Maytag transmission shaft pops out with agitator

[grizzly]

Maytag (Newton style) top loader, model LAT9420AAE.

When pulling off the agitator, the transmission shaft came out with it. Even with the set screw removed, there is more pressure on the splines than there is the shaft where it goes down into the tranny.

The only thing holding the shaft into the transmission appears to be gravity. Is this normal?

The lady that gave me the machine said her son had  "diagnosed" the problem to be that it only needs a new agitator. But surely the whole shaft shouldn't come up along with the agitator when I gently pull the agitator out should it?

Also, I beleive that the machine has been ran with the agitator (with the transmission shaft attached to it) removed because there is quite a bit of transmission oil residue on the inner tub. So I think there is water in the transmsiion case.

a. How is the shaft supposed to attach inside the tranny and can it be reattached?

b. If there is water in the tranny, can I just clean out the oil/water mixture and add new oil?

c. What kind of oil does it take?

[AccApp]

Lenny, sounds like this Newton style's transmission is totally "figged up." Feel free to take it apart, you got nothing to lose at this point. It's gonna be messy. Might be easier to locate a donor trans from another tosser. I have yet to take apart any Maytag washer's transmission but I'm sure someone here has.

[Budget Appliance Repair]

Actually, this was a great transmission redesign by Maytag, real easy to work on, doesn't have to be removed from the machine and not really that messy, (with the machine laying on it's back the transmission cover can be removed then with a bucket/pan laying under transmission, spin it around and all oil drains out into your catch pan).

CLICK HERE for a breakdown of your transmission.

I believe ref#16 COLLAR, AGITATOR SHAFT - Series 1 Part#22002340 is what holds the agitator shaft in on yours. The first sytle of this transmission had a clip inside the transmission that held the agitator shaft in. CLICK HERE and note ref#4 in this picture.

I've never went into the next style like the one you have so I'm not that familar with how the collar keeps the shaft in place. If it's like I'm thinking it is, you don't even have to pull the transmission open, (but most likely you should, If you have oil in the tub, you have water in the transmission).

[Trying to help]

The part needed is listed below.  It is just a plastic collar that holds the shaft in.  If you have any water in the trans you must drain the oil and replace it.  Easy way to tell is if the oil is a deep dark black brown, you are fine.  If it looks like chocolate milk or foamy, your changing it.

http://www.repairclinic.com/referral.asp?R=154&N=455081

[Poobah]

I went through this with a friend of mine last year, same little plastic piece that would not hold the agitator in place we replace it and it went bad again. he finally just bought a whirlpool rather than messing with it again. 

[grizzly]

As always, you guys are fantastic. I ran by the local appliance store after work, and they had a used tranny that he gave me for 20 bucks. I also picked up a new fill valve and transmission lubricant while I was there.

Came home and took the cover off the tranny that is in the machine, and discovered that the no agitation problem was being caused by the fact that the teeth on the pinion gear were all but gone. What I ended up doing was taking the pinion gear, the bevel gear, and yoke out of the new (used) transmission and put them in the transmission that was already in the machine. Filled the tranny up with a quart of genuine Maytag heavy duty transmission lubricant (part 056080), applied a bead of slilicone gasket maker, and reattached the tranny cover and it is now good to go. I still need to order the agitator shaft retainer clip because the local guy didn't have one, but the machine agitates and fills like a dream now.

This organ transplant job wasn't terribly messy, I laid the patient on its back and put a couple heavy duty trash bags under the transmisson to catch all the used oil.

This was my first foray into the world of Maytag repair in my self study curriculum and I couldn't have done it without you guys!

Anyone have any idea what would have caused the pinion gear teeth to wear out like that in the first place?

[grizzly]

Note to Budget Appliance repair: you were dead on 100% accurate in your assessment, ref#16 COLLAR, AGITATOR SHAFT - Series 1 Part#22002340 is what holds the agitator shaft in on the style I have.

And, the used tranny I bought for 20 bucks was the older kind, which did indeed did have a metal retaining clip INSIDE the tranny, just like ref 4 in the second link to a diagram you provided.

Luckily for me, all the internal gears from the older style fit just fine into the newer style in which I inserted them.

Even the lower tranamission shaft attaches differently in these two. On the older one, there is a hex keyed set screw that goes into a hole in the shaft. In the newer one, there is a two piece metal/plastic collar that snaps over the shaft. The newer shaft having no hole in it.

I'm truly humbled to be in the presence of such esteemed master appliantoligists.

[Budget Appliance Repair]

Yep, in this case it was Maytag made a better design and it worked so well they had to go and muck with it again so they will self-destruct in a set-amount of Maytag determined lifetime.

Never seen a problem with the agitator shafts held in with the metal spring clip.

And as far as the gears going out, that's anyones guess. That's not a common occurance but you're going to see it every once in a while.

[That Guy]

Maytag has a history of making a good product, then re-designing it and making it worse.

anybody remember the design before the dependable drive transmission? Even the newer transmissions were pretty good til they made changes to them and put that plastic clip on. Then they went with the Norge/Crosley and Amana designs and they are almost a joke by themselves. They should have stuck with the original design, it was almost indestructible.

[Budget Appliance Repair]

[user=18652]That Guy[/user] wrote:

Maytag has a history of making a good product, then re-designing it and making it worse.

anybody remember the design before the dependable drive transmission? Even the newer transmissions were pretty good til they made changes to them and put that plastic clip on. Then they went with the Norge/Crosley and Amana designs and they are almost a joke by themselves. They should have stuck with the original design, it was almost indestructible.

Totally agree with all you said That Guy.....

What did Magtag use before the original Dependable Drive Transmission. I don't believe I've seen any type of different transmission except for the old wringers on a Maytag.

[Trying to help]

They used the older style helical drive trans for many years (bigger and had the counter balance weight attached to it) until they switched to this style grizzly is working on (orbital) in 1989.  It was touted because it only had 3 moving parts, and of course it held up so well.  There was no real dependability loose in the switch.  The orbital style is much easier to rebuild though and provided a quicker agitate stroke.

 

[Budget Appliance Repair]

TTH, isn't that the original "Dependable Drive Transmission"? That's the only other Maytag transmission that I'm aware of before the "Obital" style, which I thought was considered the new sytle "Dependable Drive Transmission".

[That Guy]

I might be calling them by the wrong names. I remember the wringer washers and they were indestructable. My mom had one she used for over twenty years and it still worked, we just wanted to upgrade to something more modern. We sold it to somebody, and they are probably still using it

Then they had the one with the counter balance weight and short tub, they were just about as tough. Then they built the one that looks like a car's rearend. I thought they were calling that one the "dependable drive". (I may have to go look up the names now) Anyway it wasn't too bad, just not quite as durable. Then they modified it and we start having more problems with them.

Even the Crosley design works fairly well, I just don't like it or working on it. But the Amana transmission and seal set are just terrible pieces of junk. They can barely last 2 years and they are next to impossible to work on. Who ever thought up that design should be shot, then shot again, then ran over by a Humvee, then patched up, brought back to life and forced to work on his washer for the rest of all time.

I take that back, the designer was dumb, but its the guy who thought that is was a good idea to produce them, he should be shot.

[Trying to help]

The one in the picture I posted Willie is the Helical drive trans.  Was in production up until 1988.  They then came out with the Orbital drive trans, or as it is called, Dependable Drive Transmission.  They can be interchanged (actually came and might still be available as a Trans and agitator kit), only difference is the agitator.  The Helical trans had that slow arching agitate and the Orbital a little quicker and choppier. Both where real reliable, usually only the upper shafts would seize and you could replace it and the seals.  The good ol' days!