Old Maytag Gas Washing Machine Engine

[street]

I got one and it is not locked up and seems to be intact and fly wheel turns freely. I'm no mechanic but I sure would like to get it running. I will bring it back in tomorrow when I go to the ranch.

I have a good friend that is a small engine repair man but not sure if he is qualified to tackle this unique project.

Anyone have any knowledge of working on this type of engines? It will be a points/contact and old school engine with kick starter. It is about 14 inches by 8 inches. I see they use a 16:1 gas/oil mix.

 

[travelover]

There are groups on the internet and probably Facebook, specifically, that restore antique small engines. I'm sure Goggle would direct you to manuals and parts.



https://www.smokstak.com/forum/threads/maytag-engines-how-do-you-guys-tell-the-model.127880/

 

[ERD50]

I came across this on the internet a few years back. Not sure if I posted here or not. But it was new to me that people had gas engine powered washing machines.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/te...gas-powered-washing-machines-with-this-video/

But it took a while for electricity to come to some rural areas, so a gas engine would do the work. Likewise, they used crystal radio sets with an earphone that required no source of electricity (other than that which was received from the antenna). And their early tube radios were powered by primary batteries, they just put in new batteries as needed.

Oh yeah, the "Crosely" ice ball - went through an elaborate process to heat this contraption over the stove each morning, and that would start a refrigerant cycle to cool the ice box until the next morning. Brutal!

Crosley IcyBall

But I have no 1st hand knowledge, but there appaers to be plenty of restoration videos for these on youtube.

Good luck!

-ERD50

 

[Chuckanut]

One of the first girl friend's I ever had lived in an apartment that had a gas refrigerator. !!!!! A little research shows that they are still popular with off-grid living crowd since they use little electricity and propane does most of the work to run the cooling mechanism. But, she had no gasoline powered washing machine. She did have a solar powered clothes dryer.

 

[street]

I had to laugh when I watch those videos. Lol

I will need to do some looking on the subject or a small engine forum group. I won't tackle the restoration of the engine. it might be a fun project but my knowledge is so limited on that subject.

Be a fun little motor to be get back working.

 

[CRLLS]

I had one of those Maytag motors back when I was in High School. I wish I still had it now. I seem to recall it had a much bigger spark plug than the one in the video. Mybe it is my memory failing.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

My father once told me there was a gasoline washer at the old home place when he was a kid in the 20s or 30s. It was an old house, originally a log cabin, dating from the 1700s or early 1800s and I’m sure it didn’t get electricity until at least the mid 20th century. Thanks for posting this; now I know I didn’t dream him telling me that.

 

[ERD50]

One of the first girl friend's I ever had lived in an apartment that had a gas refrigerator. !!!!! A little research shows that they are still popular with off-grid living crowd since they use little electricity and propane does most of the work to run the cooling mechanism. But, she had no gasoline powered washing machine. She did have a solar powered clothes dryer.

Those propane fridges are still popular with the RV crowd too (runs from propane when no electrical is available). In a rather odd juxtaposition (love that word!), the RV'ers use old tech propane fridges, and (relatively) high tech microwave ovens, since MW ovens are efficient in their electrical use.

I also worked with a girl (a friend, but not my "girlfriend") that had a very old natural gas fridge in her apartment (I think it was an old two story SFH one of her relatives owned, converted to a two flat). I had never seen that before, was amazed.

-ERD50

 

[Sunset]

One of the first girl friend's I ever had lived in an apartment that had a gas refrigerator. !!!!! A little research shows that they are still popular with off-grid living crowd since they use little electricity and propane does most of the work to run the cooling mechanism. But, she had no gasoline powered washing machine. She did have a solar powered clothes dryer.

Our family cabin is off-grid , we've been fashionable for over 100 yrs

We use a propane fridge (it nearly killed us 3 yrs ago due to a leak).
We also use a propane stove, wood stove.

My Cousin, has a kerosene run fridge, imagine those old kerosene lamps in the Western movies. It has one of those built-in under the fridge and that is how his fridge works.

I showed DW the gas motor video, and she said we need one of those for the cabin

 

[RobbieB]

Those old Maytag 2 strokes are highly coveted among the antique engine collectors. Very simple design, should be easy to get running.

 

[6miths]

I was watching the 2019 documentary on Caroll Shelby the other day and apparently his first 'car' build was a go-kart with one of these engines.

 

[street]

Interesting replies.

Robbie >>>I got it home and I think with some tinkering and someone with small engine repair knowledge it will run.

