Source for red fluid?

Aerobaticflyer

Aerobaticflyer

New Member
Mar 24, 2009
263
Bradenton, FL.
Boat Info
390 Sundancer 2005
Engines
Cummins 380's
I had a little red oil floating in the bilge water in the forward section of my engine room. Maybe a few ounces and looked and felt like automatic transmission fluid. Not leaks I could find and all gauges read normal. Definately not diesel fuel.

I know the trim tabs use auto trans fluid but they checked out ok. Anywhere else I should be looking? The transmissions were dry outside and fluid levels normal but I'm thinking they use gear oil (black)...am I wrong on this?

Thanks. :huh:
 
I had the same issue on my old 300da I fOund a small leak behind the covering of the trim tabs at the through hull fitting it only leaked when using the tabs so it took a while to show up in the resivour Good luck
 
I'm betting that the steering cylinder packing gland is leaking where the cylinder rod has some pitting from salt water exposure. It doesn't take much to cut the seal and cause a leak. If that is the cause, don't try to repair the packing gland....the cylinder rod is the cause of the problem and a replacement cylinder is the only long term fix.
 
So the steering fluid is red? I was thinking it would be clear. I will follow up on some of the suggestions here. Also will clean under the trannies and put a clean pad there. Hoping it isn't there but that will tell me.

Thanks everyone......I'll post what I find when I go to the boat this Saturday.
 
One other thought (speaking from experience), I had the same issue and it ended up that my starboard transmission filter was not fully seated and a very small amount of tranny fluid was seeping out when under power. It was ever so slight but nonetheless it solved the problem.
 
Maybe engine coolant? it's red'ish.
 
Aerobaticflyer said:
I had a little red oil floating in the bilge water in the forward section of my engine room. Maybe a few ounces and looked and felt like automatic transmission fluid. Not leaks I could find and all gauges read normal. Definately not diesel fuel.

I know the trim tabs use auto trans fluid but they checked out ok. Anywhere else I should be looking? The transmissions were dry outside and fluid levels normal but I'm thinking they use gear oil (black)...am I wrong on this?


Thanks. :huh:
Click to expand...
You are correct, trannys use 30 weight motor oil in my boat. I assume your diesel may as well. Possibly power steering fluid?
 
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Well this one is a tough one. Still getting a very small amount of red oil on the surface of any water in the forward center bilge cavity. The strange thing is there is no sign of a leak under either tranny and they sit over bilge cavities that have a stringer that seperates them from the center area where the residue collects.

All trim tab lines / fittings are dry and tabs work fine. Steering components all dry. No transmission oil anywhere on outside of transmissions including around the vent, flanges where they bolt to the engines and bottoms. No tranny oil under transmissions. No recent service done.

This one has me and my dockmates stumped. I ran the boat on a couple 1 - 2 hours trips and I get back and there is no sign of the fluid. Leave the boat for a week or so, come back and it's there. Other than a slip neighbor with a sense of humor and a little trannsmission fluid having fun with me I don't know what to try next.

Any ideas welcomed!!!!!! :huh:
 
I exp the same type of issue. I do not have the same boat and I do not know your set up. But I had a small amount of atf in my bilge with the same symptoms. The seal on the bottom of my V-drive was leaking. Maybe look on the bottom out put shaft. This may not be the same setup but trying to help... best of luck.
 
Pyrojodge said:
I exp the same type of issue. I do not have the same boat and I do not know your set up. But I had a small amount of atf in my bilge with the same symptoms. The seal on the bottom of my V-drive was leaking. Maybe look on the bottom out put shaft. This may not be the same setup but trying to help... best of luck.
Click to expand...

Thanks Jason......checked that early on.....all dry there plus any leak would have to travel from under the tranny, through the stringer pass through drain hole into the center compartment where the bilge pump is and there has been no sign of any ATF fluid running that course.....thats what's so perplexing....no leak evidence where it should be. UGH!
 
Can you see where the lines for the tabs go through the transom? I've seen 4 different boats develop a leak where the pipe nipple goes through the transom into the cylinder. You only see the leak when the tab is operating. Someone else suggested this earlier, but I think it bears repeating.
 
I have a similar issue, first I was told it was the coolant fittings on the bottom of the turbos and then was told it actually leaking down from the joint where the turbos mount to the motor. I am having my local mechanic address the issue now but I was told it is coolant- a red liquid found same place as yours.
 
390x said:
Can you see where the lines for the tabs go through the transom? I've seen 4 different boats develop a leak where the pipe nipple goes through the transom into the cylinder. You only see the leak when the tab is operating. Someone else suggested this earlier, but I think it bears repeating.
Click to expand...

I can clearly see the trim tabs line penetrations through the transom and all is dry there. All the trim tabs lines and fittings are dry. When moving the tabe we look for fluid and see none. Also if it leaked anywhere in the rear of the engine room there should be some trace of the red fluid traveling to the front where it shows up on the surface of the bilge water there. No sign of any fluid traveling from rear to front.

Thank you though...it was a godd suggestion. The saga continuies.........
 
Russ Calasant said:
I have a similar issue, first I was told it was the coolant fittings on the bottom of the turbos and then was told it actually leaking down from the joint where the turbos mount to the motor. I am having my local mechanic address the issue now but I was told it is coolant- a red liquid found same place as yours.
Click to expand...

I have greenish coolant so have not really considered coolant as the issue. Also the red fluid is oily like ATF and collects on the surface of the bilge water....never blends into it.
 
Have you considered that it may be fuel? Are your racors squeaking clean dry? Try running a sheet of tissue paper over the filter housings and any fuel line fittings in that area.
 
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