1978 Kenmore 70 Series Washer... Bringing Back the Woo Woos!!!

I just had to have the full effect of the woo woos... so with Eugene's advice, we ordered a new-old-stock motor, belt, and pulley...and HERE's the result!

[@kellysavage7073]

great work on a job very well done. The Woo Woo sounds are back and sound lovely. :)

[@jasonsadventures64]

16:23 The most perfect Grind-click-clunk ever! Congrats!

[@DLT142]

One of the best vintage washers great memories ☺️☺️

[@Bob-ml1mv]

Yes I miss the woo woo of the Kenmore machine s.

[@mspysu79]

I remember that washing sound, we had a Kenmore 80 when I was growing up.

[@wx4newengland]

This brings back sooo many good memories! Thanks, guys!

[@HarleyBadger]

We aim to please :-)

[@timsouttahere]

Omg that's the sound I grew up too! Love this 😭😭😭

[@petermaz701]

I’ve seen many videos of these machines and I thought to myself that it’s not washing to the speed it should have. I didn’t want to say anything on Eugenes channel for fear of people jumping down my throat but your video now just proves that I was right to myself that the motor needed to be replaced. They must’ve put in a weaker motor. Great job, now it’s back as it should be.

[@spatsbear]

Thanks.

[@michaellowry6924]

My great grandma had this model washing machine 1978 Kenmore I miss it awesome machine

[@aldiakaroofus]

So jelly of your mad restoration skillz!

[@spatsbear]

Hehe thanks!

[@antoniocarter7111]

Yay for the woo woos. I also love to here it engage into spin and the spray rinses during the spin cycle.

[@michaellowry6924]

I miss those old school washing machines they were the best

[@cruellaursula1019]

I've never been a fan of the Pentaswirl, Variflex or Flex vein agitators. But I really appreciate your hard work, effort and appreciation for that beautiful machine that you've won. My all time favorite Kenmore agitator is the Super Roto Swirl. Also the Whirlpool Super Surgilator, Easy Spiralater, Norge Angel Wing burping agitator and the GE V-14 ramp agctivator.

[@zacharyradford1708]

I grew up with that washer and drier set. We had those machines for much more than 20 years and literally never had a breakdown. When my parents finally replaced them they where still working no issues. And we moved them literally 15 times or more since my father was in the navy good machines

[@antoniocarter7111]

Guys please do another full load of anything thanks.

[@HarleyBadger]

Coming right up.

[@BAFVintage]

I love the woo-woo! And the buzz-click-clunk at 16:53 is amazing

[@Trance88]

Yaaaay!!! All about them woo-wooz!! Great work as always, you guys!

[@dynatrak]

I've been patiently waiting for this video, and wasn't disappointed at all! Those woo woos are sounding better as the belt breaks in. I like that sound where the motor shuts off as the tub brakes. 17:38, and 19:48, just awesome! 16:53, nice buzz, click, clunk too.

[@jkalin196511]

I would love to have a belt drive Kenmore or Whirlpool. We had two WP belt drive machines when I was younger, one from the 70's and one from the mid 80, loved them both. The 70's was in my fav appliance color Harvest Gold and the 80's was in boring Almond. The first WP would have lasted a lot longer if I wasn't always hosing down the basement floor as a kid. It made the machine rust out way to soon.

[@patrickgrogan4382]

Nice to see the machine with the Woo-Woos, plus the buzz clink clunk shift into spin! Also I loved the the the long wooooo sound as the spin cycle ended. This is the first pentaswirl I’ve seen with the tall agitator cap, all the other ones I’ve seen have the rounded Kenmore pentaswirl badge on the agitator. Looking forward to the wash cycles!

[@pleasecho2]

Back in the day I could do a 95405 in 10-15 mins

[@1435682]

