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My tranny oil looks like Strawberry milk?


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Last night I started to changed my tranny oil and when I pulled the dip stick I noticed that it was all most like a yellow milk. I thought this most not be good :(

So I changed it last night and took the boat out today.

After warming it up I pulled the dip stick out to take a look and now it looks like Strawberry milk.

I would have to say that something is wrong but I have no clue as to what.

Thanks for any advice.

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Water in your transmission, not good. Probably a worn out transmission cooler, if so, not a big deal. Just replace it and flush your tranny 3 or 4 times to make sure you get all the water out.

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Have to agree with Mike. That is the only place water and fluid get close to one and other, and your milky description indicates water.

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Thanks for the help guys,

I am working on finding a new transmission cooler right now. Looks like DIM.com has them.

Is there any way of checking it or is it just a buy and install?

Thanks

Shawn

Have to agree with Mike. That is the only place water and fluid get close to one and other, and your milky description indicates water.
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I'm sure Vince at SkiDim could tell you how to check it, but really there is no other way for water to get into your transmission, so I would think that has to be the problem.

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anybody know how much fluid that it takes? I have looked everywhere and can't find anything. Cry.gif I have the old out now have to put the new in. Mine also was milky.

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The 71C Velvet Drive holds 1.8 quarts, but depending on the size of your cooler and the length of your lines it may hold more. You should check your fluid quickly after shutting down the engine before all the fluid drains back into the tranny from the cooler and lines. I put a high level mark on my dip stick for when it has been sitting for a while.

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anybody know how much fluid that it takes? I have looked everywhere and can't find anything. Cry.gif I have the old out now have to put the new in. Mine also was milky.

In the words of the immortal Rutat: RTFM.gif

Biggrin.gif

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Thanks again for all of the advice.

I will be calling SkiDim in the morning and ordering a new cooler.

It looks like a nice and simple swap old for new.

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danadog - are you the original owner? The are other ways that water can get in. Wakeboaders would fill the bilge with water to weight the boat and it comes in through the dip stick and the breather.

Has the boat ever been swamped, it doesn't have to cover the entire engine to get some water in the tranny. ATF is hydroscopic like brake fluid, which means it actually attracts water. That is why you should change it every year.

You could take the cooler to a radiator shop and they can pressure test it for you. If it is not to much money I would probably just replace it though. Make sure you check the O-Ring on the dip stick or change it. I would also change the fluid at least 3X, running it between changes, just to make sure I got all the moisture out.

Good Luck,

Dwayne

GO RAMS!!!

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maliboo.

I just got the boat last fall.

When I first checked the oil this spring all was well and looking good.

This spring I had a hose blow and filled up the bilge of the boat and the back of the boat had about 2-3 " of water above the floor when I got to shore.

I spoke with Vince at Skidim first thing today and he asked the same question. Has the boat been swamped?

So I am now flushing the tranny with my fingers crossed that solves the problem.

If not skidim has them for $97 not to bad of a fix.

Does anyone know if this cooler on Ebay would fit if needed?

"A new take-off Mercruiser oil cooler. I do not remember what model it came from; but I am quite certain that this cooler does not hold any particular prejudice as to where it is going. Offered for your plumbing pleasure is this 9 1/2 inch, 1 1/4 in and out, 3/8 NPT; with a extra 3/8 NPT inlet/outlet, and as the final bonus, a 1/8 NPT sender accommodation."

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Honestly it wouldn't take much to give yours a quick inspection. Two hose clamps and two fittings and it's out, and easy to access. You can pressure test it yourself if your willing to put your mouth over one of the water ports. Put your hand over one end and blow into the other. If it's leaking, you'll hear it out of one of the oil ports. If you want to get fancy you can apply compressed air (15 psi) to the oil ports and watch for bleeddown on a guage. I've done that on engine blocks. Another quick check would be to look into the water ports w/ a flashlight and look for rot. I wouldn't just buy another one without at least looking at yours first.

I was going to suspect the vent on top of the trans as a possible water inlet vs. the dipstick, but rereading your original post you say you changed the fluid once already and it happened again w/o swamping. I say it has to be the cooler, unless it swamped twice.

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Honestly it wouldn't take much to give yours a quick inspection. Two hose clamps and two fittings and it's out, and easy to access. You can pressure test it yourself if your willing to put your mouth over one of the water ports. Put your hand over one end and blow into the other. If it's leaking, you'll hear it out of one of the oil ports. If you want to get fancy you can apply compressed air (15 psi) to the oil ports and watch for bleeddown on a guage. I've done that on engine blocks. Another quick check would be to look into the water ports w/ a flashlight and look for rot. I wouldn't just buy another one without at least looking at yours first.

I was going to suspect the vent on top of the trans as a possible water inlet vs. the dipstick, but rereading your original post you say you changed the fluid once already and it happened again w/o swamping. I say it has to be the cooler, unless it swamped twice.

Unless the first fluid change did not remove all the water. Highly likely because it is near impossible to remove all the fluid in any change.

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I have only swamped the boat one time. Now I have changed the oil 2 times and it seems to be looking better.

I am going to change the oil again tonight and see what it looks like.

Maliboo,

I can not seem to find an O ring around the dip stick. Is there supposed to be one around the stick?

Thanks again to everyone for all of the help!

Shawn

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danadog - I am not sure which trans you have, I think it is the Velvet Drive. If you have a Merc motor it might be more of a squeeze plug, as you tighten it, it expands?? It may need a new one. Island Lake in Fort Collins should have one. The new boats have a plastic dip stick with an o-ring at the top.

You should be good after 1 or 2 more changes, I doubt any real damage was done.

Good Luck

Dwayne

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thanks, Jack but I read all over and seen nothing. So I thought that someone could help me here.

Just yankin your chain, NOI.

As for the water in the tranny of a swamped boat, isn't there a place on top of the tranny that will let water in if the water is high enough? Definitely would change the fluid three times in that case. YMMV

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I have now changed the oil 3 times and headed out after work to more of this.

Thanks to everyone that has taken the time to help me out.

I will post a update on how the session goes tonight.

post-1027-1147463671.jpg

Edited by danadog
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