My shirts have an oily smell lately.

[2packs4sure]

My 1978 Maytag A-308 is working fine as usual but, My shirts have an oily smell lately.

Maybe it's my imagination. There is no staining at all.

Just a faint smell of oil.

Any thoughts?

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Does your washer smell of oil also?

 

[kenmoreguy89]

I mean, if you raise lid when  empty you can smell oily odors?

 

 

[2packs4sure]

I can't smell it in the tub and the tub is not oily at all.

I've heard of old Maytags putting oil stains on clothes, maybe this smell is the very beginning.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Do not know much of Maytags but my GE used to have oily smell once when I discovered a small oil leak under the agitator on the shaft, oil ran all over the inside of agitator making it black, I just lightly pushed the seal back in place with an hammer  and leak stopped, and still working fine, but maytags have different drive  shaft assembly so not sure where you have to check.....
The first  test for an oil leak  without taking tub apart I think would be to fill washer with warm to hot  water only (no detergents) would be good  if after a rinse to avoid dust  or  fresh softener residues being confused for oil,   and let water to set for awhile, if you will see then a little layer of oily water it means a little oil is getting in the tub, not much to stain your clothes so much yet but it may get worse....
Not sure where you have to check on a maytag for oil seals though....

[this post was last edited: 9/21/2012-17:10]

 

[kenmoreguy89]

My leak  I think was due to machine that was putted upside down to be fixed a month before usually oil cannot reach that high, anyway GE FF have another seal just under the basket blocks, if it breaks woul be total panic as water would enter in transmission first and push oil out, also ruin tranny.
Will search for you in searchalator  trying to find something similar to your prob.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

here someting about leaks is said:

Maytag a107a Slow Agitation

Hello everyone, Great forum! I couldn't find an answer to my exact problem. I use the normal cycle. The A107a will start agitation slow, but if I lift the lid to restart the agitation, each time it gets progressively faster until its "like normal". I could be lifting the lid 10+ times it...

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[2packs4sure]

Thanks for all the effort.

When i get home i'm gonna fill it up with hot water and let her run then sit awhile then check it.

 

[2packs4sure]

No matter what the problem is i'm going to fix it.

Every newer appliance i have is junk.

I bought this one used in 1986, in 2000 i did belts and hoses and that's all it's ever needed.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Yes of course! Maybe it is nothing but a bad combination of detergent+softener getting an oily smell...it may happends, if i use Dash powder when using my store brand softener I get a very strange smell reminding of oil! Really!
Anyway i can't do nothing but being with you , almost all of the washers they sell now are not worth to be called washers!

 

 

[kenmoreguy89]

As for all the others modern appliances now are junk, but this is well known!

 

[2packs4sure]

No, i've used the same stuff forever.

ALL Liquid and Bounce sheets, usually a half of a Bounce sheet.

The smell i'm getting reminds me of an old canvas backpack i had in the 70's.

It also reminds me of when i do an oil change and get some old oil on my clothes and hair.

Something's up.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Good luck!!!

 

[2packs4sure]

I think I need to get a MAYTAG shop manual that covers the A-308.

It's funny cause i was just bragging on it the other day to a friend that bought an LG front loader 5 years ago against my advice and it's OVER.

The thing is dead at 5 and my Maytag is 30 plus.

 

[strongenough78]

Check all around in where the motor and transmission are. Look for any signs of leaking that may not have made it out of the casing yet. The 1976 Whirlpool we had was starting to leave stains, and when it finally died, just from sitting there until it was hauled off there was a ring of oil that formed from under the agitator. I really wish I had the know how back then, and that I knew of this website then to be able to keep it running.

 

[qsd-dan]

If you can, try and see if the agitator will pull off. If you're lucky, it will. Check and clean around the stem and base of the agitator. Sometimes goobers will accumulate under there and build up.

 

Using liquid detergent, especially during consistent cold washes, will cause some build up to occur overtime. This is especially true if your cold washes are under 80F.

 

Buy a small case of powder detergent, crank up the water heater, and throw a good dose of powder detergent in the tub with some REALLY hot water.  Try and use the powder detergent every time you wash a load of whites, with of course, hot water. Hopefully, it'll clear itself.

 

[2packs4sure]

I'm ashamed to admit that i think i fiqured it out.

It's not the machine and it's not an oily smell....

It's me !

I quit smoking, i'm on the patch, and i think the patch is making me stink.

The best decription of the smell would be a shaved ape working at the JiffyLube.

 

[akronman]

noses

Been there, done that. Your nose will work very differently for a few months when you quit smoking. I can detect menthol versus regular cigarette smoke from 2 cars ahead of me going 35 miles per hour.

 

[qsd-dan]

I quit smoking, i'm on the patch

Congrats on your decision to quit smoking!