 

[OldShooter]

... I won't tackle the restoration of the engine. it might be a fun project but my knowledge is so limited on that subject. ...

How do you think the experts learned? They were not born experts. With all the technical support and videos on the internet these days, learning while doing is easier than ever.

Not long after I got out of graduate school I decided I wanted to rebuild a high-performance (relatively!) Volvo engine I had. Having never done such a thing before, I bought an old Opel with a seized engine, pulled the engine and rebuilt it. Very straightforward project and a good prep for doing the Volvo, which went fine. I had no internet and no YouTube videos, just an aftermarket DIY car maintenance book slowly accumulating greasy finger prints. I have since assembled at least four or five engines, including rebuilding the engine in my Formula Ford race car. No problems with any of them.

 

[skyking1]

It may need nothing more than fresh fuel.

 

[RobbieB]

That's where I'd start. Pour some fresh gas in the tank and shake it and dump it. Mix some 2 stroke gas and drip some 2 stroke oil down the spark plug hole and kick it. If nothing happens, test the spark, if spark then drip some gas down the plug hole and kick again.

 

[street]

I might give her a try. I'm always up for a challenge and have been afraid to tackle anything. Time is my enemy these days. Seems like I have so much to do and so little time. Bow hunting is a month away and I haven't been getting ready for that yet.

The only thing that I can see it wrong with it is the gas tank. Rust I could pour out of it. The check value work and looks great and has great compression. I might just use a container with gas and give her a kick.

 

[ronin]

I had one of those Maytag motors back when I was in High School. I wish I still had it now. I seem to recall it had a much bigger spark plug than the one in the video. Mybe it is my memory failing.

Everything was bigger back then my friend.

 

[street]

A little video of it running. This engine is 8 inches long and 9 inches high.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-p-x_D-mXY07rkGemzdx1xVhAottmXa8/view?usp=sharing

Okay, Robbie got me thinking and motivated to get this 100 year old engine running myself. I tore it down, made gaskets, timing, points worked over and gaped, cleaned and worked over carb, gone through it completely etc.. I had to do a different gas tank and that was a tricky thing because these old engines have special check valve assembly and tank that was ruined. I learned a lot from the experience and I had the time in afternoons and evening to work on it.

I never would of believed this thing would run. I pulled it out of a junk pile and no one lived on this place since early 1990's. I'm pretty sure this motor has run in 40 plus years and was exposed to weather.

 

[ERD50]

A little video of it running.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-p-x_D-mXY07rkGemzdx1xVhAottmXa8/view?usp=sharing

Okay, Robbie got me thinking and motivated to get this 100 year old engine running myself. I tore it down, made gaskets, timing, points worked over and gaped, cleaned and worked over carb, gone through it completely etc.. I had to do a different gas tank and that was a tricky thing because these old engines have special check valve assembly and tank that was ruined. I learned a lot from the experience and I had the time in afternoons and evening to work on it.

I never would of believed this thing would run. I pulled it out of a junk pile and no one lived on this place since early 1990's. I'm pretty sure this motor has run in 40 plus years and was exposed to weather.

Awesome! I'm glad Robbie was able to motivate you, you got that done pretty quickly.

Are you planning a full cosmetic restore? Some of the restorers on youtube do some amazing work.

And that foot-press-to-start mechanism is pretty cool, a lot like a motorcycle kick start. That seems to make a lot more sense than a pull rope, and I guess the "lady of the house" would be the one starting these sometimes.

Thanks for sharing.

-ERD50

 

[street]

I'm not going to go any further with restoration, anyway not at this time. The interesting thing to me is, since I retired I have tackled more projects, then I would ever have dreamed I could.

 

[CRLLS]

Very cool

.

 

[Jerry1]

Cool. Thanks for sharing the video. I’m surprised how quiet it is even with that high end muffler you have on it.

 

[street]

Jerry1, they actually came with a piece of tubing like that, so a hose could be attached so the exhaust could be funneled out a window or to the outside of house. So, that is a common first attachment from back in the day. LOL

 

[Jerry1]

Jerry1, they actually came with a piece of tubing like that, so a hose could be attached so the exhaust could be funneled out a window or to the outside of house. So, that is a common first attachment from back in the day. LOL

Interesting. I assumed it was outside equipment. I guess attaching a hose is a pretty good solution, but I can’t imagine running an IC engine indoors. It’s amazing our forebears lived through the industrialization/automation of daily life.

 

[RobbieB]

That looks like an old briggs & stratton flat head. Not a 2 stroke.