Gear Oils Contaminated with water is it time for Extended Breathers?

[sae70]

Following gear oil contamination after my last couple of trips I've been looking at extending the breather pipes on my axles and box's

I've always checked my gear oil condition on every truck I've owned, following every off-road trip as one of those spannering checks that one has always done. Up until my last two trips I've never had any troubles, but following my last trip to Wales with Ben I had water contamination in my transfer box.

Probably as a result of this water crossing;

This is a video if you double click on it



...and then more contamination following a day playing in the floods;

So here's what came out;

Transfer box oil;

Gearbox oil;
Not contaminated, but very old and in need of a change

Back axle oil;

Front axle oil;

Here's the oils dropped after flushing with new oil;

Front axle oil;

Transfer box oil;

Pleased with how these look and have topped up with new oil and will call them done

The back axle on the other hand!!! The flushing oil fill that I dropped from out of that looked much the same as the contaminated oil I dropped, so I topped it up again went for another fly around, came back dropped it again and still not good!!! Filled again with fresh oil and the saga continues. I ran out of time to continue and didn't get any photos as it was dark, but I'll get it eventually.

So now time to talk about Extended Breathers

 

[Chris]

What you need mate is a proper Landcruiser. That would fix it.

Arf Arf.

You know, on a serious note, I'm not convinced that there's much water gets in via the breather. It would take some doing. I had issues on my T box and the oil looked shocking all the time. Turns out there was a hole somewhere. But extending the axle snorks is a dead easy job so you might as well go for it. See if it works.

 

[sae70]

What you need mate is a proper Land Cruiser. That would fix it.

Too-shay

You know, on a serious note, I'm not convinced that there's much water gets in via the breather. It would take some doing. I had issues on my T box and the oil looked shocking all the time. Turns out there was a hole somewhere. But extending the axle snorks is a dead easy job so you might as well go for it. See if it works.

I'm kind of with you Chris as the major contamination I've just had was as a result of sitting stationary in bollock deep water for a length of time and even the poppets would have let plenty in I'm sure!!! For the sake of £20 worth of bits and a couple of hours freezing me nuts off I'm going to fit extended breathers, but the Transfer Box contamination is the one that confuses me I've had the center console out, gear nobs off and all rubber protection removed and spent far to long on my back under the truck stroking the top of the transfer box and I can't fathom where its breather is and so have no idea how its become so easily contaminated recently!!!!

 

[Ben]

I like the way you blame me Steven!

If its anything like the 70 series box then there isnt breathers on the G-box or T-box.

What Roger did on mine was to drill and tap a small hole, and then screw in a fitting that we could then attach a tube to. At least I think thats what I/he did.

Will be in my build thread some where.

Do you really think water will get inside axles just through them being sat in water, presuming youve got extended breathers?

Surely the oil seal would keep the oil in and water out?