Maytag A606 Washer - Working, but....

[echolane]

I am the original owner of a Maytag A606 Washing Machine, purchased in May 1973. I think it has had one repair in all those years and that was so long ago, I can't remember what it was for. More recently, in 2006, my husband replaced a belt when the clothes weren't spinning as dry as they should.

So here is the problem: It is still working, sounds fine, etc., but my clothes just don't seem as clean as they should. For example, socks with bits of garden debris, like bark bits, or soil bits, still have these same bits clinging to them when they come out of the wash. I could go on with other examples, but the point is it just doesn't seem to be working as hard at getting my clothes clean as it used to. I've checked and the washer is definitely agitating the clothes. It is set on "regular", not "gentle". Could the agitator have slowed down? If so, why? Is there anything we could do to get it to work a little harder at getting our clothes clean again?

I have a lot of respect for this old washer and I 'd like to keep it going, so any advice greatly appreciated!

Jan

 

[laundromat]

Jan, you should try to lift the lid and press a piece of cardboard behind it where the lid switch is so you can see what is going on. Your agitator has threading that holds it in place. Sometimes,especially at this one's age, these plastic "Teeth" ware out and the agitator needs to be replaced.I have one here (the larger one for the larger tubs)and could send it out if you need it.I always remove the back panel of the control backsplash and pull the lid switch wires splicing them together so the machine no longer stops when you open its lid.I always hated the Maytags due to that feature. Other brands like Frigidaire, Westinghouse and Whirlpool would at least agitate with the lids open.The Maytags and GE/Hotpoints didn't do anything once the lid was open.email me at ([email protected]) if you need the agitator.

 

[mixfinder]

Garden Bits

The motor carriage rides on small nylon wheels and tension is applied with two springs.  It sounds like the motor may not be sliding freely which makes the washer agitate slowly, if at all.  It will all be revealed if you push in the plastic lid switch and watch the washer as it cycles.

 

[pdub]

Silly Question:

Is the lint filter in the center post of the agitator being kept clean? Some people forget about this and if it's clogged, that could be why your clothes are still dirty.

 

[echolane]

Lint Filter

My lint filter is clean. I clean it every time I wash clothes. And once in a while I clean out the pinholes that tend to get clogged. Those little holes are only 10-20% clogged right now, so I don't think that is the problem. Jan

 

[echolane]

It's such a pain, isn't it, that the Maytag stops agitating when you lift the lid? I can hardly wait to undo those pesky wires when we pull the machine out to take a look - what a stupid idea!

So I have pushed in that little switch behind the lid so I can watch the agitator. As far as I can tell, it agitates just fine. I don't suppose there is any way to measure whether it is agitating at "full force", except, as I've noted, to repeat again that my clothes don't seem to be getting as clean as they used to.

If I ask my husband to pull out the washer, what shall we look for?
1. Would we have to unthread the agitator to see if those teeth are worn, missing?
2. How can we tell whether the motor carriage is riding properly on the nylon wheels and has the proper tension?

 

[mixfinder]

Check The Drain

Check to be sure the drain hose is not kinked and there is free flow for quick draining.  Sometimes this can cause greying or clothes finishing the cycle less than perfect.

 

[polkanut]

Hey Kelly,

 Glad to see you back!  How's Mom & Dad?

 

[akronman]

Maytag Motor and agitator

When your machine is stopped, end of cycle, empty, you should barely be able to turn the agitator by hand more than maybe an inch in either dirction, the belt tension and brakes should be holding it pretty well. If it moves relatively freely, that's a sign of worn out splines inside the base of the agitator where it meets the transmission shaft. If it seems pretty darn hard to move, as if you're working against the motor and brakes and tranny, that's a good sign, leave it alone.

Motor mounts---with the front panel removed and washer turned off, you should be able to push the motor towards the center of the machine by approximately a half inch, and springs and small visible wheels should pull it back to original position immediately. BE careful if you try with the machine in spin cycle. You'll hurt yourself with the heavy tranny spinning inches away, you won't hurt the machine. Again, it should change the sound of everything and immediately spring/roll back to it's original position. If not, the springs and 4 wheel and special lube are usually under $10 on Ebay. There is no other tension adjustment for the agitator belt, just these springs and wheels. Maybe your husband replaced the pump belt, now it's time for this one? The agitator belt is EXACTLY MAYTAG SPECIFIC, available on Ebay for under $30, don't replace it with any other belt.

The pump belt is pretty darn loose, isn't as specific to Maytag only, and there are 3 small bolts from pump bottom thrugh the base of the machine that allow you to slide the pump closer/further from the motor by about 1/2 inch. Press both halves of the belt together under the machine, with normal hand pressure they should stay about 1/4 inch from each other.

