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Dirty Dipstick

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Old Aug 18, 2016 | 07:01 PM
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Dirty Dipstick

No I'm not calling anyone names.... It's what I have.

Does anyone know what is causing this?
It's gritty like coffee grounds.

2006 v10 5R110W



 
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Old Aug 18, 2016 | 07:08 PM
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That looks way too red, did you put transmission fluid in the motor oil?
Looks like sludge from used motor oil that could have been upset by the tranny fluid.

Buy some cheap oil and run it through a couple changes.
 
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Old Aug 18, 2016 | 07:10 PM
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That's the transmission dipstick.
I have not added any fluids. Fluids were done at a dealership less than a year ago.
 
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Old Aug 18, 2016 | 07:16 PM
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Originally Posted by kjeffery
That looks way too red, did you put transmission fluid in the motor oil?
Looks like sludge from used motor oil that could have been upset by the tranny fluid.

Buy some cheap oil and run it through a couple changes.
That is the transmission dipstick. It could be rust/crud from the filler tube (saw this on another site), or it could be clutch material. Does the fluid smell burnt?
 
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Old Aug 18, 2016 | 07:20 PM
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Is clutch material magnetic?
 
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Old Aug 18, 2016 | 07:25 PM
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I don't know enough about transmissions to give you a good answer. There is a member that goes by Mark Kovalsky. He was a 5R110 engineer, I would try to look him up as he is the resident expert on these things.
 
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Old Aug 18, 2016 | 09:52 PM
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Thanks, Hoss. I've messaged him. I thought it might be a rusty dipstick tube too, but unless I dip into the fluid, I don't really get any debris.
 
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Old Aug 18, 2016 | 10:05 PM
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I should mention that the transmission is running great. No problems. I'm about to drop the pan and change the filter, which I have done on two other vehicles. Though, if this is an issue that will require real service, I might hold off and just have the work done.
 
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Old Aug 19, 2016 | 12:00 AM
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I must have not been paying close enough attention to notice the H on the dipstick. How many miles on the transmission? It might be excessively worn, or damaged even in the last few months to accumulate that level of shavings. Filter maybe, if it's never been changed. But they should have noticed dirty fluid before it got to this point, if they drain and service the fluid regularly at the dealer.
 
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Old Aug 19, 2016 | 07:53 PM
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In your message to me you said this is magnetic. Each clutch is comprised of a paper based clutch material that mates to a steel separator plate. So half of the clutch is magnetic. But the paper is what wears, the steel essentially does not. But SOMETHING magnetic is wearing. And that's going to lead to a failure. I don't know what's failing, it will take a teardown to find the exact cause.
 
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Old Aug 20, 2016 | 01:16 AM
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Mark, Could water in the system do that or just destroy the glue bonding the clutch materials?



Sean <BR>

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Old Aug 20, 2016 | 07:11 AM
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I don't see water doing that. It could wipe out the glue holding the frictions in place, but that won't cause steel particles to be in the oil.
 
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Old Aug 20, 2016 | 12:40 PM
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I was sort of thinking that if the clutch material fell off then you might have
metal on metal. The only thing then would be a lot of clutch material on the
screen and in the filter. I would expect it to now work at all or if it did it would
be a very unhappy trans.

But how ever you look at it a full disassembly is called for to find out what is
going on and repair the issue.

BTW How long does it take water to unglue the clutches? Also I would expect
water to show up as a strawberry milkshake looking mess on the dipstick too.



Sean <BR>

6.0L Tech Folder
 
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Old Aug 22, 2016 | 10:22 AM
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I'd almost be willing to bet you have the same problem I had on my 06, the transmission dipstick tube rusts out.
If I added fluid to mine, it ended up on the driveway instead... Ordered a new one from Ford, IIRC it was about
an hour or so to install if you remove the passenger fender liner.
 
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Old Aug 22, 2016 | 01:00 PM
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If it were me, I'd do a fluid and filter, flush the system, recheck to see if the particles are still getting on dip stick, as others suggested, check your tube real close too.
 
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