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Author Topic: DC01 loss of suction mystery  (Read 13051 times)

Offline cuzzo

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DC01 loss of suction mystery
« on: May 05, 2015, 12:19:44 pm »
My faithful old DC01 has finally baffled me. The motor is fine, if I remove the whole dustbox and cyclone  I can feel massive vacuum at orifice at the top of the main body where it sucks air from the cyclone but with the cyclone and cylinder in place there is hardly any worthwhile suction in the hose.
I have fitted new filters and even washed out the cyclone in case that was somehow clogged (though unable to dismantle cyclone and look inside), checked that the little valve operated by the accessories wand is not clogged.  Everything seems clear but I am at a loss to explain where the suction is being lost.
I really don't want to consign this brilliant machine to the recycling skip so has anyone any brilliant ideas?


Offline Sleaford White

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Re: DC01 loss of suction mystery
« Reply #1 on: May 05, 2015, 03:55:16 pm »
Remove the sole plate (3 screws). I've had loads of DC01's with blocked up cleaning heads.

Offline cuzzo

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Re: DC01 loss of suction mystery
« Reply #2 on: May 05, 2015, 04:26:30 pm »
Remove the sole plate (3 screws). I've had loads of DC01's with blocked up cleaning heads.

One of the first places I checked I'm afraid and in any case if the soleplate were blocked there would be no reason for the hose to lose suction.  This one is a real mystery.

Offline MVacs

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Re: DC01 loss of suction mystery
« Reply #3 on: May 05, 2015, 04:40:46 pm »
Look at the little rubber flap that the bottom of the wand pushes. If when the hose is removed, it isn't sealing, it will cause loss of suction to the hose/wand.

Offline cuzzo

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Re: DC01 loss of suction mystery
« Reply #4 on: May 05, 2015, 04:50:58 pm »
Yes a good place to check but I'm afraid that it operates quite as expected and there is no rubbish holding it open

Offline Parwaz7862

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Re: DC01 loss of suction mystery
« Reply #5 on: May 05, 2015, 10:55:26 pm »
Is the suction bad at the hose and at the cleaner head? If so, it's the main body's ducting that's clogged. Also, remove the soleplate and recling the vacuum. NEar the motor spindle there could be a blockage there and open the rectangular flap aswell t stick something in there to un clog it

Offline cuzzo

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Re: DC01 loss of suction mystery
« Reply #6 on: May 05, 2015, 11:06:37 pm »
Thanks for the suggestion but as I said, if I remove the dust cylinder and cyclone there is massive suction at that rectangular orifice near the top of the body. so I believe that there is no clogging around the motor. When I put the dust cylinder and cyclone back this suction does not appear at either the soleplate or the hose in any great measure.  Trouble is I can find nothing to suggest that the cyclone is bocked.  I had a good clean round the sole plate and the body of the machine but cannot fine any clogging or blockage.  It's a mystery where all this suction goes.  Are there seals between the cyclone and the body of the machine?

Offline Madrat

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Re: DC01 loss of suction mystery
« Reply #7 on: May 06, 2015, 12:05:47 am »
There are 3 round valves on the back of the cyclone, are these sealing or has the rubber hardened?  Check the rubber seals where the cyclone metes the body and the seal where the dust bin metes the cyclone.

Offline beko1987

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Re: DC01 loss of suction mystery
« Reply #8 on: May 06, 2015, 10:59:02 am »
+1 on the release valves. I'm building a de dtijl up for someone at the moment and it's missing a valve completely. For now, I taped over the whole area to make the machine useable, and the suction was dramatically improved just from doing this

You do have to be careful not to block the machine up though with the tape in place.

There is a seal that sits on the chassis of the machine (non removeable). Clean this up until it's black and squeaky again, and the mating face on the cyclone. There is an internal seal inside the cyclone, but I doubt that has been dislodged.

