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+--- Thread: Coolant in my trans??? (/showthread.php?tid=2549)
Coolant in my trans??? - repete - 04-24-2011
So after the battle of flushing the lacquered gasoline from my recently purchased 300sd and getting her to run again, I have found my transmission to have a pink milky color to it.
My question is:
Is the trans cooler tied in with the radiator, or maybe this car had some water contamination from another source?
Note it has sat for eight years before I bought it.
Thanks,
Pete
RE: Coolant in my trans??? - totaldisaster - 04-24-2011
at the bottom of the radiator you will see two lines running into the radiator... they come from the trans.
The radiator can definitely leak into the ATF.
However, it is quite possible that water got into the trans by sitting so long. It happened to the last car I bought.
RE: Coolant in my trans??? - repete - 04-24-2011
Bummer, I didn't bother to trace the lines, as it was late and I was on BBQ duty.
I guess I'll be p-testing the cooling system next.
Thanks!
Looks like napa has a filter and gasket for 27.00.
RE: Coolant in my trans??? - totaldisaster - 04-24-2011
BBQ comes first.
Just don't keep that moisture in there much longer. Depending on how long its been in there... that trans may need some serious attention in the valve body.
RE: Coolant in my trans??? - makin' smoke - 04-24-2011
yes, the trans cooler is a small finned cooler placed in the lower tank of the radiator. havent heard about coolant contamination on that model. There was a rash of w211's (E class) that had a problem with it. It happens when the car is turned off warm and the cooling system is still under pressure. If a leak were present, with the engine not running there would be no pressure in the trans cooler side, but the cooling system retains pressure until cool, thus allowing coolant to pass into the trans cooler. water/coolant is thinner than atf and can pass through smaller orifice. I live in so cal and never seen any other type of contamination to a trans. At the dealer we had test kit. It included a vile and a test strip that showed a color coded result like a pregnancy test. lol. You might be able to find something similar, or if a dealer is close by might have a kit. Oherwise without a coolant pressure tester, if you can run the car and get it hot(to build pressure in cooling system) with engine off, remove trans cooler lines from radiator and maybe see coolant leakage. In the end, i think the easiest and most trustworthy test would be the strip test.
RE: Coolant in my trans??? - plurkje - 04-24-2011
Yes it does happen, even on our models. Start looking for a new radiator and flush the transmission, maybe you're lucky and the damage doesn't result in a rebuild right now. Do not drive around with coolant in the transmission!
RE: Coolant in my trans??? - willbhere4u - 04-24-2011
Had it happen on a Cherokee when cruising down the highway
It turns in to a jello like substance we replaced the radiator and flushed the transmission like 10 times to get all of the gunk out it never quite felt the same but we kept driving it
But in your case it could be a condensation issue!
The easy way to test it is to unbolt the transmission cooler use a pan it will leak about 1/2 quart atf and then test the cooling system! If coolant leaks out of the transmission cooler fittings It a bad radiator!
RE: Coolant in my trans??? - repete - 04-24-2011
Thanks for all the info!
I have a pressure tester, so I'll see what happens there. I will send off a sample for analyses too.
I read that there is a drain plug on the torque converter. If I drain this, will it safely refill from the dip stick fill? I guess it would have to. I'll the transmissions I've r/r'd, I always put some fluid in the tc before installing it.