What happens when transmission fluid is contaminated?
According to automatic transmission fluid manufacturers, the addition of new fluid to contaminated fluid can actually cause sludge and varnish deposits to clog filters and restrict the flow of transmission fluid. This can result in a serious malfunction, or even complete failure of an automatic transmission.
What does milky colored ATF indicate?
The milky substance you are seeing on the transmission dipstick is a result of cross-contaminated coolant and transmission fluid. More than likely, your radiator has failed which has allowed coolant to enter the transmission system. When coolant enters the transmission, it will cause failure very quickly.
Can dirty transmission fluid cause problems?
Hard to Shift Gears If a transmission has too much dirt or sludge in the fluid it can cause a sluggish response when shifting gears. It may be time to flush the transmission fluid in an automatic if the car changes gears too quickly or too late. Manual transmissions that need a flush may be hard to shift at all.
What causes the Trans fluid to cross contaminate?
The issue was caused by a failure of a seal in the radiator’s integral cooler; it’s not a corrosion issue as some have suggested. When the seal fails, the engine coolant and transmission fluid can cross-contaminate. This issue occurs on 2005 though 2010 Frontiers/Xterras/Pathfinders with the VQ40DE engine with the orignial, Calsonic radiator.
What does cross contamination mean in health care?
Cross-contamination is the spread of germs from one surface to another by contact. When applying universal precautions, blood and other body fluids* from all patients are considered potentially infectious for HIV, HBV, and other bloodborne pathogens.
How is the temperature of transmission fluid maintained?
The temperature of transmission fluid is regulated inside the engine cooling system. The fluid passes through a small tank inside the engine’s radiator. Engine coolant surrounds the tank to help keep the fluid inside at a constant temperature.
What happens if engine coolant mixes with transmission fluid?
Engine coolant surrounds the tank to help keep the fluid inside at a constant temperature. Any rupture of the internal radiator tank can allow coolant to mix with, and contaminate transmission fluid. The engine coolant can also become polluted by the transmission fluid,…