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Have found small puddles of gold colored oil around the front legs of the top load washer, smells like gear oil, but everything seems to be working alright, no grinding noises etc. Has only happened twice in 6 months. The unit is approx 6-7 years old.
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Park your vehicle overnight on a clean patch of pavement or a large, clean piece of white paper.Either tape some sheets of paper together or buy a roll of plain white commercial wrapping paper. Newspaper is too absorbent and can change the color of the stains.
Place marks on the paper.
Show where each of the four wheels is resting, and indicate the front and rear ends of the vehicle.
In the morning, move the vehicle and look for small puddles or traces of liquid on the ground or paper.
Touch and smell each puddle or trace of liquid.
Here's how to decipher the evidence:
If it's clear, watery, and under the air conditioner: It's probably normal condensation if you've used the air conditioner recently.
If it's black or dark brown, greasy, and located under the engine area:It's probably oil. Figure out which part of the vehicle was over the spot. Look under the hood around the oil filter and the engine and under the vehicle for leaks around the oil drain plug, the crankcase, and the oil pan below it.
If it's thick, black or tan oily liquid: Gear oil may be leaking from a manual transmission, the differential, an axle, or the steering gears. Any of these leaks needs immediate attention.
If it's red, pink, or reddish-brown and greasy and you have an automatic transmission: It's probably transmission fluid. Check the transmission dipstick, and if the level is low, top it off with the proper transmission fluid. Then check the dipstick again in a day or two. If it's low again, have a professional check the transmission to make sure that the seals are intact.
If it's watery or slippery; green, red, blue, or yellow; and is coming from under the radiator or engine: It's probably coolant. Check the radiator, pressure cap, engine, and hoses for leaks.
If it's oily; pink, red, or clear; and you find it toward the front bumper (usually on the driver's side): It's probably power-steering fluid. The power-steering system is sealed and shouldn't lose fluid.
If it's a light-colored or clear fluid: It may be brake fluid. Even if the leaks have dried, the stains should be visible. Leaky brakes are too dangerous to leave unattended. Have a professional repair any brake fluid leaks immediately.
If it smells like rotten eggs: It's battery acid. Avoid getting it on your hands or clothes and have the battery replaced.
If it smells like gasoline: It probably is! If the smell is coming from under the hood, check around the fuel pump and the fuel injectors - or the carburetor if your vehicle has one. If the leak seems to be under the center of the vehicle, check the fuel lines. If it's under the rear end, check the fuel tank.
the most likely cause if the oil looks like motor oil that you put in your car but only thicker,is that it is leaking from the transmission which is very common in ge washers the oil is in the transmission to lube the gears which make the machine agitate to be sure you could remove the front panel and would see alot of oil in the base frame to remove the panel place a screwdriver between the panel and top and feel around and find 2 clips (one on each side) press on those clips while pulling the panel out
This assumes that you have a basic Kenmore / Whirlpool top load, direct drive, neutral drain (it doesn't spin until the pump removes most of the water) machine.
First, see the Sears parts site for your washer: http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/index.action
Enter your model number (###.#######) and you'll see a list of major sub-components with diagrams and parts.
It's quite possible that the cover plate on the transmission is leaking.
Pulling the transmission and taking the cover off is a bit of a messy jobv but not too difficult. It holds about 15 oz. of 80-90 weight gear oil.
See the following for how to pull the transmission.
You don't have to remove the tub to pull the transmission.
Pull the transmission, remove the clutch (there is a spring clip that holds the clutch on the main agitator shaft), remove the 8 screws carefully the transmission holds 14 - 15Oz of oil
If the top of the case is leaking, you might try a gasket / sealer available at most auto repair / parts shops.
While you have the top off of the transmission, you might also want to check the condition of the plastic parts in the transmission itself.
Following is the Whirlpool / Kenmore PDf on how the transmission works and the parts inside it.
The smell of rotten eggs normally means you have some water that has been sitting arround awhile and has gone bad. You may have to unplug your machine and remove the front cover to take a look arround the inside of your machine to see if any water has leaked out and has puddled up. You may also have something caught in the drain pump's filter, which may have gone rotten from sitting around too long. This filter is easy to unscrew and gain access to once you have the front cover off. Make sure you have lots of towels or a wet vac handy when you unscrew the filter cover.
Ok by fluid I assume it is gear oil leaking yes? There is every chance there is the smallest seal leak there that may only be present once the gear case gets a little pressure in it, either through use, or through expansion as the leg heats sitting in the sun even. Have you got a new washer installed under this screw to properly seal it? Usually a nylon type washer is best.
Also, how do you know the lower unit is not leaking or have water intrusion? Have you drained the gearbox oil recently? If so what color was the oil, milky looking at oil or good semi-transparent oil color?
Check the position of the oil mark and check your machine to find out which place was leaking and fix it, maybe you need tie the screw up a little bit.
there is no green oil in washer ..ck/detergent/fabric softner bottle close for leaks oil leak would usually be brown or almost black in color ck around top edge of washer tub for deposits of softner/detergent
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