The Amana washing machines come equipped with heavy-duty hardware including transmissions.
These units require proper maintenance and professional advice when problems arise, such as leaking oil.
Experiencing such leakages on home appliances should not be a cause for panic.
Nonetheless, anything leaking oil will cause messes and additional damage to appliances if not rectified immediately.
Is your Amana washer leaking oil suddenly with no explanation?
Chances are the transmission gear case seal has experienced a burst, possibly some loose connections where things should be tightly sealed.
The problem might be harder to diagnose than most other issues.
Seek professionals to help with diagnostics and sourcing parts.
Once the cause of the problem has been identified replacement parts need to be sourced from credible vendors.
Here are a few causes and fixes if the Amana washer is leaking oil.
Amana Washer Leaking Oil? – Causes
Gear Seal
With time, bearings and sealants begin to wear thin on any appliance. The Amana washer is no different.
When the gears are leaking oil, some seals become considerably worn due to excessive spinning.
This is an incredibly tough spot to notice and even tougher to repair.
If the Amana washer is leaking oil that lubes the transmission, it will eventually lead to knocking.
This is similar to an engine knock due to inadequate lubrication from a lack of oil.
Carelessness
If the oil you are seeing is in your clothes, there was an attempt to check for damage underneath.
More specifically, if the oil leak is at the bottom simply get someone to fix the problem. Oil leaks occur due to leaking trannies.
A failed seal needs resealing instead of tilting the machine on its side.
If oil is leaking onto the tub, perhaps someone tilted the machine to check for other problems underneath.
This inadvertently caused oil to spill into the tub.
Transportation
As with refrigerators the problem of leaking oil can be a result of poor moving strategies.
If the machine is hauled roughly from one place to another, the oil will likely leak.
There is a reason the boxes are highlighted with a This-side-up warning.
It ensures that oil isn’t moving to places it shouldn’t be and that parts remain in their upright position.
Transmission
If oil is noticeable on clothes the transmission could be failing.
This only occurs with aging machines and likely ones that have past warranty repairs.
It is harder to diagnose this problem but oil marks will appear on clothes and sometimes on the floor.
Even with proper seals and gears running smoothly, the transmission itself could develop problems.
While it may be a cause for concern, repairing it rather than buying a new one remains possible.
Tub Seal
Along with other possible leakages around the transmission and gear seals are the tub seals.
Even with a little oil leakage, it is hard to find oil in clothes or the tub.
If the tub has oil stains or spots, it could the tub seal to be aging.
This seal stops water from seeping into the gearbox and of course, prevents any oil from permeating the tub.
Seals can be found easily online or at your regular local hardware store.
It is of utmost importance to ensure these repairs are necessary.
Seek professional advice before replacing parts.
Oil Bearings
These bearings quite can be taxing depending on the model, thus finding the right suppliers is important.
If bearings are the problem the transmission will find it impossible to retain oil.
These old or broken bearings might create an annoying sound too.
This makes it easier to identify that as the problem.
Overloading
This is unlikely to be the problem but plausible nonetheless.
If the loads you put into the Amana washer exceed the limit capacity, everything works harder within the machine.
This includes an overworked drum, spinners, and of course transmission.
This might be the cause of the oil leak you witness in the Amana washer.
It is a simple fix moving forward but chances are seals and bearings have now been affected.
Amana Washer Leaking Oil? – Fixes
Grease
It seems washing machine transmissions are not easy to disassemble.
For starters, the panels covering the gear and wheels are sealed tightly.
This seal includes rivets for example.
Removing this panel or housing requires proper tools and patience.
Once you remove the panel, depending on the model, it might be impossible to find proper sealants to prevent oil leaks.
It is suggested that grease is used in smaller spaces and around the wheels to prevent oil leakage.
This can be a temporary fix as you seek to repair the tranny or perhaps buy a new one.
Keep things upright
Maintain upright positions during and after repairs to avoid forcing oil into the wrong places.
Sometimes, repairs are in order and the machine is put on its side.
This is the worst-case scenario for such an appliance.
Keep the Amana washer upright at all times, whether you need to repair it or move it.
If indeed it needs to be tilted, maintain the tilted position for a limited duration.
This leaves little room for any oil to begin seeping through spaces it should not.
While relocating can be challenging, it is better to move stuff slowly and tie down the machine if possible.
Simply throwing it in the back of a truck won’t cut it.
Replace bearings
This problem is hard to diagnose but once it is established as the culprit it becomes a serious issue.
Bearings cause noises when they break or come loose, meaning the problem could have been diagnosed earlier.
Find the best online vendors for these bearings to avoid expensive fixes henceforth.
While bearings are being examined, other parts of the washing machine should be examined too.
An oil leak from loose bearings could be a sign of deeper damage in other areas.
A veteran tech should be able to diagnose further problems quickly.
Transport Properly
When hauling the unit from one place to another maintain the upright position.
Along with this position, keenness should be applied as you transport the Amana washer.
It means slowly transporting the washing machine with limited shaking or falling.
Once the machine topples over and experiences unnecessary shaking, the oil leaks will become prevalent.
Incidentally, oil leaks from unnecessary shaking signal other parts might also be damaged.
Replace Seals
The tub seals mentioned above could be causing leakage into the drum from outside.
These seals are meant to keep water from dropping to the gearbox.
The mixture of oil and water can be prevented with new seals.
On the other hand, these seals keep oil from seeping into the drum.
Replace any tub seals from credible online vendors to avoid further leakage and unnecessary labor costs.
Tub seals might be tougher to replace than spinners, or tighten nuts.
Be sure to engage a specialized tech to help with this task.
Run a Cycle
If the tub seal is okay, the plastic covering on the outside of the tub might need cleaning.
This can be done by running a hot water cycle once or twice.
Because the transmission is underneath the tub, oil cannot travel upwards to the drum.
It means any grease from the outer lining of the tub can easily be removed and might be a product of grease build-up or other debris from previous washes.
If oil and grease have indeed built up on the outside of the tub, one can always open the machine for due maintenance.
Seals are also important thus as you clean the tub, check for other spots that might be causing leakages.
These can be sealed with gaskets available online.
Replace the Machine
It is particularly costly to replace a transmission on any washing machine whether it is a front or top loader.
If the transmission has failed, it might be time for a new one.
The cost of a new washing machine transmission is closely correlated to the price of a new one.
It might be about half the price of a new machine.
Additionally, the new transmission doesn’t guarantee a long lifespan for the machine thereafter.
It becomes more cost-efficient to simply procure a new one.
Getting a new washing machine also helps with warranties.
Once the Amana washer is leaking oil, there is the likelihood of more parts needing replacement.
It is better to spend more and purchase a new one than risk more repairs soon after.
Bottom Line
It can be impossible to prevent certain repairs with time, like oil leaks and worn bearings.
These problems will arise at some point and repairs will become necessary.
The key to proper repairs is to know when to repair and when to walk away.
If the repair is deemed costly it might make better sense to purchase new machines.
Modern washing machines come in different sizes, designs, and affordability.
Stick to proper usage and maintenance procedures to avoid unnecessary repair costs.
References:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WF5V1Dijsiw
https://www.fixya.com/support/t4332178-oil_spewing_into_wash_tub_during_spin
Related Articles: