Hi all, the car has suddenly begun expelling ATF from the breather tube. No other apparent symptoms and the car runs well for its age.
Any thoughts?
Vent clogged, Robin - causing pressure build-up…?
Have you checked fluid level?
Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
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Is it possible that water gets into the transmission via the oil cooler? Could it be overheating?
The level is checked at idle. When the box is too full it pushes oil out the breather. Wouldn’t know what else could be going on.
Hi David. Fluid is the correct colour so definitely not water in the system, this happened as I was moving in the drive so not overheating,
Frank is there another vent on the BW65? This vent terminates about 75mm below and along side the fill tube.Fluid was down but only due to the puking I believe, I haven’t seen any leaks from the box and haven’t had to top off in the last <> 3-4 years. Last time was when I was working on the back of the cat and had it jacked up and nose down. After a few weeks it appeared to drain out of the TC.
My bw 65 (not my 66) should have two tubes, the filler and the vent tube, and the cooling lines of course. Besides boiling or overfilling I can’t think of a reason for it to spit out oil. But of course if the vent is clogged it will push out oil from the submerged filler tube.
What drained out of the TC how and could it be that jacking up forced oil into the overflow or was that a while ago?
Certainly not coming out of the filler tube, as I went to add ATF there was a small amount regurgitated out of the breather, I slowed the flow into the filler to a trickle and that didn’t cause any further fluid to be ejected.
As I said it was at least 3 years ago that the TC leaked from being in a nose down attitude for a few weeks.
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My error, Robin; I thought ‘filler tube’ - despite your clear statement…
As David says, the vent is above fluid level - but fumes may condense to some extent on the way? Question; had the car been standing for some time when you discovered the discharge upon starting?
Standing for some time the 65/66 has a tendency to leak fluid out the filler tube. But if the filler tube is sealed there may be excessive venting out the vent tube?
Recheck with the box hot? And you checked level with the engine fullu ho and engine idling?
Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
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No definately out of the vent as it was hitting the exhaust manifolds, which is what alerted me to the problem, at first I presumed it was oil from the cam cover as I had that happen in 2015 at the National rally in Rotorua, after a spirited drive on the Gymkhana course. Now I have to wonder if it was ATF 
this is more than condensation. For now I have pushed a tube onto the vent and fed it back into the filler tube, BTW the dip stick is not sealing the filler tube and yes I know the procedure to check the level thanks, been driving autos for a few years now 
If I understand you have a series 2 and after parking it for a few weeks atf was expelled from the breather tube. If that is correct then I doubt if you have much to worry about. My series 2 would expel oil from the breather tube every winter when I parked it for the season. It is from fluid slowly leaking out of the torque converter and into the pan till it overfills the pan to the point it forces the fluid out the breather. Makes a mess but all is well when regular driving restarts.
Thanks Geoff, I haven’t driven it too far and currently have a tube redirecting any further ATF back into the filler tube, I’ll take if fro a longer drive soon and see if it has settled down, what you are saying sounds plausible.
Yep. Did it every year from the time I got it till I retired it. Even continued to do it after a transmission rebuild.
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That is not a good idea, Robin - you have then a closed loop with no venting, except for leaks in connections…
…which may be adequate for symptom alleviation, dripping, but I would definitely not recommend it. Free the vent hose…
Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
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Got it - as I said I wouldn’t know what could be going on but your fix might do and you could keep an eye on things. As long as the filler tube diameter is larger than the hose or some way fumes can get out this will not be a problem.
Mine does leak after a few weeks because the level slowly rises as the internals drain in the sump, but there is no leaks, especially not on the exhaust. I will have a look and compare my 66 vent tube to the 65 version. Maybe it can be modified, maybe they found a higher up location inside the transmission or something. You could try running it on the low end if you haven’t yet.
Frank the tube is. Not sufficiently jammed in there to cause it to block, any fumes can exit the filler around the sides of the tube.
David, I’ll run it next week and once I’ve got a few K’s on it I’ll try with the vent open again…and see if I have to wash the engine again
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It’s still not a good idea, Robin…
Your original post said ‘…suddenly expelling…’, which is sort of suspicious - implying a sudden change. I suggest you arrange a tin, or whatever, to actually catch the dripping. This will give you an indication of the amount of fluid involved - and prevent spillage onto unwanted places…
My take is that this is sort of normal; a bit of initial ‘gulping’ at start-up - and likely absent during normal driving? The venting of the box should not really be restricted - the vent is there for a purpose…
Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
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Frank, it will be fine. Excess press would push out the hose first. Venting is possible and you sound a little over cautious if I may say so.
But regarding the engine washing routing the hose to ground is just fine with me 
I was thinking more of verifying the there is not a constant ejection of fluid, David - which would be of concern…
Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
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Just thinking that I might try a gentle pressuring of the trans (<>5psi) down the filler tube to see if there is any further ATF sitting in the breather.
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What about sucking on the breather tube, Robin - same verification…?
Either way, you only get an ‘instant, stationary’ reading - not the running ejection? However, if you get a constant flow on any of the tests; something is wrong…
Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
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