MIlky/Creamy output from wet Exhaust

[Keith Callaghan]

I have a 270 JWAC 6BTA with approx. 1100 hours, of which 400 are my doing. Never any problems with temperatures or anything. Regular service every 100 hours as per Cummins guideline, EXCEPT the heat exchanger..(do not ask why). Today I was below deck in Engine room running the engine and trying to see if any hose leaks from raw water side and just generally looking at and listening to hit humm This was for about 5 minutes. Came up to deck level and all around my boat was like a milky/Soapy mess on the water. Did not know where it came from….But, then I let some collect from the wet exhaust in my hand and found it was coming from my boat!!
Any ideas where to start?? I think it is coolant mixing in wet exhaust with some diesel. This coolant could only come from heat exchanger failure or exhaust manifold failure…is my thinking. Please note oil level is normal and oil colour is normal. No sign of any contaminents.
Thoughts and/or ideas on what to do please.

Topic

[Keith Callaghan]

Let’s close the loop. Transmission more or less okay after cleaning out all old messy liquids. New gear cooler needed. Same time do some seal replacements and new belts on engine. All in about 1500 USD for parts and labour. Including testing heat exchanger and new gear and coolant fluids. Love this forum. Nailed the problem.! My Thai mechanic nailed it as well and did not screw me over….. ALL HAPPY!

[Bill Stenger]

I thankfully have never had this happen in my boat. But I have ruined two truck transmissions from this. And both times i thoroughly flushed and flushed as soon as I felt the abnormal shift. Both times clutches were already damaged. Hopefully the marine clutches are more resistant to the water.

[Keith Callaghan]

ZF63 is the gear.

[Tony Athens]

Simplest way from here fwd…….You might get lucky.. Do you go to church?

1——————–Take the two oil lines off the cooler.

2——————–Put the one from the pump into a bucket & start the engine and pump what is in there into the bucket-as soon as it stops pumps oil, shut it off

3) The add 50-50 cheap oil mixed with #2 diesel——————-3-6 quarts depending on the gear size–

4) Do that 2-3 times to flush the system out

5———————-use a connector and tie the two oil lines together.. ………..Now add the regular oil and test for proper operation.. You can run for maybe 30 minutes at idle in gear without the gear getting too hot ( like 180F or so–use the “hand test”..

6——————–Then, One more complete oil change

7——————Get a new cooler and hopefully you did not do any clutch damage.

Curious–what exact gear?

[Keith Callaghan]

Yes. You nailed it. Gear box is full of salty water… r and oil. Big milky mess. I am so not happy!!!

[Bill]

Check transmission oil

Check the transmission oil level. It’s cooler may have failed.

[Author]

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