So as some of you may or may not know, I've just finished replacing the ZF in my 1987 740 w/ a AW70. Today I started it up to run some clean fluid through it (flush) and found that it was coming out milky. People suggest this may be a radiator gone bad (leaking trans cooler). Now there's some water / antifreeze in my tranny.

What is the likelihood that it will be toast? Do I have any chance of using this thing or should I throw all of my work down the drain?

Please give hope!

 

This is a fairly common problem with vehicles with radiator/transmission heat exchangers. It will take three full flushes to remove all the water from the tranny but the tranny will be fine.

 

Ah, I hope so, because I've been reading that clutches or the clutch glue is soluble in water and it has me freaked. Will report back after the flush!

 

It depends how long you ran the transm with coolant in it. It's probably ok if you just ran it a couple of minutes. Check the coolant reservoir -- is there any residue of transm fluid there?