I have water in gear box?

Question

I think i got water in my lister sr3 reduction box on my boat engine, whats the best way of getting it out, i am thinking put some diesel in there and put it in gear for a short while then drain it and repeat the process a couple of times, is this the right action to take ?

Answer 1

Diesel would be fine, it does have lubricating properties being a very light oil, that's one reason that diesel engines tend to last longer than petrol engines, it also lubricates the injection pump! Have used diesel to flush out engines where the oil had become very dirty with lots of sludge. You really need to trace and rectify the cause of the water leak though. You don't say wether there was a lot of water in there or not. If the oil has just gone creamy like mayonaise it could just be due to condensation if hasn't been used for a while.

Answer 2

I would drain it and replace lube...Run it a bit and re-check for more water...A little condensation is normal, but if the amount of water is more than a trace, seal(s) are leaking and must be replaced...

Answer 3

I know how my husband would look at this and how he would have answered it.  His first comment would be "How did the water get there?"  You need to get the water out, drain the oil and water mix, but you also need to figure out how it got there and then fix that problem.

Answer 4

No action needed, just maintain correct level.

Answer 5

Water contamination of gear lube is NEVER a good thing! The gear lube has to be completely drained and changed. Finding the reason for the contamination should be an easy chore. A faulty seal or loose plug/fitting is usually the culprit.

Answer 6

Run the engine in gear just to get the oil and water mixed, then change the oil in the gear box. But it has to be coming from someplace. If it was condensation it would be gone after a run. Chances are it is coming from a marine gear oil cooler. You should fix the problem asap and then change the oil. Do not put diesel in the gear box, it has no lubricating qualities and you could ruin seals and bearings.