Ford 4400 trans oil milky

[Hawkeye3828]

I recently purchased a Ford 4400 '65-68 three cyl. and I am going thru it bit by bit and replacing/fixing the obvious. I drained the trans oil today and it was caramel color and I know it has water in it. I also drained the rear end and that just looked like very old oil but not carameled like trans. I looked thru the fill ports on both and I can see rust on the castings put the gears look good, no rust.

My question to you expert mechanics is "Should I be concerned about the remaining milky oil residue left inside the trans on the walls etc. or not?" I am not using this tractor to do a lot of work, just pulling some logs and bush hogging a couple of times a year. My own experience tells me to just refill with new oil and not worry about it but I decided to ask someone with experience to assure me of that. I am letting it drain for a day to get as much out as possible. Thanks for the advice.

 

[cbumdumb]

Sounds like normal condensation on a tractor that sits must of the year

 

[Soundguy]

I recently purchased a Ford 4400 '65-68 three cyl. and I am going thru it bit by bit and replacing/fixing the obvious. I drained the trans oil today and it was caramel color and I know it has water in it. I also drained the rear end and that just looked like very old oil but not carameled like trans. I looked thru the fill ports on both and I can see rust on the castings put the gears look good, no rust.

My question to you expert mechanics is "Should I be concerned about the remaining milky oil residue left inside the trans on the walls etc. or not?" I am not using this tractor to do a lot of work, just pulling some logs and bush hogging a couple of times a year. My own experience tells me to just refill with new oil and not worry about it but I decided to ask someone with experience to assure me of that. I am letting it drain for a day to get as much out as possible. Thanks for the advice.

did you see rust in the insides of the casting.. or did you see the reddish orange glyptal paint that is used ont he insides of the castings?

In any case.. if you want all the water out of that trans.. I'd dump in some cheap walmart utf, plus some diesel, plus some atf-f or dex 3, plus at least 2 quarts of 90% rubbing alcohol.. then run her around the yard to make a few victory laps... drain.. then refill and go.

the atf adds detergents.. the alcohol is a polar solvent to disolve the water.. the diesel is a petro solvent to get everything thin and circulating.. especially if there is any emulsified residue on the walls of the castings... withit noce and thinned and water solvated and floating debris suspended via detergents.. a good fast drain will grab the lot of it.

 

[mostly_gas]

I would be more concerned about where the water came from and fix that, especially if parked outside. Once the water "leak" has been repaired then worry with getting all the water out of the hydraulic sump.

 

[Soundguy]

I would be more concerned about where the water came from and fix that, especially if parked outside. Once the water "leak" has been repaired then worry with getting all the water out of the hydraulic sump.

He indicated the hyd sump looked good, and the trans sump was milky.

normal condensation will fill a sump, even if the shifters don't leak or weep.

 

[Hawkeye3828]

did you see rust in the insides of the casting.. or did you see the reddish orange glyptal paint that is used ont he insides of the castings?

In any case.. if you want all the water out of that trans.. I'd dump in some cheap walmart utf, plus some diesel, plus some atf-f or dex 3, plus at least 2 quarts of 90% rubbing alcohol.. then run her around the yard to make a few victory laps... drain.. then refill and go.

the atf adds detergents.. the alcohol is a polar solvent to disolve the water.. the diesel is a petro solvent to get everything thin and circulating.. especially if there is any emulsified residue on the walls of the castings... withit noce and thinned and water solvated and floating debris suspended via detergents.. a good fast drain will grab the lot of it.

Thanks for the reply and advice. Read some of your other replies also. I didn't know about the red paint. I will check again to see if that is what I was seeing. Otherwise all I see is the oil/water mix sticking to the sides of the casing. It was slightly thick, like molasses, ran out though, and was not coating the gears so I assume it ran off them since I haven't had it running for a couple three months. I just bought it and don't know the history on it since the seller told me it came out of an auction. It looks like it belonged to a highway department. Everything worked when I bought it but it needed some tender loving care badly. Would it be your opinion that just what is coating the walls of the casing would make any difference once mixed with the new fluid? Thanks for your help Soundguy.

 

[Soundguy]

yes.. emulsified oil that is mixed with clean oil will contaminate the clean oil.

chances are if you see emulsion.. there is liquid water ont he bottom of the sump.. somewhere.. perhaps trapped in a baffle where a straigth drain won't get it.

if the contamination is not bad.. you can dump in 2 pints of 90% rubbing alcohol and jhust go to work. the alcohol will solvate the water.. forming an azeotrope.. which will flash off faster than water alone.. by working her.. temps rise, and the water will flash.

if it was real wet.. i'd flush her/.

being new/to/you I'd start baseline clean and go for the flush.. but that's me. bearings are too expensive to replace. much more spendy than oil...

 

[Hawkeye3828]

Thanks Soundguy,

Going to follow your advice with the mix.

 

[Soundguy]

if it's a new to you machine. IMHO.. it's the best thing. it lets you start with a baseline, knowing the sump is dry.