1. 99 7.3 4x4 Super Duty with manual trans and just hit 200k.
2. Replaced my tie rods monday and while giving my truck the once over I noticed some sludge in my coolant reservoir and that I had lost a little coolant. Checked my dipstick and oil was still full and looked normal. While I was driving the truck to check my steering it became harder to shift gears than normal and the truck would hardly go in 5th gear. Half the time it would act like it was in neutral and half the time I could finally get it in. Off and on today it was a little tough to get in reverse.
3. This morning I noticed that my coolant reservoir was completely empty and when I moved my truck there was a huge pile of brown sludge. After shutting it off another pile of sludge eventually formed. I put more water in and crawled underneath the truck and in almost a steady stream water looked like it was dripping from where the shifter enters the top of the trans.
In trying to educate myself it sounds like a leaking hpop puts oil in the coolant and causes the sludge. Does that also affect my trans cooler and is that all related or am I just having extremely bad luck?
The truck runs like a champ but I was afraid to drive it anymore when I saw the piles of sludge today. Can anyone look at these pics and help me or has anyone had something like this happen? I apologize if the pictures of the trans are hard to distinguish but you professionals will probably pick it up instantly. Thanks in advance.
2. Replaced my tie rods monday and while giving my truck the once over I noticed some sludge in my coolant reservoir and that I had lost a little coolant. Checked my dipstick and oil was still full and looked normal. While I was driving the truck to check my steering it became harder to shift gears than normal and the truck would hardly go in 5th gear. Half the time it would act like it was in neutral and half the time I could finally get it in. Off and on today it was a little tough to get in reverse.
3. This morning I noticed that my coolant reservoir was completely empty and when I moved my truck there was a huge pile of brown sludge. After shutting it off another pile of sludge eventually formed. I put more water in and crawled underneath the truck and in almost a steady stream water looked like it was dripping from where the shifter enters the top of the trans.
In trying to educate myself it sounds like a leaking hpop puts oil in the coolant and causes the sludge. Does that also affect my trans cooler and is that all related or am I just having extremely bad luck?
The truck runs like a champ but I was afraid to drive it anymore when I saw the piles of sludge today. Can anyone look at these pics and help me or has anyone had something like this happen? I apologize if the pictures of the trans are hard to distinguish but you professionals will probably pick it up instantly. Thanks in advance.