If you take the cyclone off, and remove the clear bin, there is (should be) a seal where the clear bin meets the cyclone top. Does it work any better with this clean? With the machine on and the cyclone on, if you push the bin up into the cyclone assembly (to push it onto this seal) is there any difference?

With the cyclone fitted, is there a difference in motor tone compared to the cyclone not being on? You may have to listen out for/block the release valves to be sure though, as these could open if there is a blockage...

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Offline cuzzo

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Re: DC01 loss of suction mystery
« Reply #9 on: May 06, 2015, 01:36:32 pm »
This is getting better than a John Le Carre novel and thank you to everyone who has taken the time to offer advice and suggestions.  Beko I have checked all your suggestions and all the seals seem fine.
OK the plot thickens: If I remove the bin and put my hand over the bottom of the cyclone I can feel bags of suction but if I put the bin back in place there is very little suction in the hose or the soleplate. My suspicion therefore fell upon the cyclone which I duly managed to remove (with a struggle) dismantled it,and sure enough the inside was farly well caked with muck.  I carefully washed, cleaned and dried all the parts and reassembled after checking that the sping loaded valves were clear. Full of expectation and with hose in hand I switched on and.....no improvement at the business end.
My conclusion? suction is either being lost at the seals between the cyclone and the body, OR the release valves are faulty OR there is something inside the body of the machine that I can't see that is letting air in.  What would George Smiley have done?

Offline beko1987

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Re: DC01 loss of suction mystery
« Reply #10 on: May 06, 2015, 01:42:05 pm »
(Had to google who George Smiley was...)

Short of fully stripping the business end down to check and clean, I'm not sure what else to suggest. Have you removed the hose from the machine and tried the suction there? You should see a white rubber gasket nestled underneath the top part of the housing with the hose off, but I can't see how that would be missing since it's clamped in by both halves of the motor  housing.

Badly tape over the release valves and check, at least it's a simple thing ticked off and if it's not that you can just peel the tape off.

With the feeble suction, if you block off the hose does the machine change pitch as it becomes fully blocked? If not then air is escaping...
Collector and restorer of vintage vacuums, Dyson Appreciator! Come and see my blog, where I am uploading all my mountains of brochures, manuals and other vacuum cleaner paperwork, and also my youtube channel @beko1987!

Offline cuzzo

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Re: DC01 loss of suction mystery
« Reply #11 on: May 06, 2015, 01:51:55 pm »
No, no change in pitch with the hose covered so there must be a leak somewhere.  I'll try taping off the valves but they look OK.
Thanks for your help.

Offline Parwaz7862

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Re: DC01 loss of suction mystery
« Reply #12 on: May 06, 2015, 04:25:31 pm »
Remove the soleplate and the belt and brush. Now recline the  vacuum with the cleaner head down. Switch the vacuum on and  see if the machine sounds healthy. If there is a little bit of dust in the bin or a ball of fluff it should spin. This indicates good airflow. If not, the main chassis is blocked. I suggest taking the cyclone off and then shining a torch down the rectangular rubber flap so that you can see down the tube.  If not, then just look down the tube as normal see if there is any light see through the hole where the dirt enter the bin.

Offline Baglessball

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Re: DC01 loss of suction mystery
« Reply #13 on: May 08, 2015, 04:34:50 pm »
Hello!

I don't know the correct terms so if this doesn't make much sense please question me about it!

On a few older DC01's I have noticed wear to the pivot point of the cleaner head and soleplate where it rests around the motor spindle.

Because there is sometimes play this area the the big seal in main body housing isn't effective as there end up being such a big gap between the the main body and the clean head/sole plate socket joint.

You can work this out pushing the cleaner head/sole plate up against this seal while the machine is in and test the hose suction. 

Has anyone else found this?

Offline Madrat

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Re: DC01 loss of suction mystery
« Reply #14 on: May 08, 2015, 05:31:35 pm »
Never experienced it myself but yes, your post reminded me that I have read about this, possible even on this site.

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