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Red stuff in bilge....


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Removed shrink wrap on boat and what do I find in the bilge? 1"+ of red stuff. To me it looked, felt and smelt like Transmission fluid. The only other thing I thought it could be was antifreeze but from where? Does the antifreeze have close to the same viscosity as transmission fluid? Anyway took to the dealer.

2006 VLX

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Hmmm.... sounds like my boat last Sept. Red stuff in the bilge! Yikes.

After lots of inspection, turns out it is tranny fluid. But, where is it coming from?

One of my tranny hoses (there are 2) that comes from the tranny up to the front of the engine where it goes in/out of the tranny cooler on one of the large hoses..... has a very small leak. It's where the hose connects to the brass fitting. Very tough to find out which one. (I also worried that it was a problem in the tranny itself.)

Once I found out the problem... and which hose..... simple to fix (I thought). Just call my dealer and get a replacement. The dealer asks for the Part Number. There isn't one. The dealer asks me if it's part of the engine or part of the tranny. I said both. She says they need to call Malibu and ask. I said why not just call Indmar. Anyhow, after 3 ~ 4 calls, I was given a price, but told they had no idea what the shipping and duty would be coming from the US. (That dealer has since been de-dealered by Malibu)

Rather than go through the hassle with a new dealer, I took the hose to a local hydraulic outlet..... and in less than 5 minutes, they made me up a new hose with new fittings on both ends. I asked them to increase the length by 1", so that tight bend (the bend caused the split in the first place) would not be a problem. Cost was about $15. (vs the $50'ish price plus duty/shipping via the dealer.)

Hope this helps.

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There wasnt any fluid in the bilge when I winterized it and parked it and now there was alot in the bilge. Your right its either a hose that leaking or tranny gasket. s***ty thing it about 20hrs prior (boat hrs) I had to have this 10 hr job done to replace the leaking gasket on the tranny so... I hope its no the same thing again. Then Ill be mad.

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There wasnt any fluid in the bilge when I winterized it and parked it and now there was alot in the bilge. Your right its either a hose that leaking or tranny gasket. s***ty thing it about 20hrs prior (boat hrs) I had to have this 10 hr job done to replace the leaking gasket on the tranny so... I hope its no the same thing again. Then Ill be mad.

This looks like the likely source. Looks like you will be mad Mad.gif . I'd be pissed too.

Ouch. Time to talk with the mechanic.

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Hmmm.... sounds like my boat last Sept. Red stuff in the bilge! Yikes.

After lots of inspection, turns out it is tranny fluid. But, where is it coming from?

One of my tranny hoses (there are 2) that comes from the tranny up to the front of the engine where it goes in/out of the tranny cooler on one of the large hoses..... has a very small leak. It's where the hose connects to the brass fitting. Very tough to find out which one. (I also worried that it was a problem in the tranny itself.)

Once I found out the problem... and which hose..... simple to fix (I thought). Just call my dealer and get a replacement. The dealer asks for the Part Number. There isn't one. The dealer asks me if it's part of the engine or part of the tranny. I said both. She says they need to call Malibu and ask. I said why not just call Indmar. Anyhow, after 3 ~ 4 calls, I was given a price, but told they had no idea what the shipping and duty would be coming from the US. (That dealer has since been de-dealered by Malibu)

Rather than go through the hassle with a new dealer, I took the hose to a local hydraulic outlet..... and in less than 5 minutes, they made me up a new hose with new fittings on both ends. I asked them to increase the length by 1", so that tight bend (the bend caused the split in the first place) would not be a problem. Cost was about $15. (vs the $50'ish price plus duty/shipping via the dealer.)

Hope this helps.

Plus1.gif Exact same experience with my 99 Sportster. To find out if it is leeking, plug one end and adapt an air hose at thge other end. You will see if it is leeking by the sound of it... you can add dishwashing liquid if you want to know where exactly.

Edited by 1FootDan
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Update....

Dealer said it was low 2 qts. Thay hooked it up to a fake a lake and ran it for 40 minutes and no drips. So now they are letting it sit with a white cotton rag underneath it waiting for it to drip... only time will tell.

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Update....

Dealer said it was low 2 qts. Thay hooked it up to a fake a lake and ran it for 40 minutes and no drips. So now they are letting it sit with a white cotton rag underneath it waiting for it to drip... only time will tell.

May not work. When I started noticing the fluid in the bilge, I would open the hatch (with motor running) and see if I could see any drips. Nada.

I suspect the tranny may need to be in gear and the motor at a healthy rpm to drive enough pressure to force fluid out a small crack. If the dealer is just running on a fake-a-lake..... or just sitting at the dock, his test may not show anything.

Good luck.

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Update....

Dealer said it was low 2 qts. Thay hooked it up to a fake a lake and ran it for 40 minutes and no drips. So now they are letting it sit with a white cotton rag underneath it waiting for it to drip... only time will tell.

May not work. When I started noticing the fluid in the bilge, I would open the hatch (with motor running) and see if I could see any drips. Nada.

I suspect the tranny may need to be in gear and the motor at a healthy rpm to drive enough pressure to force fluid out a small crack. If the dealer is just running on a fake-a-lake..... or just sitting at the dock, his test may not show anything.

Good luck.

I had 2 qts leak out over the winter while the boat wasnt even running. There is def a leak just a slow one i presume.

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Oh and if the tranny was 2 qts low...how the heck did that happen? IIRC, it only holds a tad > 2 qts. Like 2.2qts or something. In fact, I drained mine yesterday and refilled with 2 qts only to find it was OVER FILLED....so I drained 1/2 qt back out and right on the money: Tested on the water for about 15 min, drew the stick and still right on the money. (It was cold and may not have been perfectly level at the drain time)

In your case, wondering how the tranny got that low in the first place. May need further investigation with the mech, IMHO.

Best of luck,

Update....

Dealer said it was low 2 qts. Thay hooked it up to a fake a lake and ran it for 40 minutes and no drips. So now they are letting it sit with a white cotton rag underneath it waiting for it to drip... only time will tell.

May not work. When I started noticing the fluid in the bilge, I would open the hatch (with motor running) and see if I could see any drips. Nada.

I suspect the tranny may need to be in gear and the motor at a healthy rpm to drive enough pressure to force fluid out a small crack. If the dealer is just running on a fake-a-lake..... or just sitting at the dock, his test may not show anything.

Good luck.

Edited by WaveMake'nLSV
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  • 3 weeks later...

I have a 2000 Response LX that I replaced a tranny hose on in 2003, now this year the other hose is leaking. Same problem posted by Doug Hickey above. Going to a hose shop today and having one made.

On a side note what ype transmission fluid is best for my 2000 Respionse LX with the monsoon? I might as well change it while replacing the hose.

Edited by scotchipman
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