No Go and Milky Transmission fluid

[bmwtinut]

Well I hope this is not the end of our beloved D2. I have a 1999 D2 with about 135k on it. About 6 months ago I had Randy @ BritishBoneYard redo my leaking heads. He fixed up a bunch of other things on it at the same time. It never has run better. Well today we go out to take it for a quick drive out to the store and the transmission will not engage. No matter what gear I put it in the transmission wouldn't engage, engine just revved. I did eventually get flashing M&S lights. Came back several hours later, not sure what to do I though I would check the transmission fluid as the pan gasket is leaking little bit. Well I was surprised. Pink milky fluid came out!. Not good. only drained a little out as it is 20 degrees out right not. No time for a fluid change.

I had to move the vehicle to get to one of my other cars and I tried to use the transmission again. It worked. Moved it over to the other parking spot and shut it off. So it looks like some other fluid had mixed into my transmission. Is there anyway coolant could of gotten into the transmission? Any suggestions on where to look. I know I need to drain and refill the system at the least. Just trying to figure out what Im getting into on this.

 

[XCELLER8]

what does the engine coolant look like ??

 

[bmwtinut]

It's orange dexcool, doesn't look oily either.

 

[stu454]

I had a slow coolant leak in an '98 Tahoe. The coolant always looked fine; just a little lower every month. Then the trans wouldn't work one day. Guess where my missing coolant was going?

 

[bmwtinut]

That's what I'm thinking. But is the transmission cooler tied into the coolant system anywhere?

 

[squirt]

Since the D2 doesn't have a coolant-ATF heat exchanger like many vehicles, the most common culprit is out.

I'd put my money on having low ATF level because of the leak, and the pickup tube is sucking air to create foam as a ressult. A prudent next step would be to wait and see what happens to the drained fluid over time. If there's water present, it will separate out. If not, the fluid will just slowly return to its non-aerated state.

It is also possible that the pan gasket leak is worse than it appears, and allowing water ingress from puddles, rain, river fording.

 

[bmwtinut]

Ok, so I finally got around to draining the transmission fluid. Drained and refilled with Pennzoil ATF. That is what I put in last time I serviced the transmission.
At one point since I did the last fluid filter change the pan was leaking. Cleaned and refit one time and it really didn't help. Also had the XYZ switch seal by a shop about 2 1/2 years ago.

The fluid I drained off was the same as before, milky pink. I put it in a clear bottle and will check back on it in a couple of days to see if is separates. I ran the vehicle for about 1/2 hours or so running it through the gears and then drained the fluid off again. Same thick pink fluid. Now I proceeded to pull the pan and install a new filter and more fresh fluid. I noticed water beads around the inside lip of the pan when I was cleaning it out. Lots of grey film in the pan. I cleaned every thing off installed a new filter & gasket and refilled the transmission with Lubro Moly ATF. As I was filling the transmission, the overflow that was coming back out was not clear pink but milky still. Haven't had a chance to take it for a drive but will do that tomorrow.

I still don't know how water/moisture got in the transmission. I checked the breather lines and they seem ok. Can really see the connection to the transmission but could feel it. Both breathers for the transmission and transferase are in the engine bay fire wall area, There is a shorter one and one that loops back onto the top of the transmission.

Any one have any more suggestions/comments.

 

[stu454]

Have you made any water crossings? If so, maybe the leaky pan let some water in? A shot in the dark, but still....

 

[bendts]

I would think the new fluid your putting back in is mixing with whats left in the torque converter. You may need to have a full flush done of the system.

 

[bmwtinut]

No water crossings have been done.

 

[XCELLER8]

if the trans cooler lines go thru the radiator....i'd say you need at least a radiator......look at the coolant in the radiator....if it's not the same color as the pink fluid...you can go from there

 

[rovercanus]

if the trans cooler lines go thru the radiator....i'd say you need at least a radiator......look at the coolant in the radiator....if it's not the same color as the pink fluid...you can go from there

It doesn't. It is a separate cooler.

 

[ezzzzzzz]

One way to fully flush is to disconnect the cooler output line. Using an old hose to the cooler, place the low side line (output from the cooler) into a pan large enough to hold all of the trans fluid. Place a large funnel in the trans fill tube and have a enough quarts of trans fluid readily at your disposal. Using a helper, start the engine (let it idle) are start pouring fluid in the funnel at the same rate the fluid is being pumped out. When the fluid goes clear (new fluid discharge) immediately have your helper shut off the engine. Reconnect the original cooler line, cycle the trans while running and top off the fluid as needed. I've not done this with a rover but have on a few hondas with great success.

 

[squirt]

You can flush the fluid, but if you don't find the source of the problem you'll end up back in the same spot. Is that bottled fluid sample starting to separate?

 

[bmwtinut]

Took a look at some of the fluid that I bottled, small amount of water in bottom corner of bottle. Very very little. I haven't driven it out of fear of doing damage. This sucks as I just had Randy @ British boneyard put new heads on, fixed both sunroofs, new ps pump and had my reconstructed and powder coated.
Anyone have any ideas on where moisture could be getting in. The breather lines for the t-case and transmission are on the firewall behind passenger head. Can't tell if they are connected. Felt like it when I reached up on transmission.

 

[K-rover]

If it were me, I would keep putting fresh fluid in there, start it up, run through the gears while stationary, then drain and repeat until you get all the pink crap out..
Then do a final fill and give it a go...
If that doesnt work, I would be looking for a used trans.

Maybe try putting some trans fluid in a bottle add water and shake it up.. see if you can make it go pink.. if so you know you have water in there..
Otherwise I have no idea what that could be.

 

[squirt]

Took a look at some of the fluid that I bottled, small amount of water in bottom corner of bottle. Very very little. I haven't driven it out of fear of doing damage. This sucks as I just had Randy @ British boneyard put new heads on, fixed both sunroofs, new ps pump and had my reconstructed and powder coated.
Anyone have any ideas on where moisture could be getting in. The breather lines for the t-case and transmission are on the firewall behind passenger head. Can't tell if they are connected. Felt like it when I reached up on transmission.

Does the pink/opaque coloring go away, or does it remain basically the same? I'm still of the opinion that you're dealing with an air/foaming situation more than water. If the torque converter is full of foam, it's just going to keep doing this until it's fully flushed.

 

[bmwtinut]

I have about 2.5 qts in a clear bottle. There is maybe about 1/4-1/2tsp of water at the bottom. Fluid has been sitting since Sunday and no real separation. Still milky. I'll post pics later

 

[ezzzzzzz]

Did you or someone else power wash the engine bay? If the dip stick was not fully seated that could have been the source of the water.

 

[squirt]

D2 doesn't have a dipstick for trans, unless someone has added one.