Tub seal & possibly bearing gone. A606

[fltcoils]

My daily driver, a harvest gold maytag A606 washer from 72-74 era (no perm press on dial, just soak) needs service. When filling the water pours out of the cast alum boss where the transmission attaches to the tub. And the transmission is not happy either, won't agitate well. That explains the puddle of black water on the floor (black?).

Of course this is a great place to find reference material.

Kenny if you are around the home of champions and automatic timers this weekend, might you have time to offer moral support? I figure I can either fix this A606 or reassemble my 1-18 to get going again. The mechanicals of the 1-18 are done, just need to lube the bellows and shaft oring seal and do it.

I've had this A606 washer apart before to replace the tub seal (1987), and another time apart to rebuild the transmission (1999), replaced motor (2008). Funny thing in all this, I got this dependable maytag from my mom in 1987, she is still using the "new" 1987 direct drive whirlpool from then, the whirlpool hasn't had a single problem yet.

Anyhow, I think I need to at a minimum replace the tub seal and flush/refill the transmission (with what?). I'm afraid if I wait the water in the transmission will cause corrosion damage.

1)??pour hot water on agitator to get it loose? Just pulling on it didn't work, and any hot water will quickly be running past my feet so....I can try while tip toeing about in the hot puddle. Any other recommendations for this step 1?

2) I think the transmission is flooded as well, I even see the cork from the lower pulley coming loose....

on the brighter side, the front, lid and tub cover/band came off easily enough, and the lint filter was clean (ha ha).

That's it for now, gotta goto the landraumat to get whites de-soaped.

 

[qsd-dan]

I posted just about all of the available info for rebuilding these units in the following link.

Maytag Washer Model A702 - parts needed

Hi all, Hopefully somebody out there has some ideas on where I can find parts for a vintage Maytag Model YA702 (a/k/a Model A702) clothes washer. It had been working hard until a couple of years ago when it started to spit oil all over the floor. Called Maytag and they said keep using it until...

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[qsd-dan]

Tub bearing and stem/seal replacement

Changing a Maytag tub bearing and seal: A how to...

Recently, Dan wanted me to show him the steps on changing a Maytag Dependable Care platform tub bearing and seal on his HA806 that I gave him. What we here at the shop call a 'stem and boot job'. There has been interest expressed on my possibly sharing that with all of you. In the interests of...

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[qsd-dan]

Getting the agitator off without a puller can be extremely difficult if it hasn't been removed in several decades. Since I don't have a puller, I usually end up destroying the agitator and cry to RCD. He then pulls one out for me or turns me loose on the haul away pile when I'm in his neck of the woods. I'm very fortunate!

 

[scrubflex]

Dan and guys,

are there any threads available for removing the Maytag motor and slide carriage kit? Or, cleaning the carriage, relubing and replacing the tension springs?

 

[fltcoils]

Heating the agitator

Because of the leak, I'm trying to heat the agitator without creating more dribbles.

A while back I found my ceramic space heater outlet temperature was 180F. Since this is about the temp of the hot water on agitator treatment, I'm trying that.

 

[fltcoils]

Tools and ideas

Here is my idea for a agitator remover, if the jbweld holds.

Also here is my home made nut spanner.

 

[fltcoils]

Homemade agitator remover

With help from my spouse I switched from a trailer tire innertube, to using a 27" bike innertube.

That plus the hot water inside the agitator eventually worked.

 

[fltcoils]

Stuffed plugs into agitator to hold water

You can see in the pic the 8 wads of cloth stuffed into the agitator to allow the hot water to stay inside.

 

[fltcoils]

How did water get on the spline?

Seeing the agitator I'm wondering how water got up into the spline. The shape has an air bubble to protect it, and there is the agitator keeper ring. So I'm not sure what went wrong and allowed water up into the agitator.

This view shows the bottom of the agitator spline that seals on the ring, and against the shaft seal?

 

[qsd-dan]

Whoa, check your agitator for any crack along the base. That's too much rust build-up for a good seal, especially if the machine had previous work done only 10 years ago.

