Water in Tranny

[mlaclaire]

Hi All,

I have a JD 450 6 way blade dozer SN/ 23861 105120T late 60's I think.
The Tranny is over filled with water We drain all the milky white stuff out. What would be the best way to make sure the water is gone> Flush it with Diesel? a few times? Please advise.

Thank you for letting me pick your brains.

[Stan Disbrow]

Hi,

Reload with hydraulic oil. It has additives that absorb water, diesel does not. Then, drain and reload again after a short interval.

Stan

[Tigerhaze]

Digitup2 had an idea a while back to use marine absorbents to remove water from transmission fluid- the only issue is if it is small enough to fit through the dipstick tube:

http://www.jdcrawlers.com/messageboard/ ... ight=water

http://www.jdcrawlers.com/messageboard/ ... ight=water

[mlaclaire]

Thank you for the help. I didn't know that the hydraulic fluid had water absorbers in it. After a refill and short running time I drained and filled it again ( with 8 gallons of hydro) and the water seems to be mostly gone. I am still having low power to the tracks. Any attempt to push a partial blade full, stops it dead.
I hope it works it's way to full power again. that was all i could find wrong without tearing it down. Maybe someday i'll go through the clutches and brakes because I love this little dozer when she is running right it will do anything I ask her too. thank you again.

[Lavoy]

Heat will also tend to remove moisture. If you run the crawler long enough and keep the oil temp up, that will help too. SeaFoam is also supposed to be good at removing moisture from oil. I have not tried it, but will the next time I encounter water in oil.
Lavoy

[mlaclaire]

Does anyone think that the power will come back to the drive train after that soaking of about 50 50 water and hydraulic fluid? That SeaFoam will be my next attempt to get all the water out. I will run it and see for now.

[Scottyb]

I put a pail of water contaminated transmission oil in the basement and forgot about it for a few months. I was going to use it to light brush piles. It was in a clear pail just by chance as most pails I have are not clear. It was in a warm place near the furnace room and, I was surprised when in the spring I could see that the water had separated out to the bottom. I used that oil again in my crawlers as it looked just fine. I will try this again soon as I have a 350 that has water in the same oil that needs a change. No sense in wasting good oil !

Scott

[Tigerhaze]

Does anyone think that the power will come back to the drive train after that soaking of about 50 50 water and hydraulic fluid?

Are you sure it is the HLR causing low power to the tracks or is it possible that your steering clutches are slipping? On a straight 450 the two systems are not connected (clutches are "dry" (mechanical)). I don't know how long the crawler sat but it is easy for steering clutches to become oil contaminated and slip or to be stuck (frozen) due to absorbing moisture and creating rust.