Water? in 4wd front gear oil

kcbeave · Jun 23, 2004

When I checked my 4wd front gear oil, it looked light brown and milky so I drained it and refilled. The new oil has now become the same color. The color makes me think there is water and rust in the front 4wd but since I am very new to this I hope someone can tell me if this is a serious problem or something that just happens.
Is there something I need to flush the gear box out with?

beenthere · Jun 23, 2004

I would be concerned.
Do you pressure wash? Or drive through a stream?

If not, I would look for another source. Hopefully it wasn't from a casting laying out and becoming rusty prior to mfg. Or is it possibly a tractor used in a rice field (I don't know if that implies running through water or not)?

I would keep changing to flush it out. Seems eventually you will get it clean. Or take it apart once, and carefully inspect and clean the parts when re-assembling.

normde2001 · Jun 23, 2004

If it's a "gray market" tractor it almost certainly was run in rice paddies. If it were mine, I would block up all wheels, drain the front differential, fill it, (front differential), with kerosine or diesel and let it run in 4wd for a while, drain and relill with 80-90w oil.

Ozarker · Jun 23, 2004

Ditto what Norm said. My 1500 had the same problem and it was most likely caused by many years in the rice paddy's.

I drained it and filled it with kerosene. Ran it that way for a couple of months and then refilled it with gear oil. That was three years ago and I have never had a problem with it.

Soundguy · Jun 23, 2004

That's a common occourance on some of the 4wd grey units that did 'rice' patrol.

Assuming this is your first oil change.

Even with that change.. the residual moisture in there was enough to emulsify all that new oil. The kerosene flush is a good idea. Might even add some rubbing alcohol.. it is a great dewaterer... ( alcohol is a polar solvent.. water is polar.. etc.. lets it bond with the other hydrocarbons and be carried out in solution, rather than suspension.. )

Soundguy

California · Jun 24, 2004

This picture was on a Yanmar corporate website illustrating diverse uses. Apparently they consider rice paddies to be a normal working environment.

normde2001 · Jun 24, 2004

"Apparently they consider rice paddies to be a normal working environment."

Yep, I've seen that picture, and that's a typical rice paddy for sure.

kcbeave · Jun 24, 2004

You ran it with kerosene in the front differential for 2 months?
Would'nt that damage the gears?
Thanks for the info,
Keith

Ozarker · Jun 24, 2004

I can guarantee it will do less damage than a diff full of water and mud. How long do you think that was in there?

I suppose if it were run daily on the highway it would have done damage but I don't really put that many hours on a tractor. In that two months it probably got 3 or four hours actual use and the rest of the time it was just soaking the gunk loose.

You will have to determine the length of time you leave it in there for yourself based on your use. My thought was that the solution needed time to penetrate the gunk intermixed with some time being agitated by the action of the gears. Kind of like a presoak before washing the cloths.

Kerosene is not a solvent, it is a light oil. So it does provide some lubrication.

If you are uncomfortable with the idea of using kerosene, try transmission fluid. It is a lighter oil than gear oil and might accomplish the same thing.

Soundguy · Jun 24, 2004

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Kerosene is not a solvent, it is a light oil )</font>
I disagree on a tchnical basis.

A solvent is anything that can disolve and carry a material
( solvate) in soloution.. not suspension.

Kerosene is most certaintly a solvent.. as are most petrol's.

Also.. just becasue it is a light oil does not mean that it isn't a solvent. MMO is a light oil and is a solvent... the flyspec print on the can discloses that.

My main concern would not specifically be the lack of lubrication.. but rather the introduction of material that would now be circulatoing in the gears and bearings.. like oh.. mud... That would make a very nice light polishing compound...

I'm thinking a kero flush would be better.. as in pour in.. agitate.. drain.. then repeat.

Soundguy