Can't find transmission leak

1985 245

OK, so I bought this wagon a few weeks ago and got all the oil leaks
stopped. I degreased the underside and did only short city trips (less
than 10 miles) for the last couple weeks. I saw no leaks on the engine
or tranny, everything was dry except for just a little moisture where
one of the hoses connects to the tranny. It is held in place by a
bracket and has a metal cover over the hose. It just looked wet at the
threads. No other signs of leaks. No drips or drops on the ground.
Parts bone dry.

I planned a 400 mile trip, and unknowingly added about 1.5 quarts of
fluid to the tranny when I don't think it was warm enough. Meaning I
drove 5 minutes and then checked the level and added.

Long story short, I am on my road trip today and after 30 miles I
stopped for breakfast and saw smoke. I inspected under the car - no
drips so I kept driving.

After about 200 miles we stopped again and saw more smoke - so I
looked closely and saw lots of tranny fluid at this connection - but
not dripping. It had blown back under the car all the way to the back.
I kept checking the level, but it looked like it either had not
dropped, or dropped very little.

After 400 miles at my destination, the fluid level looked the same, or
close- but there was lots of fluid on the chassis. We put the car on
ramps, still hot, and could find no leak or drips while in park,
drive, shifting gears. We couldn't find the source.

So, I unbolted the hose clamp bracket, tightened the hose to the
plastic connector - but the connector just slides in and out of the
housing. Albeit I have to work it in and out - it still slides. I am
assuming this is why the bracket is there, but how does this seal?

I degreased the underside, drove another couple miles and again, it is
still bone dry.

So - is this something that ya'll think happens only when the fluid
gets hot?

Do you think the connector was loose or maybe this slide in connector
is leaking?

Could I have overfilled and it 'burped' out the excess?

I am puzzled...


Here is a pic I shot this morning. I cleaned the tranny yesterday and
then drove 10 miles this morning to try and get a drip going to catch.
I couldn't get a drip, but here are the shots:
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=425284852&size=o

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=425284862&size=o

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=425284870&size=o

I am 99.9% sure this is tranny fluid - it's reddish/brown. I doubt
main seal and it seems to only rear itself after the tranny is good
and hot.

I still have no idea where it could be leaking.

Thanks,
Jamie

 

A very common repair involves the rear transmission seal and the bushing
that supports the output shaft. The bushing wears and the output flange
moves enough so no seal could ever seal it. Replacing that bushing
involves taking off the rear housing on the transmission. It looks like
someone did this repair on your car, but didn't have a new gasket for
the rear housing.

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)

 

Hi Jamie your leak is definitely from the speedometer drive which is the
pipe you pointed at the cable screws onto the threaded part but when bracket
is removed the Speedo drive can be removed it has a small o-ring seal which
will have gone hard with age and when you put extra fluid in and it got thin
from being very hot it will escape past the seal so replace seal and all
should be okay... George.

 

Hey George,
Thanks, I will check that out!

 

Mike, definitely possible - the car had work done there. I shall check
this also.

Thanks!