In 2018 I needed to replace the belt in my (same washing machine). I too never replaced a belt in this machine. The washer and drier both came with my mobile home in 2007 when I purchased it. I have replaces a few things on this machine over the years as well as with the matching Kenmore Drier. These are WELL-BUILT machines and not at all like the JUNK that comes out today. EVERYTHING today is made cheaply and designed to BREAK on PURPOSE. If you have one of THESE old 78 Kenmore machines... KEEP IT. You will never find another as good, NEVER! Anyway, I have always worked on my cars to save the expense of paying a mechanic all my adult life. I've even rebuilt engines. The ONLY thing I have stayed away from are transmissions because they are just too damned complicated for the amount of money and patience I have and I have a LOT of patience too. When I replace the belt on my 78 Kenmore washer, I turned the machine over on its front side and studied the structure inside that holds the transmission onto the bottom of the table. I saw what needed to be loosened and what needed to be removed. If you don't (have) to completely remove a component... DON'T. Even though this job took about four hours to complete it was (theoretically) simple. The hard part was being very careful NOT to loosen the transmission any more than necessary because if it comes out too far, there are at least one or more small ball bearings that could fall out from the clutch assembly. Just loosen the components ONLY ENOUGH to get the belt to just barely pass through. It's a PUZZLE at best so be care and take your time and after you get the new belt installed and everything buttoned back up and turn the machine back up on its feet and plug it in and do a wash cycle... you will CLEARLY notice a HUGE difference in the way it operates. Much smoother and quieter. My old belt was coming apart in pieces which I saw laying on the floor. It was, I would bet the original belt installed at the factory. This job is doable so have patience with it. The reward is worth all the effort. Oh, don't forget to unplug it from the electrical outlet first!

[@tristangardner3889]

I love the sound of that belt in that washer. It reminds me of the 1975 Kenmore all American washer my grandparents Menninga used to have. It had the control panel on the right hand side, plus the cycles were labeled with letters. I consider their washer my all-time favorite. I hope that washer of yours keeps working for many years to come. I hope to have a washer that sounds like yours in my own home someday.

[@WilliePeck]

OK not gonna lie that's freaking awesome! That is one of the quietest machines I've ever heard! It's wayy quieter than my grandma's whirlpool DD and it's definitely quieter than these new HE machines. Nice work you guys! Can't wait to see a full wash Cycle!

[@robertestes3803]

This video is about how a 40 year old Kenmore who got it's groove back.

[@HarleyBadger]

That's right :-D

[@cdcVintage]

Try getting 37 years out of one of these new Samsung washers. LOL not gonna happen!

[@leukostad1592]

Thanks for washing!

[@maryrobert80]

Ahhhhhh I just Love that woo woo sound, always have and always will!!! Great job with the machine guys, will you be trying any other agitators in this washer???

[@spatsbear]

Once we get some, we do plan on doing some agitator swaps :3

[@jaykay18]

I was wooed by the woo-woos! The official theme song for this machine is "Sympathy For The Devil" by The Rolling Stones. Woo-woo! My dad has a 1970s Whirlpool with the woo-woos, they're quite strong on that machine. Only parts ever replaced on it was the timer and the brake. Still on the original belt.

[@spatsbear]

Sweet!

[@NJRoadfan]

The motor came from someplace local! I had to lower the volume during the drain cycle, the hum of the motor (via the subwoofer) started to shake the house.

[@ssnoc]

Everything was better in the 70’s

[@petermaz701]

Sounds great and so smooth, super job!

[@Sharkie626]

So the motor and belt made all the difference? Huh, I always thought it was specifically the transmission!

[@spatsbear]

They sure did! The belt actually makes the most difference, and the motor just finished it off. Plus it is the correct motor that should be in this machine for those model years.

[@fargeeks]

@@spatsbear i saw a video of one of these kenmore washers on Lorraine's Furnitures channel where the pullies were swapped and the washer was on STEROIDS TURBO MODE!!

[@seana806]

@@spatsbearthe motor that’s on yours more than likely came from a 60’s or early 70’s Whirlpool or Kenmore belt drive washer, my Whirlpool for sure has the older style of motor on it and is identical to the one Eugene installed back in 2018. May vibrate and run a little more rough but since you can disassemble and clean these older motors, can’t complain too much. May even be possible to have those older round GE motors re-wound if something were to happen.

[@willthetrill4849]

That machine really needed it’s correct motor and belt. You can tell how slower it ran because the other motor wasn’t really as powerful as the correct motor. Now it’s time to do what JayKay18 does, the washday wash-ins with the Kenmore and Speed Queen

[@Smurdle450]

Ooh, ideas.

[@StrongEnough78]

Will Butter Exactly. I could tell in Eugenes vids of this machine that it wasn't agitating or spinning at the speeds it's supposed to. Now it is.

