A different kind of question about 600w

[Grampy]

Hi Guys,

While laying around under the car the other day, I thought I'd check the lube level in the rear end. I removed the upper plug and right away foam started easing out rather than 600w as it is in the bottle. It was almost a foam like you would see on a freshly poured root beer. Not quite as dense as that, but similar. This surprised me, so I checked the transmission as well and found the same situation. The car hadn't been driven in a about a week so I couldn't discount it to a 'Just-driven' situation.

Is this normal or do you think I may have an issue?

Thanks,

[Mike V. Florida]

And you put in the 600w the vendors sell?

[Grampy]

Hi Mike,

Yes, bought it at Sac Vintage Ford.

[Mike V. Florida]

Never heard of that happening?

[Doug in NJ]

Foam usually means that water has gotten into the oil. Could that be the case?

Doug

[Dave in Boise]

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I just picked up a 30 Tudor that had Foamy oil in the trans as wel as the Differential. Kind of caught me by surprise as well.. As i was not sure about the iol, I drained both and put in 600W that I bought from a friend who picks it up in 5 gallon buckets from the Oil Distributor in our area.

[Grampy]

I don't see how water could have gotten into either location, much less both, but, I'm getting the impression this is an unusual situation so I'm going to drain the present fluids and replace with fresh 600w again supplied by a Model A vendor. I’d better also change the steering box fluid since I used the same original lube in there as well.

To be thorough, I checked the engine oil and everything looks as it should.

Thanks for the help!

[Mike V. Florida]

Sounds like a sound idea!

[2manycars]

I have seen the foam in transmissions that had recently had an oil change. I suspect it is from the gears thrashing the oil about. On one occasion, I drained the oil, and let it sit in a container for a few weeks, and the foam went away. Sorta like beer, but slower. I dont see a big problem with the foam.

[Bruce Adams]

I would think "Cavitation" from low oil levels would cause foam if its thrown around, much like the "foam" thrown from Model A radiators when driven at speeds where the water pump is too fast for the radiator to process coolant.
I would also consider using kerosene following the draining to assist in the flushing as recommended by Ford in the Model A Ford Instruction Book.

[pat in Santa Cruz]

140 and 75/90 wt will foam in the presence of 600w. If the trans had any residual of one or the other that could do it. A guy in our club was furnishing one that was foaming, but he won't reveal which it was. It was dark in color. I found Shell Valvata (steam cylinder oil) foams in Model A transmissions, but Omala does not.

Also, some of the heavy oils do foam right out of the can. They are intended for slow speed industrial gearboxes, and the higher speeds of automobile gear boxes will introduce air. Companies add anti foaming agents to correct foaming. Most of the oil companies have data sheets that rate the foaming along with other characteristics. When the anti foaming agents have dissipated, the lubricant will foam. The solution in that case is to change the lubricant. The oil companies have published reams of test papers on the subject that are available on the internet. For example, search for " gear oil foaming". Happy reading

[Chris in CT]

Hi Grampy, Do you actually know what you have in there? Foaming, if it does occur at all, should not last more than a few minutes after the agitation stops. Drain the old stuff out and use an accepted lubricant substitute for the original 600W, preferably without the added STP.

[skip]

Condonsation me thinks.

skip.

[0rg0]

Originally Posted by Bruce Adams

I would think "Cavitation" from low oil levels would cause foam if its thrown around, much like the "foam" thrown from Model A radiators when driven at speeds where the water pump is too fast for the radiator to process coolant.
I would also consider using kerosene following the draining to assist in the flushing as recommended by Ford in the Model A Ford Instruction Book.

I have seen this before. Low fluid levels makes foam.