foaming transmission oil

This is probably not a topic for a thread but I would like to know if I have a problem.
I did a search and did not find an answer. If I missed it please direct me there.
This afternoon after running my 225 in the frame for a few minutes I took the shift tower off of the T90 to test fit the tub. When I looked inside the T-case the oil was milky and very foamy almost like it had water in it but it has been inside since the oil was added. The oil is GL-5 80W-90 and came from O'reilly's.
Is this normal???
Tommy

 

don't know if this helps but the t-90 has an oil collector in the front of the case for the countershaft. the tranny does not technically need this to operate and some people leave it out on a rebuild. without it, it tends to foam the oil also.

 

The oil collector is installed and the T/C has been filled. I can see no way for water to contaminate this case because it has been inside . I used a lot of assembly lube when I put the trans. and T/C together. Could this be an issue???
Thanks,
Tommy

 

It's possible condensation has built up to the point of water contamination. You don't say where you're located as your profile is not filled out, nor how long it sat inside but it's definitely a possibility even though it sat inside. Here in the Pacific Northwest we get air inversions so rapidly that tools sitting in a tool box will actually sweat. Imagine what that can do to the inside of a transmission that hasn't been run..... Nickmil

 

Sorry, I'll go back and fill out the profile. I'm located in north Louisiana. The oil has been in the transmission for only a couple of weeks and kept in the garage. The assembly lube was white. Do you suppost there is a non-compatability issue here. The same assembly lube was used on the engine and that oil hasn't foamed. I assume that from the responses that transmission oil is not supposed to foam.

 

You have a brand name or type for the assembly lube?

 

I hope this works.
Here are two photos of what is going on.
Thanks,
Tommy

 

Looks like they don't mix so well.

 

One more thing vasaline works well as lube and disapears quickly.

 

From somewhere in the past I recall that GL-5 rated fluid is a no-no for our old trannys? Supposed to be bad for the syncros? Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Yep ,Sure does not look good all discolored and such. You need to change the fluid anyways, as I recall I believe that it is the sulfur content in GL-5 formulation that is corrosive to the brass syncronizers.

 

Ok if the GL-5 is corrosive to the brass syncronizers what type of gear oil is recommended? Any type that isn't GL-5.

 

From Novak: "When filling your T18 / T19 with gear oil, we recommend that you select a conventional mineral oil or a para-synthetic in lieu of a full synthetic oil. Properly assembled manual gearboxes do not have the thermal strains seen by combustion engines or hypoid gears. Synthetic fluid in these gearboxes, while not harmful, is probably an economic waste.

Hypoid gear oil is sulphurized higher than transmission oil and can be mildly corrosive to the non-ferrous alloys used for synchros, bushings and thrust washers in these transmissions.

An 80W-90, API-GL5 or MT-1 rated fluid is very good. Some claim faster shifts from using a 50W engine oil in their transmission and we do not consider this to be contraindicated."

 

The factory service manual #1046 indicates that "GL-4" 80 weight/winter and 90weight/summer should be used in the 3 and 4 speed transmissions. Valvoline makes "Duragear 75w/85w" that meets thr GL-4 specification, this usually has to be ordered in at my local FLAPS.Only takes a day to get it in.

 

My FSM calls for SAE 80wt GL-4, also.

I suspect it would have been hard for them to specify GL-5 in the 1975 FSM, as the spec for GL-5 didn't exist yet?

I wonder how long it would take for GL-5 to have a noticeable effect.

I hope it's not like when I was in 7th grade, being taught and disciplined by a large Penguin (think Blues Brothers). Other than the unforgettably large size and intimidating manner of the Penguin, the thing I remember most from the 7th grade was the Soft Drink/Tooth Death Experiment. The Penguin put a set of false teeth in a glass of soda at the beginning of the school year. Keeping the glass full over the ensuing 9 or so months, finally revealed mere stump like remnants of the false teeth.

The Penguin never wanted to listen to my point which was "nobody holds soda in their mouth for 9 months!" I was ridiculed for my feeble attempt at using the scientific method. To this day, I will only drink soda when absolutely necessary.

You're gonna change the fluid anyway, stick with the GL-4. Who knows?

All I know is I shouldn't have been washing my hair all these years with soda. Judging by results, and all.

 

From what i've been reading it seems that the assembly lube is lithium based and the gear oil is mineral based. I don't know what this means other than they are different. Could this be the problem???
Any suggestions on how to clean this up???
Thanks,
Tommy

 

Tommy,
I would just drain, and refill with a GL-4. Drive it and check. A little foam is no big deal.

If you see an unacceptable amount of foam, do the above again.

The alternative is to pull, disassemble, clean, reassemble, reinstall. Hardly necessary, IMO. These old beasts are pretty impervious to abuse, unlike the light weight, plastic constructed and glued together over engineered vehicles of today. Somewhere somebody has been running the same T-case for 20 years on old bacon grease without a single complaint...

 

I had the same in my gear (without any water inside). I belive this "foam" will go down after you let the jeep a long rest.
Did you look again ?

Ziv