1995 ski nautique: WATER IN TRANS ???

[jzmolik]

just curious what the most probable reasons for this might be. ive heard of too much water in bilge and failure to winterize properly. is this a common thing?

thanks in advance

[Mikeski]

Pull the trans cooler and pressure test it.

[Mamigacz]

When I bought my boat it was evident that it sat uncovered for a long period of time. With that being said the bilge was full of water. The first time I started it, it blew the front transmission seal out. There was so much water mixed in with the oil that the pressure pushed the seal out. I'm not saying this is your issue, but too much water in the bilge is a valid reason.

[jzmolik]

This boat sat uncovered for a while as well. Im hoping thats all it is. Ill be draining and replacing tranny fluid this weekend as well as replacing the raw water pump. The pump is leaking water into the bilge area as well so maybe once that is fixed and tranny fluid is replaced everything will be back to normal. Thanks for the help

[Mamigacz]

I was forced to pull the transmission on my boat. With the amount of hours, I went ahead and had the tranny rebuilt. I'm curious how you are going to get all the water out? I know you can pump the fluid out, but I don't think that gets it all out. There is always fluid left in all the passages, pumps and lines.

You might have to change it multiple times to get most of the water out. If it looks frothy on the dipstick after changing it and running it. It will most likely need another oil change.

Hopefully someone else will chime in with better ideas.

[Mikeski]

I can get most of the fluid out with my "suck up". When the tranny cooler on my 83 started leaking water into the oil making milkshakes it took only 2 fluid changes to clear it up.

[DanielC]

If you disconnect the hose from the top fitting on the transmission, and blow air into the hose, it pushes the contaminated oil into the transmission sump, and you can suck more oil out of the transmission. Reconnect the hose. Put new transmission fluid in, run the boat while supplying water to the raw water pump, shift the transmission forward, neutral, reverse, back to neutral. Change the oil again.
Repeat above two more times.

That should remove all the water contaminated fluid from the transmission. You can not disconnect the top hose, but you will have to do more oil changes, because more contaminated fluid will stay in the cooler lines.

Do not let water build up in the bilge.

[Neverenough]

I agree with mike. Pull the cooler and take to radiator shop for testing. Could be cracked from lack of winterization or just old. I had a hatteras that had one go bad. Usually you'll pump the Trans fluid out in the cooling water. Trans pressure is higher than the water pressure.

[jzmolik]

Got the fluid drained and replaced. hooked water to the pump and fired the boat up. Everything ran beautifully. put it in forward and the prop started making a terrible grinding noise. any ideas!? I looked for some kind of grease fitting our bearing but found nothing

[shag]

If it sat dry a long time the shaft going through the strut could be dry and making the noise. You shouldn't engage the prop dry. An occasional just to see if it spins is one thing (bump in and out). but try backing it into the water and shift forward and reverse. It shouldn't make the noise.

[Mamigacz]

It scared me the first time I engaged the transmission on the trailer. That strut bushing is probably made out of hard rubber. It needs water to properly lubricate it.
Did you check the tranny oil after cycling it? Did the dipstick have any froth or water bubbles on it?

[jzmolik]

i did check it and was still pepto looking. however, i havent had the chance to do the shifting in the water. i figure ill cycle the fluid at least 1 more time before checking the cooler. how exactly does that thing come off anyway? i was looking at it and couldnt come up with a way to do it easily ????

[Mamigacz]

Are you asking how to remove the transmission?

[Mamigacz]

Whoops, you meant the cooler. I'm not sure what a 95 setup looks like.

[jzmolik]

ya the cooler. seems like its way harder than what ive read here