Re: Hotpoint 1018 Spinner Leak
If you are only sixteen then you may not remember the old child’s toy, the spinning top. The reason the noise is only heard when empty is because it is the holes in the drum going through the air at speed that causes the noise, just as in the spinning tops.
It is nice to hear of a 16 year old that has an interest in things like this, however I do hope that either you or someone close to you has some basic electrical knowledge, safety first at all times. 😉
Re: Hotpoint 1018 Spinner Leak
Oh right. Wasn’t the answer I was expecting I thought it would be more mechanical. Also how well do these machines cope with unbalanced loads? I never had any major problems and it never moved across the floor even if it looks quite violent. The can has never hit the outer tub either and there are no marks of it ever doing so before I got it.
James.
Re: Hotpoint 1018 Spinner Leak
To get an out of balance load you just need to take a single heavy towel and load it so that it lies down the side of the spin drum instead of pressing it down into the bottom of the drum.
As the clothes are added to a spin dryer layer upon layer from the top and pressed down there is less chance of OOB. you also have to remember that an automatic has a much bigger drum allowing the clothes to move around more freely.
In a front loader the drum is on its side so the clothes drop to the bottom of the drum and will go OOB if not loaded correctly, mainly a problem with underloading of heavy items.Re: Hotpoint 1018 Spinner Leak
For are proper Hotpoint twin tub you should try to get hold of one of these.
Early 1400, possibly mk2 or 3.
Re: Hotpoint 1018 Spinner Leak
Are spinners like these built to deal with OOB loads? Even violent ones? Mine has never walked across the floor and it only shakes when getting up to speed. However my Gran’s spinner (not a Hotpoint) hopped about and I wonder if it had any damaging effects to the machine. Also, what is the proper way to rinse in these? I fill mine all the way to the top of the load. Autorinse machines filled only half way I think. Nice 1400 is it yours? My most wanted Hotpoint’s are models 1400, 1410, 1420, 1450, 1460, 1500/1/2, 1504, 1509, 1600/1830, 1848. The most early machines out of that list would have been named GALA over here unless Co. Donegal got stock from NI which was allowed the Hotpoint name.
James.
Re: Hotpoint 1018 Spinner Leak
They are not specifically designed to compensate for OOB, its just the upright nature of the much smaller drum that makes OOB less likely.
Any serious OOB on a single spinner is entirely due to bad loading or possibly broken suspension rubbers.
You should not fill above half way when rinsing.
I would cross the 1420, and early 1450 off your list. As both of these had very thin galvanized metal outer spin containers they will have all rotted away 15 to 20 years ago. The much older 1400’s have a glass fibre outer spin container, thats why you may still find one or two of those.That 1400 machine belongs to a public forum member. Together with friends he has a large collection of old machines. He does not have any old 1420, 1450 or 1600’s and its highly unlikely he ever will.
Re: Hotpoint 1018 Spinner Leak
Regarding the Hotpoint 1600, an English Electric badged version turned up in Greece last year. http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?31509
Re: Hotpoint 1018 Spinner Leak
Oh dear, I hope I haven’t caused any damage by overfilling. I’m doing maintenance work on the the wash house and my small collection today and I might take apart the drive. What way do you screw the bottom nut as it is a bit stiff? How can I wedge the can to do so? I will thoroughly lubricate all possible parts like shaft and bearings. Shame about the 1420 and early 1450? Maybe some were retro-fitted with plastic tubs? I hear the 1420 has some odd drive on the spinner?
Thanks, James.
Re: Hotpoint 1018 Spinner Leak
supermaticjames wrote:What way do you screw the bottom nut as it is a bit stiff?
Normal nut and unscrew it anti-clockwise.
supermaticjames wrote:How can I wedge the can to do so?
With the brake on, just a firm grip of the cast iron counterweight as you undo the nut is normally quite sufficient.
supermaticjames wrote:I hear the 1420 has some odd drive on the spinner?
Yes, looks a little like a flying saucer. In fact it was filled with carbon granules (IIRC?) that, as the spin can increased in speed the centrifugal force forced the granules to compress outward to a point where direct (one to one) drive was achieved once the internal plate (within the clutch assembly) was held firm by the tight pressure on it by the granules….If you catch my drift? (I’m sure Jim has a more eloquent way in explaining better its function.:wink:)
All I know is that they performed well but their overall cost combined with their high failure rate was such that a cheaper, fibre based clutch shoe superseded it. And your 1018 spinner has the perfect example of how, since that time the centrifugal clutch developed. From a fibre shoe and then on to high density plastic shoe in the 1018 you have there.
HTH?:D
Re: Hotpoint 1018 Spinner Leak
And then back to the fibre shoe when the plastic ones suffered badly from clutch fade due to heat build up.
In fact the 1450 clutch shoe drive was modified to fit inside the 1420 motor towards the very end of its life when the early type clutch assembly became obsolete.
The 1420 clutch was called the powder coupling. As Martin said, full of tiny granules encased in a metal casing with a moving, internal centre plate that was vaned at the edges to allow the granules to grip as they were thrown outwards. The powder coupling screwed directly onto the top of the rotor and the centre vane was keyed to the drum shaft.
It was common for the powder granules to congeal rendering the clutch useless. The water seals were not the best and leaks did find their way into the coupling. 😥
Take care to keep the grease away from inside the clutch shoe housing and make sure it is high temperature silicone grease that you use. Take care not to lose the two small locking pins either. 😉
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