Turning my old, heavy duty top load washing machine into a high efficiency model

[Curmudgeoness]

2. A couple of things.

First, as long as your washer still works, and you are just looking for ways to save water, you can use other methods to wash your clothes, then just dump the wet clothes in the washer and spin it. I do that all the time when I have to wash wool sweaters or other things that I want to hand wash. You don't have to wring by hand, but you don't run the clothes through the wash.

Also, you can use off-brand laundry soap for much cheaper than brand names and they work just as well....at least for me.

I would not be willing to haul large loads of water from my basement to my upstairs toilet. Think of a better solution.