wtf why is my gear oil white? (1 Viewer)

[rc51kid]

Changed my front and rear gear oil tonight. Change it every year. Front was its nomal a little gray with some moly grease in it. I have reasonably fresh birfields seals in the front. The grease always looks good but for some reason the front oil is always kind of gray in front. Never any metal shavings on the plugs.

But tonight the rear drained out a milky white. I will upload a picture in a min when I get inside. It was not separated into layers like I think it would with water in it. Also no deep water crossings that I remember and I have extended brethers. Also no metal again on the drain plugs. Any ideas

 

[Starlord]

Sounds like water or moisture got inside somehow.

 

[I Lean]

Water will emulsify with the oil and make it look like chocolate milk...the more water, the lighter the color.

 

[Tools R Us]

If it looks like mayonnaise, water.

 

[whaler]

milk?

 

[bigCatdiesel]

Yep, water/moisture is mixed with the oil. That’ll change the viscosity so it’s good that you changed the oil. You should figure out the source to keep it from reoccurring.

John

 

[mudgudgeon]

If it looks like mayonnaise, water.

If it smells and tastes like mayonnaise, you've really pissed somebody off!

 

[HARDGEAR]

Sounds like condensation or moisture. Not uncommon enough to freak out. It can occur to 2 wheel bike diffs to. Happened to my 4 runner that sat all winter few years ago, it’s a die hard yota beater so only rarely look at its condition. Its like the oil wants to be near water, I don’t know why, they really don’t mix i hear.
Send some fresh oil through it and see if it clears out without wasting to much oil(money).
My front axel oil , 80/90 was light grey after 20k and smelled like dead things run in a blender.
No metal shavings in either case. Its true YOTAs have HARD GEARS!

 

[rc51kid]

added some pictures. I guess it is water. That is what i thought. Any ideas how it is getting in? I will try changing it again in a few thousand miles when i get out west in a few weeks.

 

[BILT4ME]

Condensation.
Many elevation / temperature change situations. Have you recently driven from a warm, low elevation to cool, high elevation where it was snowing and parked overnight? The cool down cycle will draw cool, high RH air into the diff.

Driving in the rain with a compromised axle seal?

Where does the end of your vent line terminate? Inside the vehicle or out?

 

[HARDGEAR]

That’s a good point about elevation and temp changes.^ I had parked my runner in a field where the diff breather is just above the pumpkin and totally could have absorbed water from grass. Doesn’t really dry out under truck. Don’t park on tall grass long term.. adds to rusty scale quickly. Nasty as salt water after a while.

 

[ToyotaMatt]

Changed my front and rear gear oil tonight. Change it every year. Front was its nomal a little gray with some moly grease in it. I have reasonably fresh birfields seals in the front. The grease always looks good but for some reason the front oil is always kind of gray in front. Never any metal shavings on the plugs.

But tonight the rear drained out a milky white. I will upload a picture in a min when I get inside. It was not separated into layers like I think it would with water in it. Also no deep water crossings that I remember and I have extended brethers. Also no metal again on the drain plugs. Any ideas

U should closely inspect your Pinion seal for a leak ,

If none is found pull both rear tires and inspect both outer axle seals well

If that amount of water is getting in , something is coming out somewhere ?

make sure your Vent tube hose is not stuck up inside your wheel-well by mistake , and simply getting injected with rear tire spray like a mud flap

that amount of Moisture contamination is Not Naturally Occurring

 

[Locked79]

Thats more than condensation. Need to find where its comming from. Pinion seal or breather most likely.

 

[SUMMIT CRUISERS]

I'm betting the vent hose slipped off while flexing the rear and a recent trip through a river or driving in lots of rain added water to the oil. Definitely not condensation as @Locked79 mentioned above.

 

[rc51kid]

Thats more than condensation. Need to find where its comming from. Pinion seal or breather most likely.

Crap. I think i remember a drip around the front pinion seal a few months ago. Nothing big. Maybe just a wetspot.

Anyone know if i can change that with out resetting the rear diff backlash?

 

[SteamerF18]

Haven’t done this so don’t know from experience.

Search says maybe yes, maybe no. HTH

Rear Pinion Oil Seal - DIY or have it done?

 

[rc51kid]

I consulted my cruser guy. Plan is to clean and inspect the vent systems. He felt that was most likely.

He said if the pinion seal has a small leak like that you dont often get much water in it there. I dont want to do the pinion seal until I do gears and can set the preload right. So as long as it is just a drip I will just keep a eye on it.

I will run it a bit and check/swap gear oil again and see how it looks for now. But mostly keep it full of clean oil as always. This is a good reason to run dino oil and change frequently. I always change it every spring with about 15-20,000 miles on it

 

[Tools R Us]

How is the breather setup, water crossings over rim center? If the pinion bearings are good, the seal can be changed without removing the diff.

 

[ZackR]

Seems like a small amount of water from condensation would evaporate back out the breather when things warm up. This looks like a decent amount of water made it in there, possibly the breather hose came loose.

 

[Tools R Us]

Seems like a small amount of water from condensation would evaporate back out the breather when things warm up. This looks like a decent amount of water made it in there, possibly the breather hose came loose.

Agree, that is why I asked about the breather setup. The factory one-way valve is pretty good at causing a vacuum that can suck in water when fording.