Yes I am a idiot, but here to solve problem, not point fingers: Tranny Question..HELP

[Rockymtnsurfer]

Here is the situation....and I have been PM a person on this forum that has been very helpful! Done bothering him

I have not changed the fluids since I got the boat fall of 17 after it was winterized. Had issues last season, none pertained to fluids....so Idiot me never paid attention to them beside checked levels.....but didn't see tranny stick until now!

Also.....knock, knock, knock on wood!!!! the boat has been great all summer thus far! I really hope I didn't just jinx myself!

Decided to go through all fluids etc.

Oil looks good and changed out.

V-Drive....vacuumed all oil out 3 different times and it looks clean and is replaced fresh...looks great. I could tell it was old and slight milky(could be from numerous reasons, so before I freak out, I wanted to start fresh)

Here we are on the transmission. Fluid was BLACK! Looked like oil, and not trans fluid. I was a little concerned to say the least, but didn't want to jump to conclusions. So.....here we are, I read a ton on this sight, manuals, etc and determined this should be PINK trans oil...DEXIII. So yesterday I vacuumed out the oil....once, filled back with trans....twice, filled back with trans, third and fourth etc. after 4 its a slight dark pink. I would run engine for about 25 secs and put in gear forward and reverse, an then turn off. Hopeing it would stir it up a little. I could be totally wrong on this.

Slept on this all night and even had transmission oil change dreams...WTH!

Here I am 7am deciding what to do.

I was thinking this: Hook up my fake lake hose set up first. Get engine running to operating temp (like manual says) Go get more trans fluid, and continue my vac drain fill scenario process again until its pink....pink pink. Obviously turning off engine in between drain and fill.

HELP....Who thinks this is right or wrong, or what have I messed up? Thank you if you can help ahead of time!
D

[charlesml3]

Well we’re operating under the assumption that someone put motor oil in it at some point instead of transmission fluid. With that, you’re doing everything right. You’ve noticed that no matter how much you vacuum the fluid out, you simply cannot get it all.

Keep doing what you’re doing. After a few changes it’ll stay mostly pink and you’ll be good to go.

-Charles


Sent from my iPhone using PLT Nautique

[Gtsum2]

I’d say continue doing what you are doing and flushing it out until it’s all pink. Kind of like flushing an atv engine with numerous oil changes if it’s been submerged and sucked water in


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Rockymtnsurfer]

Sweet...thanks Charles....heading to Napa now....assuming slight dark pink is better than no pink. Thanks again...appreciate it very much!
D

[Rockymtnsurfer]

Thanks Gtsum2.....greatly appreciated!

[Outdoorjp]

You can buy the trans oil in 5 gallon buckets... Keep flushing till it's good oil.
make sure to put it in gear forwards and backwards and run it a little bit before changing it.

Good luck.

[Rockymtnsurfer]

Worked and done....thanks guys...actually came out pretty much pink!

[mpost]

Sounds like in the first post you ran 4 or 5 times without the fake a lake? Might be worth a quick look at your impeller before your back on the lake! Have heard of them coming apart fairly quick if run dry.

[Rockymtnsurfer]

most.....good thought. First 2 times I just filled and drained. 4th time and 5th....filled turned on put forward and reverse...no more than say 20 sec. This last time I was following manual and getting it to engine temp and checking. Good thing for me to watch. Before I open it up, I think I will run it on the water and see how temp is. I always carry a new one with me due to it happening in the past. If temps seem higher than normal, then maybe open it up? You think that is a ok plan, or do you think I should bust the seal and swap it out. It doesn't have more than 30 hrs on it. D

[Infinity]

If you got it too engine temp without water the last time then I would replace it for sure, at very least open it up and take it out to check it. I always liberally put dawn dish soap on impeller when I install not only to make it easy to slide in, but also to lubricate it till it has water.
If you are gonna open it anyway, make sure you check the housing for marked, if impeller runs dry for a while it can get hot with impeller friction on the housing and leave some rubber/burn marks, you want to wet sand that off with something fine like 1500/2000 grit.
If it was just the 2) 20 second times I think your plan sounds ok.

The other thing about running out of water is the strut bearing, its lubricated/cooled by water. If you turn the shaft for any amount of time without having a hose spraying on that it can start making a whining noise at certain rpm's

[Rockymtnsurfer]

sounds good.....def didn't get it to temp the first few times... just spun prop.....I do put water on shaft all times actually....just poor cup of water down it. Even with the hose hook up, I have had that noise start and didn't want to wear out that part between the metal and the shaft. I think I am going to take it to the lake today for a quick dog trip and see how she runs and temp check with my heat gun.......unless you all think I am nuts and should just replace...otherwise I will stay home and do that

[Nautiquehunter]

How many hours are on the boat? There is no combustion inside the trans in order to break down the oil it must have been driven hard . Its likely the black color is the friction material from the clutches . If that is the case you have probably made it worse by flushing the trans . The new fluid will clean everything including what is left of the clutch disks. Watch for slipping from here on if it were a car you wound be on borrowed time. Good luck I hope it all works out for you.

[Rockymtnsurfer]

will do.......hr meter does work......engine was pulled years ago and it was not hooked back up I believe....I will keep a eye out!

[Rockymtnsurfer]

not

[Rockymtnsurfer]

Naut Hunter...the more I think about it, what you say makes a lot of sense. So if this starts slipping, how does it feel, and will I be dead in the water? I have a trip to the gorge coming up, and maybe I will stay closer to home then run up river with it. Now I am nervous about this piece of #$%@. Will a gun hole sink a boat?