Mower Deck Gearbox Fluid not Clear

[Suburban Plowboy]

How concerned should I be about Kubota ZD326 mower deck gearbox fluid that looks a little like coffee with way too much cream in it? It's not foamy when I finish mowing, but it isn't clear.

I have never left this thing open, but I did leave it outside while I was working on it, with the fill plug screwed in partially but not completely tight. It's hard to believe water could have gotten in that way.

I sucked the fluid out and replaced it, but it is not really possible to get it all out with the tools I have, so I may have to replace it at least one more time.

I have read different claims about this. They range from, "This will instantly destroy your gears," to, "This can't be prevented, and a tiny bit of water will not cause any harm."

I have seen people claim that a tiny amount of water will get in simply through repeat condensation, and that it won't hurt anything.

 

[TMGT]

Change it out as many times as needed to get it clean. There should also be a drain plug on gearbox that might let you get a little more out.

These gearboxes hold very little fluid and the cost of a replacement box or to rebuild yours is very high, so cost to change fluid is worth it.

You will get some moisture through condensation, but what you described is more then what I saw on mine. If the fill plug wasnt fully tight and it was exposed/ rained on, that can be enough to get a decent amount of water in it.

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[anomad]

Doesn't take much water for the detergents in the oil to bond to it and make a latte for you. I wouldn't worry unless you mowed for many hours with it like that. And even then I would just suck it out, refill, and keep mowing.

Good reminder for me to check all my gear boxes since I jumped into this year's extraordinarily early mowing season without doing all my usual prep work. I did some this winter but not everything.