Gearbox oil foam (1 Viewer)

[Erwin]

I was checking my gearbox oil and found the thing full of foam. First I thought I had a water leak from the engine, but that is not possible I would think. No connections with the water in the block, and if, the foam should be bluish as the coolant I guess.
The car is newly restored and have never been in water. Before I checked the oil I had driven 20 meters.
The oil is about 8 years old, and the car has only been test driven during resto.

Oil: Comma, EP80W-90 GL-4 Mineral. 4 shift gearbox, BJ40 1976
No idea what oil has been used before. Some reaction between old oil and new? I did not flush the box before adding new oil.
Should I be worried?

I drained the box. The jar is from the last oil running out.

 

[bkfj40]

Never seen that. Following.

 

[B y r o n]

Not a brand widely available here in the States. I'd let it settle for a few days to see if water separates from the oil. Any possibility some soap somehow got in during the work? If you don't see a water separation in a few days I'd contact the manufacture and see if they will respond to your condition/observations.

 

[billmc]

perhaps it was simply overfilled. I don’t know, when you overfill an engine crankcase to oil can be whipped into a foam, and can no longer lube the engine properly. Don’t know if that’s what happens in an overfull tranny

 

[Erwin]

Googling a bit more generally, omitting Land Cruiser, reveals that this is not an unknown problem.

See: OilFoaming

Possible causes:
- Wrong filling quantity
- Inadequate geometry of the oil reservoir / gear box
- Gear oil mixed with oil of an other brand
- Gear oil contaminated by bearing grease
- Gear oil contaminated by dust
- Gear oil contaminated by water

So I guess I just fill it up again and check it.