Milky tranny fluid 94 legacy

[Zootal]

So I drained the tranny fluid, and much to my surprise, it was milky in appearance. Very milky. I've had this car for over 15 years, and this has never happened before. I change the tranny fluid every year, sometimes twice a year. I live in Phoenix, AZ, and it is bloody hot here most of the year, and the weather can be hard on transmissions. So I change it at least once a year. It has NEVER come out milky looking.

 

I replaced the radiator about two years ago, and the thought occurs to me that this wonderful made in <some third world country> crap radiator that I paid an arm and a leg for is now leaking coolant fluid into my tranny.

 

1) Is there any other way for water contamination other them from the radiator? I live in Phoenix, AZ, and there is very little rain here, and it's bloody hot most of the time. No rain or water puddles, too hot for condensation, and it's never happened before.

 

2) Is just draining the pan and refilling adequate? What is the best way to change out all of the fluid?

 

3) Any recommendations to a quality radiator? The factory radiator lasted over 200,000 miles. This crap replacement radiator did not last two years.

 

PS 1994 Subaru Legacy FWD 4dr AT. 230,000 miles.

 

I'm finishing a complete front end rebuild. Axles, tie rods, ball joints, new wheel bearings, new struts.

 

The engine leaks oil and burns oil and taps and knocks. Not sure how much life it has or how much life the tranny has. Maybe it's time to pull the engine and overhaul it, and replace the tranny?

 

Any recommendations for a machine shop in Phoenix, AZ, and a good place to get a rebuild tranny?

[Brighton96]

Yeah it sounds like the trans cooler in the radiator is open or has a leak to the coolant section of the radiator. Whats the coolant look like? You will have to vacuum out the trans to get all the fluid, you only get about 1/2 of the fluid out by dropping the pan, I'd just drain and refill for now and I would bypass the trans cooler for now until you can get a replacement radiator.

[Zootal]

I just checked the coolant, and there was no sigh of oil floating on the top, it looked clean. Strange. Can it leak only one way, from engine coolant to tranny fluid only? There really isn't any other way I can think of for moisture to get into the fluid except through the radiator.

 

I also noticed that the fluid level in the reservoir was not down. If it's leaking into the tranny cooling passages, it is not leaking very much, or not very much has leaked at this time. Maybe I'm catching before it's too late?

[Brighton96]

I can't think of a scenario were they would mix only one way, It's also possible you got water/moisture in the breather vent or down the dipstick tube if you were splashing in puddles or had a lot of wet weather. It could maybe also be the fluid you used before was cheap and it broke down prematurely? I'm really not sure. If I were you I think I'd just take it to a shop and have it vacuumed out and refill so it's nearly all fresh fluid and then just monitor it before you got replacing parts.

[doublechaz]

When you are driving the trans should have lots of pressure that would push oil into the coolant. Then when you stop and the trans pressure goes to zero the coolant will still be hot and have pressure so it will push into the trans. It really should be mixed both ways.

 

Definitely get it cleaned out and see what happens in a few days. Pretty stange for now.

[Zootal]

Mmm autozone el-cheapo house brand I think. What was I thinking, buying something from Autozone? My Autozone axles didn't last two years, the ball joint didn't come with a castle nut and came loose (that was really fun, having a ball joint coming loose at 70mph rush hour traffic) because no matter how tight you torque it, with a castle nut it will come loose sooner or later. I no longer buy anything from Autozone if it isn't a name brand....but hmmmm could cheap tranny fluid really do that?

 

I went back to the garage and took a close look at the fluid in better light, and it is discolored but not as milky as I initially remember it. I wonder if what I'm seeing is not moisture after all but a combination of cheap fluid that is old and burnt? I do live in Phoenix, and this last summer was brutal - 112 degrees, day after day, week after week....

[Brighton96]

I worked for advance for some time and our cheapo brand was made by Sun industries (if I remember right) so it works in a pinch and it meets the same requirements but it's longevity is horrible. Most car part places are the same way, their generic brands are the lowest cost stuff you can get. It could have just gone through a combination of mixing with old fluid and thermal breakdown from the heat, it doesn't necessarily have to have moisture in it to be milky.

[twisty]

find a spectra radiator for that sucker, ive had good luck so far with them. also, ive had similar issues before with water in the trans, was the dipstick on the side getting dislodged and allowing water (and anything else) to get in easily.

[wtdash]

Maybe just bad ATF. ..if you had water in it you'd also notice shifting issues-IMHO.

 

Just changing the ATF can cause the trans to shift weird for a few miles, too.

 

Please DO NOT get it chemical or power flushed. ....others will disagree, but on older, high-mileage Autos I don't recommend it. Your seals may start to leak - happened to me and I had to rebuild it.

 

Best way is to Drain>Refill>Drive (thru all gears) and repeat 3 times. That gets the ATF out of the TC and the Pan.

 

I'd add a Trans Cooler, if not already on your shopping list.

 

Replacing that FWD AT trans will be tough as they are getting hard to find used in decent cond. - esp. in AZ, - unless Subies are more popular there than I'd guess. A rebuilt will likely cost more than your car's worth....sorry to say.

 

 

Probably cheaper to just replace the tired 2.2 (although 230K is not a lot of miles). Find one out of wreck w/known maintenance history ('90-'98 will work - use your IM on the '95-'98 models), reseal it, Tbelt/WP, etc. and go for <$500 total investment.

[Zootal]

Maybe just bad ATF. ..if you had water in it you'd also notice shifting issues-IMHO.

 

Just changing the ATF can cause the trans to shift weird for a few miles, too.

 

Please DO NOT get it chemical or power flushed. ....others will disagree, but on older, high-mileage Autos I don't recommend it. Your seals may start to leak - happened to me and I had to rebuild it.

 

Best way is to Drain>Refill>Drive (thru all gears) and repeat 3 times. That gets the ATF out of the TC and the Pan.

 

I'd add a Trans Cooler, if not already on your shopping list.

 

Replacing that FWD AT trans will be tough as they are getting hard to find used in decent cond. - esp. in AZ, - unless Subies are more popular there than I'd guess. A rebuilt will likely cost more than your car's worth....sorry to say.

 

 

Probably cheaper to just replace the tired 2.2 (although 230K is not a lot of miles). Find one out of wreck w/known maintenance history ('90-'98 will work - use your IM on the '95-'98 models), reseal it, Tbelt/WP, etc. and go for <$500 total investment.

 

Thanks for the input. We have mixed feelings at this point. I just spent close to $1000 on front end repair - everything but the steering rack itself need to be replaced, plus it needed tires. We're kinda in the "in for a dime in for a dollar" situation. I've put too much money into it to just retire it at this point.

 

I found a low mileage tranny here in Phoenix for about $600. TBH I'm seriously considering either getting that or biting the bullet and putting in a rebuilt tranny ($2500) and going through the engine myself (another $1000). The end result won't be cheap, but will still be cheaper and much more reliable than the alternatives. I just need it to last us to retirement, at which point I'm planning on selling everything and moving far far far away from here. Very far away. So far that we won't be bringing our vehicles with us.

[twisty]

check CL for the subies for sale under 1000 bucks, theres a few here (in AZ) that have bad motors but decent transmissions. talk em down to the 600 dollar range, swap your car to AWD and scrap/salvage/sell the rest. i have one of those rare FWD wagons, i bought an outback to do the same thing.

 

and +2 on the dont power flush your transmission.