Water in the gear box??

[Clod_King]

So I changed the fluid in my 4 speed gear box and I noticed that the first little bit was water. What going on here? There's no tranny cooler that could intermingle with the engine coolant, so I'm kind of confused how the water got in there. Condensation?? Maybe, but there was a noticeable amount of water. I guess 40+ years of condesation could add up but is the some sort of weird seal fault that the 4 speed is known for?

[Beans]

The incorrect use of a pressure washer springs to mind.
Or the car was flooded somewhere in the past maybe?

[FI Spyder]

The gear box is vented at the top. Is the plastic vent there. I had one broken off. Don't know how easy it is for water to enter it but it would get some splash up in inclement weather.

[Clod_King]

I don't know if a pressure washer was used on it considering that when I bought this extra motor and tranny they were both equally filthy. I used a couple cans of gunk degreaser on the pair to almost no appreciable increase in cleanliness, hahaha! But I didn't see a plastic vent either. And in saying that I was looking for one so maybe it is there and maybe it isn't. Would I be able to see it if the tranny is installed in the car? And does it look like the one that is on the rear axle?

[saabfast]

Did the 4 speed box have the vent? I know the 5 speed does (had to get one for mine) but don't recall seeing one on the 4 speed.

[FI Spyder]

Missed the part about 4 speed box. The reason one would be there is the oil will expand and contract with every heating/cooling cycle putting a pressure/vacuum on the seals unless there is some kind of equalisation method unless it was figured the seals were robust enough to take it.