Kirby G Series machines

[kirbyvacuum]

Diamond G

Hi Andrew What a BEAUTIFUL Kirby I have the g 3,4,5,6,. I would have to say i love the way they clean the rugs our carpet is very thick with the power drive on it just sails throught the place. I use to use my Heritage 2 it is ok but MUCH HARDER TO PUSH. As far as color goes on the G series i love the Diamond first then the G3,5,6. Take care Doug

 

[ohio_tuec]

Actually, I just took a look at my G4, and all the vents are exposed. My Generation 3 as well. No, this was something they had to have done later on, maybe starting with the G6 or Ultimate G. Ordinarily, they usually ADD a set a vents when they make the machine more powerful (as they did in the case of the Dual Sanitronic 80 - It has additional vents the Sanitronic didn't have). When they beefed up the engines on later Volkswagen Beetles (1970-up) they received an additional set of louvers on the engine lid. Course then I had a devil of a time keeping small leaves and other debris out of the engine bay.

 

[tristar]

Hmmm........I do know that my G3 was rebuilt at some point in it's life, so perhaps it's a modified pan. I have to wonder if one of the reasons they blocked off some of the louvers is to keep it from blowing stuff away from the cleaner? The Generations have a nasty habit of blowing debris such as fur and leaves away from the left side of the machine while you're using it...

 

[briankirbyclass]

I own a Hair Salon that is completly carpeted,,even under the hydraulic chairs at the work stations (With rubber mats directly under the chairs.
( i have an eversion to cold,bare floors,,am just a carpet kind of guy)
I bought a G4 to use in the salon, when they first came out, and soon found out i could not use it in the salon for vacuuming the carpets, as the exhaust blew the hair away from the machine, before i could vacuum it up! Was VERY frustrating.
Too bad, but i solved the problem by trading the G4 for a Heritage 2, with the G Series top fill tube installed, so that i could use the G series Micro bags in it. Also had a more agressive brushroll installed in the Heritage 2, which makes it very easy to push and manuver,,and grabs up every last hair on the floor without blowing it away from the machine.
Works like a charm!

 

[thermokid]

Diamond Edition side air vents etc.

Kirby cut off some of the sidevents starting on the Diamond Edition. The reason being was like Tristar said to keep the motor exhaust from blowing stuff away from the Kirby. The other improvements Kirby made on this machine were they slowed down the transmission(the reason for this was because the previous G series Kirby's would hop across the floor when they were pushed to fast.) Especially on Berber carpet so they slowed it down and now the machine glides slowly over the carpet without hopping. All Kirby did was make the gears on the outside of the transmission larger so it changed the gear ratio.They also made the brushroll stiffer.And the extra switch was to slow down the motor as using it on oriental rugs etc. I have never used the switch on my Diamond Edition yet. I changed all the outside transmission gears on all my G series machines. Now they work great.( I got my info about these changes when I worked in California as a service manager for a large Kirby Distributor. That was my dream job of a lifetime... My Kirby Diamond Edition is my Daily Driver. Nothing Sucks Like a Kirby!!!!

 

[ohio_tuec]

Thanks for the info Dan. What you are saying makes alot of sense. Although it might have been better for them to move the vents to another section of the machine. I'm not so sure that the problem of commutator burnout was not related to lack of ventilation. I never found the Tech Drive to be as "herky-jerky" as the Hoover Power Drive. Even on the WindTunnel, it really hasn't improved much in all these years, and quite honestly, I'm not sure the weight it adds to the machine when it's not running makes it an asset. I would love to see Kirby offer a non power-drive machine (maybe retro-styled) based on the old 500 series for those who don't want the added weight.

 

[riccarlover]

Dan...

is 110% right!!! I use my G4 on the berber and it bounces like a jack-rabbit!!! I like to use the Kirby espically on berber because it's difficult to clean. I also end up taking it in ever year or so to get it tuned-uped from all the bouncing and works WONDERFUL afterwards.
Clayton

 

[swiveltop]

"The generations have a nasty habit of blowing leaves away from the left side of the machine", Maybe you should rake before vacuuming. LOL

 

[123go]

Late to the party but hey I'm here...

I just bought a second G series to use in the basement. Yaaay' no more carrying down stairs with a bad back here.
I had the (G6) and bought a second Kirby (G3) for $20 at a yard sale not long ago. Needed some TLC like a handle pivot assembly mainly, so for ($32.50) I got a brand new one off ebay to keep handle from falling and possibly breaking.
I read it is common on the G3 since they have plastic pins in the assembly instead of metal like all other G's idk?
Had some excess noise so while in there cleaning it up I replaced it's old worn down lexan fan with the Kevlar version I ordered so another ($12). Noise was a penny inside the case though...lol

My total investment cost so far has been $64.49 (-1 Penny) found inside it. The brush roller wasn't even touching the carpet so it needed adjusted to #2 setting and that was it on repairs. So I spent a little time/cash on it but well worth it all for me to have a perfectly operating Kirby. Not a show machine by any means but a great work horse. I've used it several times so far and it does absolutely wonderful.
I cleaned it up the best I could in/out and if not for the 2 deep scratches on the aluminum light cover it would be a very nice shiney unit. Easy fix so I may find a used one cheap someday?

I'm just posting on this old blog because I didn't know until reading here that Kirby blocked the vents off later on? I thought about applying thick scotch pad inside on the the vents of my G6 to slow the air down but never did. Never thought about blocking it off completely but I just might now?
Also' it's correct that although the G3 trans is rather jerky it really does pull better than any other G models I've used,I like that about it. Sort of like my Wheel Horse tractor, better hold on to it on takeoff...lol
Though I don't visit here as often as I'd like, thank you all for a great site here.
Take care!!

 

[sptyks]

You had better NOT block or slow down the airflow from the side vent of a G series Kirby. Doing so will cause the motor to overheat and burn out. The air coming out of the side vent is the exhaust of the cooling fan inside the motor housing. This air is what cools the motor. DO NOT block it off!