GE Canister suction

[lillylux]

Hello all! I recently acquired a General Electric canister style vacuum cleaner, 1956 model I believe. I tested it. The motor runs and sounds very healthy; but it has virtually no suction. If I remove the cloth bag leaving the paper, it has some suction--but I am certain that it was much greater at one time. What procedures might be done or recomended to bring this GE back to its original prowess. It is a very nice canister and a lovely dark pink with an attachment cart caster base. Thanks!





Nina/Lilly

 

[kenkart]

One of the things that can happen...

First, Tighten all the phillips head screws inside around the motor cover, then look to see if the gasket under the lid is ok, it seals to the metal cover that sets on top of the rim of the cloth bag, if its not a tight fit, you will lose suction.

 

[bnsd60m9200]

if it's a GE swivel top (also went by the name roll around in the mid 50's) and it has a woven hose. there's your problem. if it has low airflow/ suction without the hose, the motor service is likely needed.

Will Hemb

 

[lillylux]

I will check out these points guys. I'll let ya know. It really is a lovely machine!

 

[lillylux]

Well, I took a look at the metal gasket and it seemed to be upside down. So I cleaned the cloth bag with another vacuum cleaner (Electrolux RC) and shook as much dirt as I could out of the paper insert. I am going to do a more thorough cleaning it up, but I was fiddling around to see If I could use your advise above...and it really helped and thanks! It does not have a hose so I had to rig another hose to do the job for now, but I definitely got more suction from the end of the hose--more typical of an old machine anyway.
If anyone has any further suggestions as to rebuilding this machine well, I would appreciate it.


Nina