Hey guys. When you all check your manual tranny fluid what color should it be? I checked mine and it almost seems as if the fluid is mixed with water. I changed it about a month ago. Trying to see if this could be one cause of why my tranny is making a squealing noise.

 

Should be the same colour as when you put it in, especially if it's only a month ago. If it's mixed with water it'll look like chocolate milk.

 

Yeah it looks a little chocolaty. Is there a way do drain the tranny fully? Can this cause my tranny to make the squeling noise?

 

The only way I know to drain it is with the drain plug. If you think it has water inside you might want to replace the oil every couple of weeks until it drains clear. I would think 2-3 changes should be enough.

As for the squealing I don't know.

 

what kind of squealing?

 

I'm thinking it's the main shaft or servos that is squealing. It's very high pitched and only goes away in 4th gear and when the clutch is in. I'm going to put a new trannny in this week.

 

If it goes away in 4th its probably a countershaft bearing... 4th is a direct drive and disables the countershaft bearing(s)

 

That is good to know. I figured it was something like that but I don't have extensive tranny experience. How long could it last before it goes out?

 

All depends.... Some last 2 weeks, some last over a year.... best advice is nurse it, use fourth as much as possible...

 

I assume you have an R series tranny? I'm not familiar with them. But when my G series failed the main input bearing it gave way with no notice, when my W56 let go a countershaft bearing it gave about 200 miles from first squeal to BANG! Once you hear the BANG you're screwed, as it usually takes out the gears. My W56 failed on the Ohio/Indiana border and I drove the truck all the way to northwest Iowa in 4th gear. I don't think there was a single reusable gear in the tranny. My G52 got driven a whole 1 mile after it popped out of 3rd climbing a hill, then I drove it on the trailer, off the trailer, and into my shed. It still took out most of the gears in the tranny.

My advice would be to pull the tranny before the BANG so you'll at least have a rebuildable core. Replacement gears are available, but they're ungodly expensive.

It could be a mainshaft bearing if you say it makes noise in 4th with the clutch out. Even mainshaft bearings are happier in 4th because the countershaft isn't putting a side load on them.