Flush transaxle after trans rebuild (extreme flush!)

[Sodo]

10micron does seem "preposterous", super anal but that's what was on eBay, and assuages my current fears of contamination.

I'll give it a good test anyway. It was only $30, so if its not suitable its not a huge deal. I'll put a pressure gauge on the high side to know better what's happening. From this maybe a 28 micron oberg can be assessed. Hope this work on the fringes is providing you cooler/filter fellas with info you can use. Big problem for my test its 28*F today. Possibly this system needs a low temp electrical cutout. Or thermostat that bypasses the filter/cooler circuit at low temp.

Wish I had the strength to rip the transaxle apart again and clean that diff, but having all this high-powered eqpt plumbed in that exchanges all 4 qts of oil every 30 seconds, and not use it…..was difficult too. I thought I was going to use the camper one more time "last season", wanted to keep moving. I didn't camp, of course I wish I took it apart for cleaning.

Does anybody know the micron thickness of "90w oil film"?
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'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[Syncro Jael]

I have still been reading a lot about gear oils. It was interesting that when I spoke to Ron Weddle (Weddle Industries) he mentioned that I should still have some kind of magnetic filtering in the system that I was building. The inline filter that I purchased is a 200micron. So after listening to his comments, I thought I would share these articles:

http://www.gearsolutions.com/article/detail/5903/lubricant-contaminants-limit-gear-life

It was interesting to read that some gear oils already come contaminated by some test standards

http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/794/magnetic-filtration

http://www.gearsolutions.com/article/detail/6125/magnetic-filtration-technology-

My cooling/filter system uses the drain/fill ports. So I lost the ability to have a magnet at the drain plug. I have since added some Neodymium N52 Magnets to my filtering system. These are placed on the outside of the aluminum filter housing. I am still looking at how to attach an (in line) with some other options. I do believe that any filtering system can be modified to add a magnetic system of some kind and improve it's effectiveness.

Sodo, after much of my investigation into your transaxle issues, it sure does look like contamination has been an problem with your early failures.

Here is a chart on Mesh/Micron sizes for comparison:

http://www.netafimusa.com/files/literature/wastewater/Mesh-vs-Micron.pdf

I am now going to do an earlier flush, than the recommended, at 600-1000 miles on any box that has been re-built to catch more of the contamination before it can do it's damage.
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia Hightop - NAHT
Subaru EJ25 Forged Frankenmotor, Triple Knob.
Jael = (Mountain Goat)

[jberger]

[insyncro]

[jberger]

[Sodo]

Really good reading SJ, thanks for gathering that together. I was told the Weddle filter is 140micron.

[Merian]

"22 drums of hydraulic fluids, bearings oils, and other products from six major oil companies were analyzed.5 Only three of the 22 (14 percent) drums could have passed a 16/14/12 specification, a reasonable general cleanliness target for oils in service in critical equipment."

- whoa!!

[Sodo]

Yeah I saw that too, who knows what it really means. Maybe a guy should rig up a toilet-paper filter (1 micron) and pre-filter NEW tranny fluid before it goes in the box.

I rigged up a gravity TP filter in the garage just for the heck of it. It took 2 weeks to get most of my 90wt thru it (just gravity, and 30-40*F ), but it's clear & clean. This is cheaper oil I tested it on (Lucas). You lose the oil volume of the TP roll, which could be $25 of Swepco. I don't know if the Swepco will even pass thru it, but that might be a summer project (when it's warmer).

Here's an except from one of Syncro Jael's links describing micron size. It's for wastewater treatment. I would like to bypass-filter about 40 microns or below. That Oberg 28 micron unit, setup with bypass orifice sounds like a good number.

_________________


'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[Merian]

might be worthwhile to cite that study to Swepco and ask them what they do to test for PMxx in their products

they are very good about getting back to you with info; so is Brad Penn

I find the boutique lube manfs. to give very good customer service...

[gears]

If you feel a need to filter down to a few micron, do it with a separate bypass filter. The full flow portion should be at least 100 micron so as not to impede flow .. higher if installed pre-pump.
_________________
aka Pablo, Geary
9.36 @ 146 in '86 Hot & Sticky
'90 Syncro Westy SVX
'87 Syncro GL 2.5
https://guardtransaxle.com

[Sodo]

I agree that the system's first responsibility is cooling FLOW.

I'll put a male/female AN fitting combination on the filter block so I can omit it. Or maybe a ball valve for bypass? Partial bypass? There are lots of options.
_________________


'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[insyncro]

System One and Oberg do not impact flow and filter extremely well.
I am now looking at the System One for another system being built currently, after being advised by PaulG.
Not a single issue with the Obergs I own, just looking to support a US product line when I can.

[ejimmi]

[Sodo]

A filter will aways have a flowrate thats dependent on the fluid viscosity. There will always be a pressure differential across it, and 90w will significantly affect the flow rate. I may be able measure some of this stuff soon, but not high temp rates, maybe 160*F max (because it's winter now).

When the oil is cool, it will flow the least, of course. When it's hot (and flow is needed) it will flow the most.

If you are going to run it at full flow be sure it has the capacity for 2 gallons per minute of 90w. The 10micron filter that I got on eBay is rated for 20gallons per minute of hydraulic fluid (probably at 2,000 psi). How this translates to 90w at appx 25-50 psi, who knows? I will find out though. I would get a filter that has at least 3/8"NPT holes, or accommodations for AN8 fittings minimum. Size 8 refers to 8/16=1/2"

Current plan is to use a circuit like this. Always, there will be some bypass due to the resistance of the radiator, but a valve can be closed at time to do a full-flow filtering (perhaps when hot). The system exchanges the trans fluid every 30 seconds, so closing the valve it for 10 minutes sometime while it's warmed up will do a good cleaning. I'll post as I get knowledge.

A smaller, fine fuel system filter (such as the 28 micron oberg?) could be run like this (but without the valve) to bypass filter all the time. It makes sense to put a 200-300 micron filter/screen between the trans and the pump, to and catch any broken parts (and protect the pump). But I think the Weddle pump can pass some pretty big parts.

Any comments on the schematic feel free to question or suggest changes.
_________________


'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[insyncro]

[ejimmi]

[Sodo]

Connecting front and rear diff together may have some benefit (perhaps heating the VC on a cold day?) but there's no way to control fluid levels. Would be pretty bad if one is empty and the other overfilled. I doubt the front itself generates any trash or heat. Neither should the rear…, except for these big engines.

I think before cooling the front diff a guy could put a hand on it, or shoot it with a temp gun and see if it's even an issue. It only gets a small portion of the driving power. Maybe if you were driving in sand all day long…..
_________________


'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[insyncro]

[ejimmi]

[ejimmi]