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[jharv]

Help needed for someone who has just done a stupid action.
I have a V6 Auto Omega which has just had a replacement aux belt & tensioner which failed on a journey. Having had it repaired then on the way back it was losing water & needed a replacement radiator (which I have just fitted).
I thought that the radiator coolant for the Auto gearbox was also water rather than oil (i.e. that the rad coolant was also just pumped around the gearbox).
Having flushed the coolant pipes to the gearbox from next to the rad with water does this now make the gearbox & hence the car terminal, if not what needs to be done to recover the situation !

[Jimbob]

Ouch!

I guess its new gearbox time, they go for around £100 2nd hand.

[Elite Pete]

Thats not good, have you started the car?

[djac]

Would a double atf change not rescue it?

Also, what did you do with what came out of the pipes, hope it didn't go down the drain  :-/

[jharv]

Car not yet started.
Fluid came out from under the gearbox area, but no it will not reach the drains.

[jharv]

Also what is a double atf change ?

[henryd]

if you haven't started the car since an atf change should sort it

[Jimbob]

Also what is a double atf change ?

of limited use, give atf mixed with water

I reckon, you would have to drop the gearbox and drain completetly, same for the torque converter, fill up with new atf, at around £50 for the quantity required, and even that would be a gamble.

I would put it down to experience, get a new box and TC, fit and top up with ATF and carry on motoring.

I would also destroy the old box to remove the posibility of some poor sucker being sold it after you scrap it.

[jharv]

Thanks for the replies, but the car has cost too much recently anyway for its current value & the wife has been wanting a change so this would seem to be the time for it to go.

Presumably any atf recharge/ change could NOT be done through the coolant pipes next to the rad ?

[Elite Pete]

If the car hasn't been started I would try dropping the gearbox sumps and refilling running it around the block and then dropping the sumps again and replacing the filter and refilling.

[Andy B]

If the car hasn't been started I would try dropping the gearbox sumps and refilling running it around the block and then dropping the sumps again and replacing the filter and refilling.

I agree with you Pete. If the car hasn't been started, then there's no ATF in the torque converter so dropping both sumps should be good enough

[I am a Daisy]

Not wanting to start any arguments here, lol, but isnt the torque converter a sealed unit as most of the torque converters I have worked with have been? So I would think draining the gearbox sump should remove most of the water residue? Would it also be possible to run the car with the return hose to the gearbox form the radiator removed at the gearbox, fed into an empty container, have ATF ready to keep topping the box up, run the box through the gear positions until the fluid returns clear? Just a thought, anyone know if this is feasable?

[I am a Daisy]

Anyone???.....

[Martin_1962]

Thanks for the replies, but the car has cost too much recently anyway for its current value & the wife has been wanting a change so this would seem to be the time for it to go.

Presumably any atf recharge/ change could NOT be done through the coolant pipes next to the rad ?

That is when it is time to keep not sell.

Your next car could cost even more

[Kevin Wood]

Anyone???.....

Torque converter is not sealed. The gearbox fluid is circulated through it by the pump in the gearbox.

I would first disconnect the cooler hoses at the gearbox and the radiator. Thoroughly blow these through with an airline to purge them of any water. Blow through the cooler part of the radiator, again, to remove any water. Use something like an old killaspray to purge these with fresh ATF, if possible.

Drop the sumps on the gearbox and discard the fluid, reassemble and refill.

As an extra precaution when refilling with the engine running I would leave off the return hose from the cooler (can't remember which one this is) until it has bled off a little fluid before stopping and reconnecting it, just to be on the safe side. 

I'm sure a tiny amount of water will probably do no harm and get "breathed" out of the box as soon as it exceeds boiling point but any significant amount of water will wreck it, so it is vital that the above is done before starting the engine IMHO.

I would also suggest a second fluid change once the car has been driven and found to be OK, just to make sure.

Kevin