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Co1



Member Since: 19 Aug 2018
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 3628

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Loire Blue
Blue/Green fluid at gearbox/transfer box joint?
Developed a fluid leak as per above. The fluid feels oily, doesn’t smell in any way burnt or over heated. Appears green in colour! Any thoughts?! I can confirm that the transfer box oil isn’t green. I have never done the gearbox oil though; would that be green?

Cheers
Col



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Last edited by Co1 on 17th Oct 2022 8:58pm. Edited 1 time in total
Post #967054 8th Oct 2022 9:36am
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Dinnu



Member Since: 24 Dec 2019
Location: Lija
Posts: 3234

Malta 2012 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 CSW Santorini Black
The Millers oil I used that went into my gearbox was normal golden colour. The oil that came out was just a darker shade of gold.

Could it be diesel? There are 2 pipes clipped to the underside of the seat box that cross from the fuel filter to the fuel cooler. 1988 90 Hard Top, 19J Diesel Turbo, Shire Blue - Restoration ongoing
2012 90 CSW, 2.2TDCI, Santorini Black
Post #967057 8th Oct 2022 10:32am
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Co1



Member Since: 19 Aug 2018
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 3628

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Loire Blue
Cheers Dinnu. It’s thicker than diesel, viscosity wise it feels almost thicker than engine oil as well.
Post #967058 8th Oct 2022 10:50am
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I Like Old Skool



Member Since: 23 Feb 2015
Location: Manchester
Posts: 777

United Kingdom 1994 Defender 110 300 Tdi ST Coniston Green
Could be diesel, but you would smell it and it looks too green. Looks a lot like antifreeze/coolant to me but not sure how it would be getting that far back? How is the coolant level?

Even if coolant was leaking from the back of the head/headgasket it is still some way for it to get to the back of the gearbox, unless it is tracking along a wire or cable.
Post #967059 8th Oct 2022 10:56am
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Co1



Member Since: 19 Aug 2018
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 3628

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Loire Blue
Yeah, I was thinking coolant or similar as well but again it feels a bit too thick. Might be wrong though, I’ll check what colour it is in the reservoir.
Post #967060 8th Oct 2022 11:01am
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Ianh



Member Since: 17 Sep 2018
Location: Essex
Posts: 1842

United Kingdom 
If coolant has not been changed from factory it should be orange, if changed it should be orange or red if correct fluid used.
Worth noting that some corrosion on non ferrous metals can turn fluids a green or blue green colour if the fluid is settled on it for a while.
So like others I suspect that green ( looks more blue in pic) fluid has come from above and may not have started green but mixed with some corrosion has turned that colour and then run off.

Ps in your pic it does look like it’s come from above as at the bottom of that flanged bolt it looks like some fluid of the same colour is there as well.


Last edited by Ianh on 8th Oct 2022 11:25am. Edited 1 time in total
Post #967061 8th Oct 2022 11:19am
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Co1



Member Since: 19 Aug 2018
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 3628

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Loire Blue
Coolant is red. Rolling Eyes
Post #967062 8th Oct 2022 11:19am
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Ianh



Member Since: 17 Sep 2018
Location: Essex
Posts: 1842

United Kingdom 
Have you lost any coolant? Your EGR cooler and associated coolant pipes are at the very back of the engine.
Post #967064 8th Oct 2022 11:50am
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Co1



Member Since: 19 Aug 2018
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 3628

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Loire Blue
Have had a good look around and can’t see anything coming from above. As I reach around the gearbox and transfer box there is no dampness, only dust so it doesn’t look to be coming from above. There is evidence inside the tell tale at this junction, although that could just be capillary action is suppose.

Thoughts? Transfer box input seal or gearbox output seal?

Cheers
Col
Post #967065 8th Oct 2022 11:52am
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Dinnu



Member Since: 24 Dec 2019
Location: Lija
Posts: 3234

Malta 2012 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 CSW Santorini Black
Could drain a few drips of oil out of the gearbox or transfer case to see that the oil is not green there? 1988 90 Hard Top, 19J Diesel Turbo, Shire Blue - Restoration ongoing
2012 90 CSW, 2.2TDCI, Santorini Black
Post #967066 8th Oct 2022 12:48pm
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piechipsandpeas



Member Since: 12 May 2021
Location: Albany, Western Australia
Posts: 178

Australia 2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 SW Indus Silver
Probably one of the two. Try a smell test. Remove the gearbox and transfer case fill plugs and see which one the leaking fluid smells like, they should be different and have distinctive odours.
Post #967068 8th Oct 2022 12:56pm
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swt



Member Since: 24 Aug 2018
Location: Cumbria
Posts: 149

United Kingdom 2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
I've used oil additives that were sufficiently dark to stain a whole gearbox worth of golden-coloured oil a different colour. I'd go for Dinnu's suggestion: it's quick and easy to dip into the gearbox and colour match your leak with the contents.
Post #967074 8th Oct 2022 1:55pm
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Co1



Member Since: 19 Aug 2018
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 3628

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Loire Blue
Drained a bit off the gearbox, it looks like normal oil but has the slightest hint of green in it! I’ve degrease and cleaned off the whole area so I’ll give it a week and check again. Just weighing up if I have to split the transfer box off to replace a seal, should I re fit with a Winchester Gears ATB LT230?! Will make it a bloody expensive oil seal change!!
Post #967075 8th Oct 2022 2:01pm
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Dinnu



Member Since: 24 Dec 2019
Location: Lija
Posts: 3234

Malta 2012 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 CSW Santorini Black
When I got my Puma I had a bad leak from the adaptor housing. It had the ashcroft adapter shaft, but the shaft cover was cross threaded and the O rings on the ashcroft adapter shaft did not seal properly. 1988 90 Hard Top, 19J Diesel Turbo, Shire Blue - Restoration ongoing
2012 90 CSW, 2.2TDCI, Santorini Black
Post #967082 8th Oct 2022 3:01pm
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Co1



Member Since: 19 Aug 2018
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 3628

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Loire Blue
I’m heading towards 95k miles, so if it is an oil seal I suppose it’s done pretty well compared with some of the horror stories out there.
Post #967086 8th Oct 2022 3:45pm
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