Moisture in transmission, '07 SV211

[TOBTique]

This week we launched our '07 SV211 in Tahoe; during the inspection there was a small amount of oil in the bilge so the inspector placed a oil pillow in the bilge and told us to leave it in. We left it moored this week and throughout the week of use, some water accumulated in the bilge and caused the pillow to float and get caught/ripped in the exposed spinning portion of the V-Drive. I felt it catch, slowed down and limped home. I drove the 10min back to the buoy and opened the engine / center hatches to get a better look. There is thick yellow fluid coming from what looks like a vent on the top of the vdrive, I assume water got into the transmission/vdrive somehow when the pillow was caught? Additionally there was about 3" of standing water, maybe that was the cause? I tried running the bilge and hear the center bilge working but not the bilge in the engine bay.

I'm going to take it out of the water today, drain the compartment, and clean the debris out. I need to figure out why the bilge is letting 3" of standing water sit. Also, how do you think moisture got into the transmission and/or vdrive? Will replacing the transmission and/or vdrive fluid be enough?

Any help would be appreciated.

[TOBTique]

After doing more research it seems like my issue is the V-Drive, not the transmission. That vent is coming from the V-Drive, correct?

[SilentSeven]

That looks like the transmission in the first photo. Has the shift cable running to it. Less clear in picture two.

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[jpwhit]

Yes, definitely looks like water in the transmission fluid. Good chance you have a ruptured transmission cooler. You need to get the water out of the transmission ASAP so the internal components don't start to rust. You may have to change the fluid multiple times until it comes out clean. I'd also go ahead and take out the trans cooler and figure out if that's the source of the water intrusion.

[TOBTique]

I’ve done more research, for this model PCM the v-drive and transmission are separate and use different fluids. I checked the transmission and it had clear/red fluid, no contamination. I ordered some Mobil1 SHC 50 and will start the exchange process to get rid of the water contamination.

[Scooter G]

Was this the 1st time on the water for the season?
Who/how was the boat winterized last season?

[TOBTique]

We bought it a few weeks ago, used it a couple times before the Tahoe trip without issue although I don’t know if I looked at that spot on the v drive to see the vent after each use. Idaho water sports winterized it.

[Scooter G]

They are kinda of the go to around here, but they know there stuff.
Hopefully it's just the transmission cooler jpwhit mentioned. If it's a water cooler IWS will tell you it's boat age, if you have a crack in the v-drive case you get to start the conversation about the winterization process, or lack there of. You will need to find the source of intrution or I suspect you are going to get really efficient at changing that oil every run. A slow amount of water entry isn't going to blow through the vent cap on the 1st or maybe even 2nd run.
Good luck...

[TOBTique]

I'm hoping some water got in the v-drive's vent when the oil sponge was kicking up water. I found a post from a Malibu owner who had same issue: v-drive had contamination but transmission was fine. He had water get in the v-drive vent from excess water in bilge getting sloshed around; he changed it a few times it resolved.

The transmission fluid is fine, so I think the transmission cooler isn't an issue. I don't think the winterization was an issue either, no other areas are affected. Unless there was a small amount of water left in the line that goes through the v-drive to cool it but the prior owner kept it in his house garage through winter so I doubt anything would have frozen even if water was left there.

[SilentSeven]

I think this is a reasonable hypothesis and is the same route I'd go down.

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[Scooter G]

I'm hoping some water got in the v-drive's vent when the oil sponge was kicking up water.

I love me some good optimism, let's hope for that ay. I could be totally wrong, but I think that is a one way vent, it can breathe but it can't inhale.
Change her out and see what happens, like jpwhit mentioned it might take a time or 2 to get the contamination out.
Can't wait to hear...

[TOBTique]

Couple rounds done. The first round took over an hour to pull out it was so thick, you can see it has air pockets in the cannister still after a couple days. The second round, after boating a couple hours, was much thinner and took only a minute or two to pull out.

I'll keep doing it for a few more rounds; hopefully this will be it, but I'm not holding my breath. I'll report back.

[Scooter G]

Doesn't take much moisture to turn oil to a Jamocha Shake. Anxious to see round 3...

[TOBTique]

Just did my 4th round, fluid is just about normal now and getting better every time. I'm going to do it twice more because I have the tranny fluid to do it and it's easy; I have it down to about 15min for the drain/fill. Now to figure out the bilge pumps, they are definitely not working.