Congrats on getting the agitator out without damaging it! The shaft can be saved of you use some fine sandpaper on it, followed by a couple coats of zinc. Apply some Vaseline, or equivalent, to the shaft before you re-install the agitator.

 

[fltcoils]

The boot seal and shaft seal were fine

I cleaned up the boot seal, carbon face seal and shaft seal. There were no breaks in them and they seemed to still be supple.

I'm at a loss to understand where the leak came from.

The tub bearing has little side play, perhaps 5 or 10/1000s. The agitator shaft has some side play as well, but again only 5 or 10/1000s.

So where is/was the leak coming from that was running out from the tub seal/bearing area????

Right now I'm thinking the rusty spline contributed somehow.

 

[qsd-dan]

I have taken apart several Maytags that have leaked (usually the ones that have sat for years without use) and scratched my head as there were no obvious reason(s) for the leak.

Looks like the transmission gasket has been throwing some oil. I quit using the gasket for the trans halves and now use a high quality RTV after a good wipe down with some brake cleaner. It'll probably be a bitch getting it to separate in 30+ years, but oil won't ever leak past the gasket and make a mess.

 

[fltcoils]

Was agitating funny

When it was flooded I saw it would agitate 2 or 3 cycles fully, and then stop agitating and start to index.

That and the black color of the water and residue everywhere made me think that water had gotten into the transmission. So I'm prepared to open it up for cleaning and lubricant replacement.

Does the transmission simply pull up, or is there some attachment to the brake/pulley? I'm also expecting to take the brake loose, and change the damper pads.

 

[scrubflex]

CONGRATULATION!!! Fltcoils...

I cannot remover my agitator either, so I'll try your "homemade agitator remover" technique.

Now just to be sure, you stuff cloth in the agitator to keep the hot water to stay in the agitator base (skirt)? Was it boiling water and how much water did you use to fill the tub?

BTW, aren't you able to use rust remover to help dissolve the rust build-up on the agitator shaft?

 

[qsd-dan]

Does the transmission simply pull up

It pulls up and out of the brake package once you remove the stop lug from the bottom. Really easy. Replacing the damper pads would be a very wise decision, but you'll need to remove the brake package to do so which requires the brake tool.

I highly doubt you'll find water in the trans. The top shaft seals incredible well. I actually have 2 transmissions laying upside down in the trunk of my car from the last time I visited RCD. That was a month ago and they both haven't leaked a drop of oil.

 

[scrubflex]

Hey Dan, did you see my question about the rust remover?

If you do a transmission cleaning and lubricant replacement PLEASE post pics.

 

[dnastrau]

Rust remover

I have had great luck with Evapo-Rust for my restoration (see link). Rust is completely dissolved - no sanding or scraping which just removes more material. I'd soak the splines on the shaft with this... The only thing is it needs to stay wet with the solution to work.

The Best Rust Remover | Quick & Easy with CRC's Evapo-Rust®

CRC's Evapo-Rust® Heavy Duty Rust Remover will remove rust to bare metal in minutes without scrubbing. It is also biodegradable and reusable!

www.evapo-rust.com

 

[combo52]

MT WASHER WATER LEAK

The water leak was leaking down around the rusty agitator shaft going over the transmission and spraying on the inside of the cabinet. It was also running down to the damper area and into the brake assembly causing the indexing during wash. The washer can be fixed but its a lot of work if you are sentimental about this washer I would start with the guts of a much better condition donor machine MTs are all over the place for almost nothing especially if the cabinet is ruffed up. That said you need a new agitator shaft damper pads and maybe brake package and radial bearing because of all the water that gotten in that area. The replacement agitator shaft seal is a lip type seal and it needs a perfect shaft for any long term durability you can't sand it down and re-zink it. The transmission gasket is not leaking the black stain inside the cabinet is from dirty water that leaked through the seal area. The tub bearing should be ok just clean it up and add plenty of light machine oil to the top when reassembling.You may also need to replace or at least re-polish the bottom of the aluminum damper cashing if its gotten corroded. It needs to be pretty darn perfect or the new damper pads won't last long.Good luck and thanks for sharing all the pictures and your experiences disassembling your washer.