There are plenty of pros on this website, keep checking back for other and often better advice.

And with any washer, trick that lid switch and watch/listen to an entire cycle of a normal full load. Does the agitator stay in a very steady rhythm throughout the agitation or does it seem to slip at times? Does the tub stay in place or turn? It shouldn't move more than maybe 1/2 inch back/forth as the agitator strokes back and forth. Is drain water as speedy and fast out the hose as you always remember? When spin draining, it starts somewhat slow since it's full of heavy water and clothes, then once the pump catches up and the weight of 90% of water is gone, a minute or so, spin speed should noticeably improve. These are signs of good belts.

Also, under the base of the machine, there should be no grease or oil on or near those pulleys, the belts will slip when it isn't intended. Maytag relies heavily on the exact MAYTAG belts, and properly installed they work well for decades.

Like I said, keep checking back here for a few days, lots of folks with LOTS more experience than me are happy to make suggestions.

 

[laundromat]

For good maintanance,I replace my two belts,both inlet hoses and the jet spray tube every five years.It makes sense and lengthens the long life of the true Maytags.The Jet Spray is in two parts on the upper/under left edge of the top. You release the clamp that holds it in place and remove the plastic cone shaped tube out of the rubber,sock like cover. I usually replace them both but,you can normally get away with just replacing the rubber tube.Once in place,replace the clamp and then tilt the washer back and remove the two existing belts. One goes from the motor to the trans and the other goes from the motor to the pump.Old belts wear and get loose and skip as the pulley spins to either agitate or spin.This too could be the cause of your dilemma.The hot and cold water hoses are crucial and should,no matter what brand of washer you have, be replaced every five years. Just like the jet spray,the rubber wears and stretches making the hoses weak enough to burst and cause some serious flood issues.

Are you using any special type of detergent you have been using all along or have you switched or just buy what's on sale?? Liquid or powder? that too could be a cause and raise the red flag as far as cleanliness goes.I know for a fact that many of the detergents we all know and love have changed their own formulas drastically.I,myself,use Gain with Bleach liquid or powder in my front loading Frigidaire Affinity.It gets everything clean but,it is what it is. That is, a front loading washer. Not a top loading one like the Maytag you have.

 

[goatfarmer]

It's really not a "stupid" idea to keep the wires on the lid switch hooked up. For one thing, it stops the machine should it go unbalanced. It also keeps young hands out of the machine when it's running, should that be a concern. All to see the agitator go back and forth. But do what ya gotta do....

It's possible that the grease in the transmission has hardened over the years. That might cause it to not agitate correctly.

 

[echolane]

Thanks so much everyone for your advice. I spent a lot of time the past two days watching my washing machine agitate, and quite honestly, I can't find anything wrong with what is doing. The tub doesn't move more than a little bit during agitation. The agitator looks to be working back and forth almost 1/3 to 1/2 a turn each time and it does so in a consistent way throughout the wash and rinse cycles.

So I have a hard time justifying pushing my husband into opening things up when nothing seems obviously wrong.

the other thing I might do is to change detergents. I'm using a so-called "green" detergent instead of my old standby Tide, and perhaps that is part of the problem.

So thanks again everyone; this is a really great resource!

Jan

 

[mrb627]

Proper Agitation

Here is a machine agitating properly.

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Malcolm

 

[echolane]

Super video demonstration - Thanks! Wish my memory were perfect, but it's not. But from what I *do* remember, I don't think my machine is agitating quite that vigorously. Which means I'll have to redo my agitation test. Won't be able to do that for a few days....

One other thing is really obvious from your video - I don't see any soap suds when my machine is agitating. As I said, I'm using one of the so-called "green" detergents, EOS is the name. I have to wonder if the detergent I'm using is the real culprit of my "dirty clothes" problem.

Jan

 

[appnut]

Jan, what waterr temperature are you washing all your laundry in?  If it's always cold, that could be a contributor.  Also, buy a small package of regular (non-green) landry detergent and see if that improves cleaning.  wouldn't surprise me at all. 

 

Kinda memorize the above video and see if your machine is agitating comparbly.  If not, the combination of the green detergent, cold water, and less than normal agitatio can all be contributors.

 

 

 

[echolane]

I wash almost everything on the "warm" water setting.

I agree, good idea to go try a non-green detergent again. I used Tide for many years; I'll put some on my grocery list.

Meanwhile, we are in a major rain cycle here (again!) and since I make every effort to use a solar dryer (clothesline!), I'm going to wait for some better weather before I use the washer again. So later.....