665 Tiller gearbox oil

[jeffster]

Ok, so I took the plunge and bought a 665 for my 3520 and I really like it. However, I noticed after doing the test run that the gearbox oil is milky. I contacted the dealer who said they fill it when it comes in but that it likely had water sitting in the bottom. So, I'll change that out myself since it is an hour's drive back to the dealer. Not too big a deal to change it (and I am **** about checking fluids so I caught it). My question is, any concerns that I ran it for 30 minutes this way? It of course wasn't milky when I checked it before use, otherwise I wouldn't have used it that way. Thoughts?

 

[boomer1025]

Ok, so I took the plunge and bought a 665 for my 3520 and I really like it. However, I noticed after doing the test run that the gearbox oil is milky. I contacted the dealer who said they fill it when it comes in but that it likely had water sitting in the bottom. So, I'll change that out myself since it is an hour's drive back to the dealer. Not too big a deal to change it (and I am **** about checking fluids so I caught it). My question is, any concerns that I ran it for 30 minutes this way? It of course wasn't milky when I checked it before use, otherwise I wouldn't have used it that way. Thoughts?

It should be ok, I'd run it alittle more then change the oil again, that should get what little, if any water was still in the gear box out.

 

[nikdfish]

It may take a bit to clear it all out. I had a similar experience with the top gearbox on a Tarter I picked up from TSC. I still saw some evidence of contamination after 3 flushes, with no load operation in between each ...

Do let it settle a bit before checking after use, I think churned in air could possibly look similar.

Nick

 

[jeffster]

Thanks guys, appreciate the thoughts. It poured today so I haven't been back out but I'll go take another look tomorrow and see if it still looks the same. Thanks again.

 

[danedgington]

I think a lot of it has to do with cast-iron gear box and the way it only sits with a little gear oil in the bottom. My is always that way in the spring, it seems heating and cooling over the winter lets plenty of condensation in and you get the emulsified milky gear oil. I usually just flush it a couple of time with some keroscene and then add GL-5 in the spring.

If you let it go too long you will get some pitting on the shafts, but if you keep up on it I wouldn't worry about it.

Dan

 

[jeffster]

Ok, so I went and changed the oil and this is what it looked like. Pretty ugly...

-Jeff

 

[AKfish]

I think a lot of it has to do with cast-iron gear box and the way it only sits with a little gear oil in the bottom. My is always that way in the spring, it seems heating and cooling over the winter lets plenty of condensation in and you get the emulsified milky gear oil. I usually just flush it a couple of time with some keroscene and then add GL-5 in the spring.

If you let it go too long you will get some pitting on the shafts, but if you keep up on it I wouldn't worry about it.

Dan

Yep... that's been my experience too. Haven't tried the Kerosene route, though. Better refined than diesel; which is what I've got lot's of.

I use one of those brass hand-pumps that are found in the boat supply catalogs to suck out the remaining diesel-gunk mixture before putting in new gear oil.

AKfish

 

[nikdfish]

Yep, that's pretty milky!

Nick

 

[nikdfish]

Yep... that's been my experience too. Haven't tried the Kerosene route, though. Better refined than diesel; which is what I've got lot's of.

I use one of those brass hand-pumps that are found in the boat supply catalogs to suck out the remaining diesel-gunk mixture before putting in new gear oil.

AKfish

In between flushes with 90 weight, I used diesel with some gas line antifreeze (methyl alcohol). Don't know it it helped much, but was willing to give it a try. Final fill was 85w140. I agree about the suction gun. Much less messy than the side bottom drain on my top box (& didn't leave anything left to drain when the drain plug was removed).

Nick