Turbine oil for WP BD washing machine ( early 1980's)

[merccougbird]

I was hoping some members could provide me with recommendations as to what type of Turbine Oil I should use, when it comes to the replacement of the spin tube bearings and seals ? I was sold a squeeze bottle of SUPCO oil ( labelled as "Turbine" oil ) - and I found on the internet it is available at a lot of locations ( Home Depot for example ). It has a viscosity of 92 - 98.
Also is it necessary to lubricate the agitator shaft ( inside the spin tube ) ? There is only the top seal, and I would think a lot of oil would just seep down the shaft and get onto the friction material in the basket brake mechanism, causing it to slip.
Thoughts on these two lubrication issues ? Thanks !!

 

[repairguy]

The turbine oil you bought is just fine. Yes the agitator shaft should be oiled as well. There is a seal under the agitator shaft bearing to keep the oil in place if the bearing has not worn to the point of ruining the seal.

 

[Sudster]

Zoom oil

Zoom spout

 

[maytag85]

I used Zoom Spout oil and grease on the bearings, spin tube, and agitator shaft on my 1963 RCA Whirlpool Imperial Mark XII and so far it seems to run a bit smoother and the agitator shaft isn’t as stiff when I acquired it back in July of 2020.

 

[jons1077]

Zoom Spout

John L and Jason use it liberally and so did I. Works like a charm on spin tubes and bearings and is safe for the seals. Turns a clunky old washer into a quiet and smooth machine.

 

[lowefficiency]

Zoom Spout is good stuff, but just make sure you have the right kind, as "Zoom Spout" is a trademark applied to several different types of oil.

The most common general-purpose type is about 10W equivalent. The "stainless", "white", or "lily white" Zoom Spout is much thinner though, only about a 5W equivalent, and is made for sewing machines and sergers/overlockers.

Likewise, tons of people use the standard (10W) Zoom Spout for oiling electric motors. But historically, electric motor oil was typically thicker, and many old books and manuals will call for 20W oil in this application. (I'm not aware of any Zoom-Spout type oilers in this viscosity.)

All three have their uses, so it's good to have some of each on hand!

 

[qsd-dan]

3-In-One has a 20 weight nondetergent/nonparaffin electric motor oil that works well. I use this when assembling the tub bearing on Maytags as well as other areas that require a thicker oil.

3-IN-ONE Motor Oil

Keep those small motors humming happily with this versatile motor lubricant.

www.3inone.com