tranny oil from red to milky and pink ???

C

cowasucky

Member
Feb 23, 2009
170
0
I use Belray 80w gearsaver in my tranny. I've been chasing an excessive smoking problem for a while now with no luck. I've got it down to either a jetting issue or a leaky crank seal.... I think. Anyway, it hasn't got any worse nor have I noticed anything different, but I noticed while looking through the sight glass that the oil had turned pink and milky. Now I just recently did the oil change and there is a variable....the oil change before this last one was at the track and all I had access to was a regular 5w30 synthetic. I only rode for maybe an hour on that oil. Now when I did this most recent oil change I did it cold. I didn't run it to temp first I just drained it cold and went back with the gearsave 80w. Could it have just mixed with the brown 5w30 that was left in the case to make the milky pink ? Or does it sound like it's mixing with coolant ??? And does anyone know the easiest way to determine if the crankseal is bad ????
 
C

cowasucky

Member
Feb 23, 2009
170
0
C'mon guys...where's everybody at ??? Indymx, fox forks, 2strokesforever, jullien d, ect....you guys have never let me down, ALWAYS have the answer and I ALWAYS appreciate it greatly !
 

XRpredator

AssClown SuperPowers
Damn Yankees
Aug 2, 2000
13,504
19
I've not dealt with red tranny oil, but I know oil-colored oil will turn into a foamy, chocolate-milky looking milky color when it gets water in it.

I know this for a fact because my brother has managed to put 3 of 5 bikes into the various ponds at our local MX track. We don't call him Aquaman for nothing.
 
C

COLEMANAPP

~SPONSOR~
Feb 19, 2002
304
0
Most times its the water pump seal gone bad. Then coolant mixes in and turns your tranny oil milky.
Bob
 
B

Brandon H.

Member
Mar 26, 2009
199
0
My experience with offroading (in trucks), when u get water in the tranny oil, it turns milky. Do NOT run it like that. Red oil will turn pink
 
C

cowasucky

Member
Feb 23, 2009
170
0
Do I need a water pump cover gasket or the bearing and oil seals ???? I'll problably change both, but which one is causing the problem ???
 

IndyMX

Crash Test Dummy
~SPONSOR~
Jul 18, 2006
5,548
2
Amo, IN
Are you losing coolant also?

If not, it's not the water pump seal.

Have you run it thru deep water?

Is the breather hose on the gear box? Is the breather hose sealing properly?

Best to rule out the easy stuff before digging into the engine.
 
J

julien_d

Member
Oct 28, 2008
1,788
1
Water pump seal, I'll bet $10. It's not the gasket, but the oil seal for the impeller. Leaking water pump + red tranny oil = strawberry milkshake.
 
C

cowasucky

Member
Feb 23, 2009
170
0

You bring up an interesting point.... I've been trying to determine if I have a leaky crank seal and I read somewhere to stick the breather hose coming off the crankcase into a glass of water and see if a stream of bubbles come out indicating a bad crankseal. So I did that and there were no bubbles, but could there have maybe for some reason been a vacum on the hose sucking water into the case ? I measured the fluid that I drained out of the tranny and it was .15 litres more than what I put in and it doesn't appear that I lost any coolant....radiator was still full.
 

whenfoxforks-ruled

Old MX Racer
~SPONSOR~
Oct 19, 2006
8,129
2
Merrillville,Indiana
The breather hose into a bucket of water, and revving the piss out of your bike was a seemingly good idea? Here I thought all you had to do was a leak down test? Who is stretching out the overdue overhaul more, you or 250 girl? P.S. prolong it more, kaw cranks are the most expensive I have seen!
 

IndyMX

Crash Test Dummy
~SPONSOR~
Jul 18, 2006
5,548
2
Amo, IN
Well.. if you haven't lost any coolant, and you have added any coolant.. Yet you have .15 liters more fluid in the crank case, I'd say it's not a water pump seal.

For the water to get from the water pump to the trans, you have to have both seals shot and the weep hole has to be clogged. Not completely unlikely, but.

So.. You need to figure out where the water is getting into the engine.

Like Bob said, the breather hose into a bucket of water isn't a good test for bad crank seals. Do a leak down test..

Even if you do have bad crank seals, that's not where the water is getting into your trans. More likely if your crank seals are bad, you'd be losing trans fluid and smelling burning oil.

Do you wash your bike often? More than you change the trans oil?

I'm betting on a leaking gasket or something along those lines.

Maybe it's just time for a winter tear down and rebuild.

Time to get really familiar with the inside of your engine.
 
C

cowasucky

Member
Feb 23, 2009
170
0
Alrighty....think I found the leak !!! My oil fill plug is one of the crappy rubber type and it's cut at the 3rd thread almost completely through. That's all I can figure cause I filled it up with oil, ran it for a few minutes, drained it again to make sure all the water was out, then filed it up, rode it, checked it, rode it checked it, road it checked it , ect.... and NO WATER !!! As always gentlemen...much appreciated !
 

whenfoxforks-ruled

Old MX Racer
~SPONSOR~
Oct 19, 2006
8,129
2
Merrillville,Indiana
Go figure, a worn out/shot oil fill plug, UNBELIEVABLE! But, if thats it, RIDE TIME? Louisiana sure sounds like a drier, warmer place than home. Do not fall in any puddles on the pipe side, I knew a guy once,,, Vintage Bob
 
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