[@spatsbear]

We are now planning on designing the finished laundry room to accommodate 3 pairs of washers and dryers.

[@willthetrill4849]

Spats Bear that sounds awesome!! Can't wait for the finished results and your third pair of sets

[@Smurdle450]

Oh, yeah. 3rd machine isThe maytag? i almost forgot about it.

[@themaritimegirl]

The motor says FSP - were they made by GE? I always understood that FSP made their own motors.

[@HarleyBadger]

"FSP" was a Whirlpool trademark, they used it to identify their own genuine factory parts from aftermarket substitutes. Short for Whirlpool "Factory Service Parts." But yes, the OEM for the motor is GE.

[@HarleyBadger]

^^^that. hehe.

[@jhomrich89]

one mod I would do is search around for an old dual action agitator from that era, that pentaswirl agitator doesn't like large loads

[@Georgevinemontchristianchurch]

I think I have a “new” old stock moter like that one ☝️

[@jeffreyhickman3871]

I like 👍 the DEEP electric motor noise, again at 18:21. Your friend, Jeff.

[@ericpurkey7502]

My mom and dad had Kenmore that went woo woo when I was a little boy I am 42.

[@doctorfeinstone6524]

Changing a belt on these is a pain in the ASS!!

[@seana806]

When you have experience, it’s fairly quick to do. While it may be somewhat of a challenge to change the belt, it didn’t need to be done all that often compared to the motor couplers on the direct drives which had a tendency of going out from time to time.

[@Maxxarcade]

Are you guys gonna use that as your daily driver now, or just for fun? Sure runs smooth!

[@spatsbear]

The Speed Queen pair will still be the daily driver, but we've been using the Kenmore a lot moreso at the moment. And now that the belt and motor have broken in, it is really smooth with even better woowoos.

[@EmersonCollie]

Now, it really IS, 100% restored. Can't beat getting a hold of a new old stock motor. That's awesome. "In the box dust" I like that new saying. lol

[@spatsbear]

JUST LIKE IN REAL LIFE!

[@IAmNotAFunguy]

Is that the permanent spot for the machine? What about the matching dryer?

[@spatsbear]

That is the permanent spot, and the room is planned to be finished off starting this fall.

[@jeffreyhickman3871]

Yesss 👍!! Like 👍it VERY MUCH!! Wig-Wag noise, just after 16:21. Your friend, Jeff.

[@CrestwoodRocks]

didn't the other motor worked? I don't think all washers made woo woo sounds. I also think it varied on model.

[@user-oq5bv8ue4c]

The woo-woo sound on the newer Whirlpool/Kenmore washers were a bit quiet compared to the older models. My Mom had a 1967 Whirlpool Imperial Mark XII. That machine left you know it was running! You could hear the woo-woo upstairs. Back then, you could tell what kind of washer was running because they all had their own voice, weather if it was a Westinghouse, Whirlpool, GE, Frigidaire, Speed Queen, Norge or Maytag. It was like music to my ears. Now they make everything so damn quiet . I don't trust an appliance that doesn't make noise.

[@gregoryestrada3698]

Will you sell the old motor that came from loreans furniture?

[@bubbaherrera5079]

NO THE MOTOR IS NOT FROM GE IT MADE BY THE WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION

[@spatsbear]

BUBBA HERRERA Then why does it have the GE logo on it???

[@BettySkettie]

♥

[@umajunkcollector]

Ironic how it had a GE motor in a Whirlpool, and now Whirlpool owns GE. But RCA / GE goes way back to when Thomas Edison was alive. When was Whirlpool RCA?

[@Joemil271]

umajunkcollector Whirlpool was rca back in the 60s i think

[@patcola7335]

joe m 1956-1966-67

[@doctorfeinstone6524]

Whirlpool does not own GE

[@doctorfeinstone6524]

My best friend's mom had an RCA washer when I was younger and it was identical to a GE filter flo but without the recirculation

[@umajunkcollector]

All now under Whirlpool: Amana, GE, Hotpoint, Kenmore, Kitchenaid, Roper, Maytag, and perhaps Westinghouse or Admiral. Not Whirlpool: Frigidaire, Bosch, Miele, LG, Samsung, and other Euraisian brands.

[@Joemil271]

That’s how to wash clothes. Not like the garbage of today

[@spatsbear]

Exactly!

[@DLT142]

Facts