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pink/red froth in bilge?


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I searched before posting, in the hopes that I'd find an answer, but no such luck.

I'm concerned as to why I had some pink/red froth in my bilge last time we went out. I did squirt some blue Dawn detergent in there to swish around and clean things up before I drained the bilge at home, but when I opened the engine compartment about an hour after adding the Dawn and before leaving the lake there was a pink/red bubbly froth in there. I looked for any indication of a leak back near the transmission, thinking the only red fluid I knew about might be tranny fluid (and I'm not even sure that is red) and saw nothing. Transmission worked fine, engine ran great.

Any ideas?

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I had this same problem in my last boat (Centurion). The only red fluid I know of is tranny fluid, and it can find all sorts of ways to sneak out. It was pink/red, often frothy - if it is getting really hot, it can froth and come out of the dipstick hole, as well as through the vent on the transmission. Turned out mine was always escaping from the vent - common problem I guess on the transmission I had. Believe it was a Walter, 2005.

Check the level of fluid before/after you go out. Make sure you check it either always when hot, or when cool - when it heats up the level is quite different. For purposes of seeing if you have enough, you need to check it hot against the dipstick levels.

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Tranny fluid is the only red fluid. You need to check the tranny fluid now to make sure it is not pink and frothy in the tranny. That would indicate that water got into the tranny. If the fluid is red and clean in the tranny then all you have is an escapeing fluid problem, much better than the water in tranny problem.

When was the last time the fluid was changed and have you done anything (or had some one do anything) to the boat reciently? Did you "work" the boat harder than usual when you noticed the fluid? Has the fluid been changed/checked reciently?

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wow, thanks guys for the quick replies. I figured my question would need a good 24 hour soak, like a crab pot...

I'll check the level and look for frothiness on the stick. I haven't messed with anything to do with engine or transmission for quite awhile, and I wasn't working the boat particularly hard that day. Actually it was a very light day for the boat, but it was over 100 degrees air temp, which isn't normal. I have about 250 hours on the boat even though it's 12 years old, and have never changed the fluid.... I did adjust the weep that day, I had too much water coming in through the coupler so I tightened it up to about a drip every 10 seconds. That's the only thing I may have done differently than I have on every other day I take the boat out.

I'm happy to hear there might be a vent rather than a leak, but clearly I shouldn't see this stuff in the bilge. I believe my model has the Velvet Drive transmission.

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It's quite possible that you had some trans fluid leak into the bilge and there it came into contact with water. Anytime you see frothyness in a liquid lubricant and it appears to be a solid color as opposed to clear.....you can bet it's due to contact with water. Tans fluid will look like a strawberry milkshake. Engine oil will look like a chocolate one. Check your fluid level. Make sure it's not overfilled. If the fuild looks clear and frothy (or has lots of bubbles) it could be getting air whipped into it from the rotating parts (level too high). This can also be the reason you have fluid in the bilge to begin with.

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Yesterday I sucked out the trans fluid and it looked normal, just not quite as red as the new stuff, no froth and no water noted. I then added the proper ATF fluid for my Hurth transmission (not Velvet Drive like I had thought). I warmed up the boat for 15 minutes or so with a fake-a-lake and then checked the fluid level on the dipstick, it needed more. As you might guess, I ended up overfilling it and had to suck some out. When I was finished, the level was exactly between the two lines on the stick.

Tonight, when loading the boat for the lake tomorrow, I notice that there is fresh fluid in the bilge where I had wiped everything clean. The dipstick reading cold is over the upper mark. It's seems counterintuitive to me that the fluid would be lower when hot, but maybe it thins..?

Anyway, I'm taking her out tomorrow with a fresh quart of ATF and a funnel in the trunk just in case. Looks like a job for the dealer. :(

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What happens is when the engine has been shut off for several minutes (or longer) the fluid in the cooler lines drains back into the transmission.....thus the higher reading. This is completely normal. The fluid should be checked this way (just the way you did it) to that the fluid contained in the lines is accounted for while the engine is running. You may have a leak somewhere but it's not because you are overfilled right now.

