Thread Number: 28159
Tub seal & possibly bearing gone. A606
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Post# 430758   4/23/2010 at 20:20 (5,088 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        

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.






Post# 430765 , Reply# 1   4/23/2010 at 21:32 (5,088 days old) by qsd-dan (West)        

qsd-dan's profile picture
I posted just about all of the available info for rebuilding these units in the following link.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO qsd-dan's LINK


Post# 430766 , Reply# 2   4/23/2010 at 21:33 (5,088 days old) by qsd-dan (West)        

qsd-dan's profile picture
Tub bearing and stem/seal replacement

CLICK HERE TO GO TO qsd-dan's LINK


Post# 430768 , Reply# 3   4/23/2010 at 21:35 (5,088 days old) by qsd-dan (West)        

qsd-dan's profile picture
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!

Post# 430787 , Reply# 4   4/24/2010 at 04:50 (5,087 days old) by scrubflex (bronx, new york)        

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?


Post# 430822 , Reply# 5   4/24/2010 at 14:35 (5,087 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        
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.



Post# 430824 , Reply# 6   4/24/2010 at 14:39 (5,087 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        
Tools and ideas

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

Also here is my home made nut spanner.



Post# 431634 , Reply# 7   4/27/2010 at 21:54 (5,084 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        
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.



Post# 431636 , Reply# 8   4/27/2010 at 21:59 (5,084 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        
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.



Post# 431640 , Reply# 9   4/27/2010 at 22:05 (5,084 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        
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?



Post# 431641 , Reply# 10   4/27/2010 at 22:07 (5,084 days old) by qsd-dan (West)        

qsd-dan's profile picture
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.


Post# 431642 , Reply# 11   4/27/2010 at 22:13 (5,084 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        
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.


Post# 431652 , Reply# 12   4/27/2010 at 22:45 (5,084 days old) by qsd-dan (West)        

qsd-dan's profile picture
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.


Post# 431656 , Reply# 13   4/27/2010 at 23:26 (5,084 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        
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.


Post# 431658 , Reply# 14   4/27/2010 at 23:39 (5,084 days old) by scrubflex (bronx, new york)        
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?


Post# 431660 , Reply# 15   4/27/2010 at 23:41 (5,084 days old) by qsd-dan (West)        
Does the transmission simply pull up

qsd-dan's profile picture
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.


Post# 431668 , Reply# 16   4/27/2010 at 23:56 (5,084 days old) by scrubflex (bronx, new york)        

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

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


Post# 431683 , Reply# 17   4/28/2010 at 07:20 (5,083 days old) by dnastrau (Lords Valley, PA)        
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.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO dnastrau's LINK


Post# 431685 , Reply# 18   4/28/2010 at 07:35 (5,083 days old) by Combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
MT WASHER WATER LEAK

combo52's profile picture
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.

Post# 431686 , Reply# 19   4/28/2010 at 07:38 (5,083 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        
Cloth into agitator

"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? "

I used boiling water in a tea kettle, it doesn't take much to fill the inside of a maytag agitator. I didn't fill the tub. I went thru about 5 tea kettles worth. But it dispenses easily from a teakettle vs a 2 qt revereware pot.

I had an old stafford Tshirt I ripped into strips. The cotton swelled nicely after the 1st batch of hot water and the leakage slowed down to just dripping.

The bike inner tube I cut into so it had the inflator at one end, and a long 86" handing down from that. Twist, fold and seal with cable ties at each end. I then wrapped the innertube around under the agitator about 4 times, then inflated it. It took a few tries, the innertube kept popping out from under and bulging horribly. I never got above 15 psi or so in the innertube. But as you see it eventually worked.



Post# 431807 , Reply# 20   4/28/2010 at 22:59 (5,083 days old) by scrubflex (bronx, new york)        
fltcoils...

"The bike inner tube I cut into so it had the inflator at one end, and a long 86" handing down from that."...WHERE did you cut into the inner tube...WHAT is a 86" handing..."twist, fold and seal with cable ties at each end"...WHAT are cable ties...HOW and WHAT exactly did you do to tie the ends?

What type of inflator did you use...I know there are different kinds, do I need a specific one? I priced a couple today, one for $20, another for $45...I DON'T want spend alot of money for the inflator pump if don't have to.

But, MOST IMPORTANTLY, can you PLEASE post demostration pictures so we can see in detail how everything looks?

It's kind of hard to visualize how to prepare the inner tube and the inflator pump. I want to be able to handle this correctly so I can also be successful removing my agitator. I've had my Maytag A712 about a month now...I'm ready to pull this thing off.


Post# 431902 , Reply# 21   4/29/2010 at 12:45 (5,082 days old) by scrubflex (bronx, new york)        

Fltcoils...paging Fltcoils...are you still in the building...please respond!!!

Post# 431957 , Reply# 22   4/29/2010 at 16:14 (5,082 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        
home made agitator extractor

take a bike innertube, I used a 27 x 1 7/8 tube

Cut across the tube about 1-2" from the schrader valve (inflator valve). Fold the cut ends of the inner tube onto itself with one to two twists. GEt a zip tie/cable tie from Lowes in the electrical section, they'll know what it is. Wrap that around the twisted folded end of the inner tube. Zip the tie tight.

You now have a 86" long haaannngggiiiinnnggg inflater tube. The snake has a schrader valve at one end for inflating, use a bike pump to inflate it.

IN the pic
UL corner, arrow points to bike pump used to inflate innertube.
LL corner, left to right arrows
- cable tie/zip tie wrapped around folded twisted end of inner tube
- schrader valve of innertube
- bike pump connector



Wrap this, still uninflated snake around the base of the agitator 4 or 5 times, inflator end last so you can inflate it. slowly inflate it. 10-15 psi will produce visible results.





This post was last edited 12/31/2069 at 18:00
Post# 432145 , Reply# 23   4/30/2010 at 16:31 (5,081 days old) by scrubflex (bronx, new york)        

AAAWWWWWWESOME!!! Thanks, absolute (GRATITUDE)...I'll keep you posted.


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