Maytag A207 washer leaving spots on clean clothes

[jed10947]

I have a 1974 Maytag A207 washing machine that has worked great for over 40 years! Recently it has begun leaving grease/tar like spots on washed clothes and I have occasionally found lumps of a tarlike substance in the wash tub. Is this material somehow entering the wash tub through the perforations? Does it just need to be run through a tub cleaning cycle, or is some mechanical component beginning to break down that would explain the presence of a grease/tar like residue?

Many thanks for your input!

 

[brucelucenta]

Never heard of a Maytag doing this before. The old Norge solid tub machines were famous for doing that when the seal under the agitator block went out. Used to pump oil and grease all over the clothes. Have seen a GE washer do that once too.

 

[peterh770]

My 806 just started doing this too... I figure it is time for a rebuild, but I don't have the time... Free to a good home!

 

[delaneymeegan]

 

 

 

If it's not the workings of the washer, such as leaking oil from the transmission, it could be gunk that's built up on the tub that's breaking free and settling on clothes.  One need ask then, what do you wash, or what have you washed in the past?

 

It could also be your water supply, or aging plumbing system.

 

[bendixmark]

Spots

Pull the agitator off and see if crud is coming from the top of the stem.

 

[brucelucenta]

Hate to mention it, but there is a lint filter in the center of the agitator. I have heard of people not realizing that and it filling with lint and gunk and getting stuff on the clothes too. I have actually gotten a hold of one or two that I don't believe the lint filter was ever pulled out.

 

[goatfarmer]

^^what he said^^

 

[jed10947]

Thanks for the feedback.
I clean the lint filter after every load and the plumbing system is all newer copper piping. I have to think it is something mechanical that is failing or that the tub needs to be cleaned. I would hate to have to get rid of the machine, but I cannot have it ruining clothes either. Has anyone ever tried a washing machine tub cleaner? I have done minor repairs on it in the past (fill tube gasket, water inlet valve, and wash timer), but don't know how involved a repair for this issue would be or who could do it.

 

[brucelucenta]

If it were myself, I would take the machine apart. At least the inner tub out and clean it up good along with the inner tub and agitator. I just don't know what could be making the spots on clothes. There really isn't anything that I know of that could do that. It is made in such a way that transmission grease cannot pump it's way on to the clothes. Some of the other machines that is not the case.

 

[ea56]

Back in 1981 I had a new Maytag Fabricmatic that I had a similar problem with after I had been using it for several months. Turns out towels that I had used for "personal" needs and had vaseline on them had left a build up of the petroleum jelly on the underside if the agitator. I found this out by removing the agitator and there was a build up of a dark gray grease like substance on the inside surface of the agitator. I had been using warm water and All powder, or Rinso for my laundry at the time( I'm ashamed to admit I was so ignorant about using Hot water for these items). Apparently, when I would wash whites with hot water small amounts of the vaseline build up was breaking away and floating up into the wash water causing the stains on the clothes. It only happened when I did whites, and at the time I only used hot water for whites. I cleaned off the agitator thoroughly and from then on used Hot water for washing towels and switched to Tide powder, problem solved.

Before tearing the whole machine apart I would first try removing the agitator and look at the underside to see if there is any grease like coating and clean it off if there is some. Then I would fill the washer to max water level with hot water and run a full cycle with a good detergent and a cup of LCB( you might even want to stop the machine during the wash portion of the cycle and let the hot water, detergent and bleach set there for an hour or two) . This may take care of your problem.
Eddie[this post was last edited: 6/6/2016-15:56]