Maytag Trans Oil

[DigAPony]

Accidently posted previously on this subject in the Deluxe forum.

Anyway, I finally picked up a gallon jug of NAPA GL-1 90wt. mineral gear oil yesterday, (part# 65-210), $14 +tax. I plan to use this for an upcoming A806 transmission rebuild.

They had Sta-Lube GL-4 gear oil also ($12 qt) but it had a strong sulfur odor which the Maytag trans oil does not. Therefore, I suspect the Maytag trans oil is probably GL-1 or GL-2 type gear lube repackaged in a Maytag bottle with a hefty markup.

The NAPA gear oil label states: "For use in cretain automotive, agricultural and industrial applications, gearboxes and transmissions where a non-extreme pressure gear lubricant is specified".

I would say a washer trans falls in that category. However, I'm still not sure whether the factory Maytag oil is 90 or 140wt. I'm thinking 140wt, but that can be even harder to find.

 

[DigAPony]

Answered my own question with a little more digging, seems 90wt. is the correct viscosity.

See link:

Revisit Maytag A606 Agitator removal

Well fellas, I've managed to break down my A606 to the point of finding my agitation whoa's. The 4-groove pin that retains the agitation pinion gear broke (only half of it) and got itself wedged between the housing and the intermediate gear. I've been able to find almost all the parts to back me...

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[beekeyknee]

GL numbers

Hi Dig,

I suppose you could be right about the Sta-Lube gear oil. It does have quite a whiff. According to the information on the back of the container, the Sta-Lube API/GL-4 is OK for copper/bronze non-ferrous alloy bearings and bushings, so I went with it. I could have done what Dan said and went with the real thing. It's in my mothers Maytag trans. now. I guess time will tell. I hope it's OK. I don't want to open that b#*%h up again. LOL.

It's nice to know that there's still some oils out there with different GL ratings. I don't know if a Maytag trans. is considered a low pressure mechanism or not. Somehow I don't think so after the galling I've seen on some of the gears.

But then again, you may be right. I don't know what the Maytag trans. oil looks or smells like; at least the new bottles. Is it still dark brown and stinky or clearish/green and relatively odorless? Can't anybody identify this oil? After all, oil is oil. It doesn't mater what bottle it comes in. What's in it?

Brian[this post was last edited: 10/14/2012-23:10]

 

[DigAPony]

Doubtful new Maytag oil comes out of the bottle brown and stinky, unless a sulfur odor, which would be normal for extreme pressure lubes. Probably just the result of 30-40 years of age and oxidation.
However, the galling makes me question the quality of the original oil, why replace it with the same stuff.
On the other hand, perhaps the gears were rough cut to begin with.

The GL-4 certainly has good anti-wear protection but who knows what that would do to the bronze lug washer and how that may affect operation over time.

 

[combo52]

Maytag Washer Transmission Oil

It used to come out of the bottle brown and fairly thick, I gave up buying the real stuff 25 years ago, we always joked that it looked like something that was a byproduct of the Newton sewage plant, we used to also joke that about the poor quality rubber hoses that MT used as they must have been made of some waste products from the factory. There would have been no other reason that a drain hose would have needed to be that thick and stiff.

 

[tolivac]

The Maytag transmission oil almost seems to be the same thing as the gear oil we use in the large coil gearmotors for the GE transmitters.The coil tubs and contacts are moved by 3 large GE DC gearmotors-1 Hp.check the gearcase oil level each monthly PM.Since these motors only run intermittently for a few minutes during frequency change and tuneup-the oil doesn't get much wear.the coil tubs and contacts do,along with jackscrews and their nuts.Had to replace one last week.Messy job.

 

[beekeyknee]

No Dig, the gears weren't rough cut to begin with. Straight cut, yes. But not rough cut. The segment gear moves back and forth over the same side of the agitator drive shaft pinion and wears it, at least in a heavily used machine. The opposite side of the pinion will be smooth.

 

[dnastrau]

GL-4 oil and yellow metals (bronze)

As a person that owned quite a few VW cars in the past, I am familiar with the concern regarding yellow metals and gear oils. VW always recommended GL-4 oils for the gearboxes in my cars instead of GL-5. I have read that this is specifically to protect the bronze synchronizers in the gearbox. Based on this, I think you are fine using a GL-4 oil in a Maytag transmission. It will probably have a lot more anti-wear and anti oxidation additives in it when compared to the OEM Maytag oil since automotive gearboxes undergo a lot more stress and heat than a washing machine gearbox does.

 

[lebron]

"Dig a Pony" :0 Awesome username! Good luck with your Maytag

 

[DigAPony]

I'm still going back and forth on this issue simply because once its all buttoned back up I can't just change my mind, open a drain plug and dump it out.

Now I'm thinking perhaps a straight 50 wt. heavy duty motor oil like Shell Rotella might be work? Not quite as harsh as a sulfurous gear oil but still pleny of anti-wear and other additives.
However, it is a detergent oil, not sure if thats the best thing for a closed gear box.

 

[beekeyknee]

50 wt. is not heavy enough for straight cut gears. The trans. will be noisy.

 

[DigAPony]

I believe straight 50wt. motor oil has the approximately the same viscosity as 90wt. gear oil.
Anyway, its super hard to find without buying a case so probably not an option.