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What happens is when the engine has been shut off for several minutes (or longer) the fluid in the cooler lines drains back into the transmission.....thus the higher reading. This is completely normal. The fluid should be checked this way (just the way you did it) to that the fluid contained in the lines is accounted for while the engine is running. You may have a leak somewhere but it's not because you are overfilled right now.

Also make sure the boat is level, Not sure how big of a difference it will make but you never know.

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Warming up the engine on a fake a lake will not warm up the tranny for a proper dip stick reading. A good 10 minute ride and an immediate check with the engine off will do that. Check your cooler lines and cooler for leaks too. A little fluid will make quite a bit of froth in the bilge area.

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This might help. I had a similar issue, and Bakes helped me out.

Question:

I ran into an interesting issue yesterday after changing out my tranny fluid. I removed a full 2 quarts of tranny fluid, and I replaced the exact same amount that I took out. We took the boat out later that same day, and after initially underway (going anywhere from 20-35mph) a little bit of tranny fluid started seeping out of the vent/breather fitting on the top of my tranny. The boat ran fine, but this has never happened before. It looks like the tranny fluid level may be too high. The old fluid I took out was extremely clean/pure looks, so no water got into the system.

1) Do you know how much fluid these units are “supposed” to hold? I always hear that you put in the same amount that you take out…but if it’s not supposed to hold 2qt, then clearly it’s too full.

2) What’s the best way to check the tranny fluid level? As level as possible on the trailer or Floating in the water? Hot or Cold?

Year: 1998

Make/Model: Malibu Echelon LX

Engine: Monsoon 325hp EFI

Transmission: ZF Hurth Marine in-Line

Answer:

The gear box holds about 1 ¾-2 Quarts but there is more held in the oil cooler and transmission cooler lines (almost another ½ to ¾ of a quart)

The engine has to be run to top off the fluid appropriately so my guess is you added more than the system can hold given the circumstances, especially if you do not see any water immersion. Just pull out the extra fluid and check it after it has been run in the water for 2-3 minutes in the water so you know it is sitting level.

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Thanks guys, this is all great info. I'll check it today out on the lake after we run across to our camping spot. I'm just an old grandpa, so I don't have any added ballast in it at all, other than my #260 in the driver's seat. We don't even hardly use the wedge.

I did run the boat on the fake a lake for quite awhile, and while my wife squirted the shaft near the prop with water I put it in and out of forward and reverse a couple of times for just a few seconds to try to get the fluid distributed throughout the lines.

I'm hoping its a cooler line somewhere, but the access to the lines is impossible to see and follow to check connections. I did wipe my hand under the trans connection to the motor and found it to be somewhat dry, just a little dirty.

I'm glad to hear that the level cold will be higher, that's a relief. Thanks Nuttyskier.

Rmack, the boat and transmission have been running just fine. It wasn't the operation that tipped me off that something was wrong, it was the froth in the bilge last time we were out. It's a 2001 SSLXI with 250 hours, so we only put about 20 hours on it every season.

I'm off to the lake in 30 mins., I'll report more when I get back. Thanks again for all the help guys.

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Warming up the engine on a fake a lake will not warm up the tranny for a proper dip stick reading. A good 10 minute ride and an immediate check with the engine off will do that. Check your cooler lines and cooler for leaks too. A little fluid will make quite a bit of froth in the bilge area.

I did overlook the fake-a-lake part. Trans needs to be hot like described here. Other than that everything he did was correct.

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  • 8 months later...

As a follow up, in case another member searches the forum due to transmission fluid in the bilge, I took it to the repair shop today and they found a fitting crimped onto the end of a transmission hose was faulty and leaking fluid. They pulled the faulty hose, had another one made and installed the new one. I'm confident they found the problem.

I don't refer to these guys as dealers, since they no longer carry Malibu, but the guys at Boat Country in Escalon, CA are fantastic. I happily drag the boat well over an hour to get her to them, they always jump right on stuff knowing I'm waiting. Great service guys, beautiful showroom and parts area and reasonable shop rates and prices.

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