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Hey All...
My 350 tranny has a small drip that I simply can't figure out! :confused:
Pan bolts tight, fluid lines replaced with new clamps but still a very small annoying spot on the shop floor? 3600 hundred miles on the build and fluid is good etc...
Only crappy idea I've had is some stop leak or the like.
Any ideas??
Red 32
before you can fix a leak, you have to identify where its leaking from----------and verrrrrrify that its tranny fluid and not motor oil
Look immediately above the "spot" on the garage floor and see where it's coming from. Then clean everything in that area with carb cleaner, or something like that which will wash away oily residue and dry clean (wear safety glasses!! That stuff BURNS eyes!!). Start the car, bring it up to operating temp, all the while watching for a drip. After it's up to temp, shut it down and again watch for a tell tale drip path. May take a while, but once you find the source of the leak the repair options can be assessed.
if you think it is in the area of the cooler lines where they enter the trans it may also be the downshift cable .. it is in that area also .. i cant remember if the dipstick is also in that same area ...
And don't forget the Vent..................
Well...
#1 for sure red tranny fluid. 2nd pulled the Locar dip stick and replaced the o rings since I thought that might be the culprit.
is it possible that the tranny pan is over tightened? Seems like ( after testing perrspers way ) that this is coming from the corner of the tranny pan and 2 of the bolts there???
Thanks all for any additional thoughts!
Red 32
Chrome dip sticks almost always leak
Absolutely the tranny pan can be over tightened. If you over torque it puts un-even pressure on the gasket surface, squishing it out in the area of the bolts. This is a place where some type of gasket sealer can be your friend, but then you want not more than 25 ft lbs (300 in lbs) on the bolts. That's just a good, snug pull on the ratchet. If you see the gasket squishing you're likely over tightening.Quote:
Originally Posted by Red 32
I think it was DaveW (IC2) who had such a time trying to get rid of a seeping dip stick leak. Don't recall what he finally did, but seems to me it involved buying a different dip stick.....
I think IC2 (Dave W.) got rid of his drip by getting rid of the chrome pan! Went to an aluminum pan and new gasket.
Speedo output should be suspect as well.
If its on the dip stick side Its probably the pan? or dipstick..You can put your dip stick tube on a wire wheel and remove the chrome then replace the o rings that may help. The coolant tubes are on that side too. Other side Shifter seal and speedo drive fairly simple trans
That's what it was in our case.Quote:
Originally Posted by firebird77clone
But with the car being low and me being pear-shaped it took a bit of finding.
also check the O-ring &/or seal for the shifter arm going into the trans....joe
All...
Seems that after a new gasket ( and Torque Wrench Purchase ) and checking all the above mentioned ideas it appears that one or 2 of the aluminum pan bolts ( as you look at front of the car front left corner ) seem to be where the annoying drip is coming from. Pan torqued to 13 ft lbs and am going to try some Permatex ( Red Removable ) on those 2 bolts.
Thx for all the comments and fell free to add since this is causing me to want to get the .44 out of the gun safe and fix the tranny that way!
Red
Red,
When you put that new gasket on did you clean both surfaces surgically clean? Nothing at all wrong with some Permatex (or silicone gasket sealer) on the bolt threads, just in case a hole or two is drilled through as opposed to being blind.
If that doesn't stop it you might try using "The Right Stuff" (a Permatex product - Gasket Makers : Permatex® the Right Stuff® Gasket Maker ) instead of a gasket. The only thing with it is that you need to have the pan in place within five minutes for it to work to optimum, but that shouldn't be a problem. Again, clean, clean, clean before trying to seal.
rspears...
Yep razor blade and some fine , fine steel wool so it was as clean as I could get it. Funny you should mention the drill through angle. On this corner one of the holes was definitely a pass through so... we'll see if the Permatex does it's trick.
Thx,
Red
All... Found out after further review that one of the pass through bolt holes is stripped out bad.
Makes sense now that I think about all the junk/gunk that was slathered on the tranny pan when i did the fluid filter replacement.
So... does anyone on in the Dallas TX area know of a reputable Transmission Shop that I can get this (aluminum believe ) stripped hole repaired? I'm pretty sure this is our of my comfort zone.
Red 32
Any decent auto shop should be able to Helicoil that hole....fyi, a helicoil is a thread insert. It looks like it has threads on the inside AND the outside. The inside threads are the same size as your pan bolt. The outside thread size is a special size (larger than the pan bolt). You drill the existing hole slightly oversize and use a Helicoil tap to cut the new threads. Then, a special insertion tool is used to install the Helicoil thread insert. You buy a kit that has a drill bit, a helicoil tap, and an installation tool. You buy the size according to your desired bolt size....your pan is probably a 1/4-20 or a 5/16-18 OR a metric thread...they sell Helicoil kits in all sizes. Should take someone 15 minutes not including the gasket change.
Good advice on the heli-coil! Quick & Easy to do and as long as that hole doesn't go into the fluid reservoir above, you won't even have to drop the pan!
Mark the depth of the hole onto a probe or pencil and transfer that depth to the supplied drill bit - wrap a piece of electrical tape to indicate the desired depth as a stop.
Tap the new threads, insert the heli-coil ( I like adding a touch of thread locker to keep'em in place) and thread in the bolt - you're done!
HELI COIL. And permatex the threads.
Good luck
Guys...
SWEET! I really wanted to be the one to do the work cause it's my ride.
You guys have all been great to this newbie street rodder and I have certainly fallen in love with the grease under the nails and the satisfaction of doing it myself.
Blessings all!
Red 32
why not drill it to the next size and retap the hole.1/4 to 5/16????
Then he'll have an odd ball bolt.
Good Point! IF you have the tap and the approprite drill bit. A lot of the heli-coil comes in a kit form.. But it may be cheaper to go the other way..Quote:
Originally Posted by cffisher
But to forever need a second wrench to take off the pan.... The agony.. you'll never be an OCD, perfectionist, hot rodder going that route.
Gee while your at the tool box grab two sockets instead of one. All you want to do is stop the leak not win a beauty contest
Also burns lungs, use only in a well-ventilated area and avoid breathing vapors.Quote:
Originally Posted by rspears
All...
Got the Helicoil installed and redid the cooling lines. Wa La!! Success! Thanks again for the right answers and thoughts on my issue.
Red
Thanks for reporting back.
Glad it worked out right, and like Charlie says, thanks for the update! Success stories are always welcome!!
X3, thanks for the update! Glad it worked out too!!!