Bongo Fury

Just checking the oil in automatic gear box, when I withdrew dip stick, oil clear, however there were bits of rusty metal on stick. Did not come from surrounding dip stick pipe. Couldn't believe my eyes, wiped it , tried again, same thing happened. Any ideas folks please. It this normal?

bongogreenride wrote:Just checking the oil in automatic gear box, when I withdrew dip stick, oil clear, however there were bits of rusty metal on stick. Did not come from surrounding dip stick pipe. Couldn't believe my eyes, wiped it , tried again, same thing happened. Any ideas folks please. It this normal?

I suppose the first thing might be to have the gearbox sump cover dropped, filter and magnet cleaned, and fluid changed. Maybe see if an autobox specialist can do tbe job and give a view at the same time. They may advise that if its running fine then keep going until it doesn't.

Maybe check the rad at the front of the vehicle
The coolant is pumped through that
Rust = water that's should be only place auto coolant gets close to water

from the gearbox to the front rad where the gearbox oil is cooled are 2 steel pipes, one flow the other return, these are known to rust badly, check yours for signs of leaking or bad corrosion.

they are shown in this link.

http://igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/view ... ak#p571938

Ahhhh, thank you everybody. This may be good news, but not really for me, but maybe for Henry Bongo if that is so. Will now have to investigate this, never thought of problem. What is the remedy, pipes were rotten at rear and have been replaced, is it the same procedure here.
What we are saying is, there is a possibility this rust can get into the automatic gear box.

You need to have this looked at ASAP, it is NOT advisable to run the vehicle with Rust or Foreign matter showing on the dip stick, as said it could be the pipes corroding or water seepage into the oil cooler tube or even the Dip Stick Tube.

The first thing I would check is the Dip Stick Tube ,only two set setscrew to remove it for inspection, sealed with an O ring.

Good Luck.

Oil and water don`t mix and is a big no no for auto trans. Some have clutches bonded using a water based adhesive, e.g. Rover, and water here can wreck the box. I would suggest removing the pipes and having the rad chambers pressure tested or better still replace the rad and a very close inspection of pipework.It is usually at the rad that breaches occur.
Flush system thru at least twice with ATF.
On the upside you have probably caught it in time, many don`t.
If the rad checks out OK consider a separate trans cooler, slower to warm up box but completely eliminates cross contamination problem.
There is a BF member on here that is a A/box guy may be worth PMing him with the problem if he doesn't pick it up on forum.
Good luck.

Thanks everyone. Is it then a case of water cools the gear box and there could be water getting in automatic gear box. The radiater us new.

Cools and warms.
If the rads new then the chances are you have contaminates from elsewhere like the pipes etc or it may from the old rad.
Why was the rad changed out of curiosity?
i would still flush the box a couple of times just to be on the safe side once you have found the source of rusty bits.

Ahh thanks
Rad was leaking. Will take ure advice

Emptying the gearbox sump only changes about half the ATF, though it would be good to drop the pan and clean out the sediment, the magnet and the filter. (Use a new gasket for replacing the pan - don't over tighten)

I'm not sure if there is a more thorough method of flushing the gearbox.

are the (rust particles) really rust or are they copper/brass flakes. inside the bottom of the rad is the oil cooler for the gearbox oil, this is a double skin brass tube with a copper/brass gauze mesh in it, a bit like a wire filter screen, this must be quite hard to push the gearbox oil through. this could have been breaking up in the old rad or be particles from manufacture in the new one, they do recommend you flush through a new rad before fitting.

Thanks everyone. Northern bongo, understand what you say. Got me thinking. The new rad fit was before our purchase so can't tell what they did. But all ure pointers will get checked out. The particles were a bit reddish. Oil really clear.

Supreme being 303. Understand your comments. This needs further investigation. Thanks for your pointers.

Northern Bongolow wrote:are the (rust particles) really rust or are they copper/brass flakes. inside the bottom of the rad is the oil cooler for the gearbox oil, this is a double skin brass tube with a copper/brass gauze mesh in it, a bit like a wire filter screen, this must be quite hard to push the gearbox oil through. this could have been breaking up in the old rad or be particles from manufacture in the new one, they do recommend you flush through a new rad before fitting.

The particles look reddish...Mmmmmm