Brown grease in bell housing: Source

[pbmaise]

Today I dropped my transmission and found quite a lot of dark brown grease inside my bell housing. Engine diesel. Transmission with Dexron IIIH fluid.

The damper plate itself was dry.

What is most likely source of this grease and is it a problem.

#1 Was it generously applied when last assembled?

#2 Did it come from engine oil into housing?

#3 From transmission?

Note: Neither engine nor transmission fluid levels drop when engine is run. However, I am aware the transmission level was high for a while.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by pbmaise

Today I dropped my transmission and found quite a lot of dark brown grease inside my bell housing. Engine diesel. Transmission with Dexron IIIH fluid.

The damper plate itself was dry.

What is most likely source of this grease and is it a problem.

#1 Was it generously applied when last assembled?

#2 Did it come from engine oil into housing?

#3 From transmission?

Note: Neither engine nor transmission fluid levels drop when engine is run. However, I am aware the transmission level was high for a while.

If it is in fact grease then I would say that someone has done you a favour by greasing the spline prior to assembly, making dissasembly a whole lot easier.

[pbmaise]

Good point. It did seem to be a grease and ATF nor oil will turn into a grease. I suspect lithium grease over time became dark brown.