Grey gearbox fluid!

[MikeyG]

OK guys, out riding today, I look at the oil check and my gear oil is grey. Damn. So I come home and check it and sure enough, grey/whiteish. Now im really worried. What the heck happened? Could water from maybe a 1 foot deep puddle have been ingested? Could I get some water of the vent tube while washing the linkage? My radiators were still full. It wasnt metallic, just grey, and it was clean, no metal in it at all. You guys dont think a bearing went south do you? It runs, shifts, sounds, and clutches fine. Somebody please tell me all I got to do is flush it and Ill be fine!

 

[Y2Z]

hmm, i know its water because my old YZ used to do that when i went through alot of mud/water. Is the casing by the flywheel sealed really good?(it fixed my problem).change the oil and see what happens next ride, if it still does it you should look harder for some problems.

 

[darringer]

Sounds like a water pump seal has gone south. Are you down on coolant in your radiator? If it's the water pump seal. the radiator will be low on coolant. Not a major fix. Just a little time consuming. Good luck!
Darrin

 

[Senior KX Rider]

It is possible to get water in the gearbox via the vent tube (I guess) but I would bet on the water pump seal too ;)

 

[MikeyG]

In one of my moments of brilliance I popped the rad cap off whilst the engine was very hot, and some coolant came out the cap. Other than that, the radiators were full.

 

[2smoke]

I dunno......my gearbox oil always comes out a little grey milky when I been riding through a few streams or rivers or just lots of big potholes full of water or its just a wet ****ty day. After any wet ride I drop it straight away. May just need to be flushed and changed.

 

[bigred455]

.

Are your plates aluminum or steel? aluminum plates will cause the oil to turn quicker!

 

[Moto Squid]

grey, gee mine turns from red to almost black after just one race....

 

[MikeyG]

I dont mean like brown oil with spots of grey, I mean the oil is totally grey. It still feels exactly like oil, and no metal in it, but its grey. I guess Ill just order the water pump seal.

 

[Fark]

mike, I wouldn't worry about it until you have evidence that you are losing coolant. Check the water level before every ride for a while before you go spending money.

 

[jho410]

Agree with Fark. I get the same when I ride really wet and rainy conditions (Wickenberg, AZ two months ago).

 

[john_bilbrey]

When I purchased my '97 ATK 260 a few months ago, I noticed I couldn't see anything in the "viewing window". I decided a change was in order. Good thing- it was only half full and totally grey. Quick change with Bel Ray and good as new - until I drowned it out in a waist-deep pond/mudhole/deathtrap. Oil was instantly grey again. Another change and all is well again. The oil won't stay red for long though - you'll have a hard time getting all of the old out. A couple of consecutive changes and you should see this effect diminish...unless you have problems like those mentioned above. I try to change mine every few rides now.

 

[JTurn36178]

This is especially bad this time of year. It's cool and motor oil (if that is what you had in your lower end.) Is meant to emulsify (hold in suspension) with water. Then it is meant to boil off as water vapor in the crankcase ventilation systems on automobiles. They use a sealed system with air pumps. Dirt bikes don't have the CVSystems to efficiently boil off the water.

Just my 2 cents worth.
Jim