03 mountaineer servo cover not coming off

[barfrog]

My 03 mountaineer decided to start leaking tranny fluid all over my driveway on the coldest morning yet -6 f. I started the truck and let it run for about 20 minutes come out to leave for work and that's when I seen the tranny fluid. I backed it into garage to find the front servo cover is half way out with the retainer clip also half way off. I dropped the tranny cross member and Y pipe tried to remove the cover but no luck. The retainer clip is off and the cover is back in place with a little bit of force by a hammer. I tried to remove the cover to see if I can find a problem but will not come off. Used a hammer and chisel to try and turn or pry out. What am I overlooking? I have searched the threads and haven't found a good solution.

 

[ponkotsu]

Even when they aren't messed up they can take a little work to get them out. If yours is ****ed in the bore it may have raised some burrs so it could be a challenge to get it out. Maybe put a big channel lock on it and try twisting a little. It definitely will come out with just the snap ring removed. There's nothing else that should be holding it, other than being stuck and jammed.

 

[ponkotsu]

Just looked at my ATSG manual. They don't even mention how to remove them in the disassembly instructions. Must be an oversight because it's so simple. But reassembly is just a matter of lubing the oring, pushing it into the bore, and installing the snap ring.

 

[barfrog]

So do you guys think that I could just replace the snap ring and it won't happen again? It's a lot of work to get everything off and it not to work.

 

[ponkotsu]

So do you guys think that I could just replace the snap ring and it won't happen again? It's a lot of work to get everything off and it not to work.

Seems really odd that it came off by itself. Rings like that generally get crusted in and don't come out. If it was worked on by somebody before, it' could be that they didn't get it fully seated. Or if it came out by itself, the groove might be rounded off now. If the groove looks okay, just make sure you get the groove good and clean and fully seat the snap ring with a punch and hammer. I'd use a new snap ring if you are suspicious of it at all. It's a super tight snap ring so it should not come out normally...

 

[barfrog]

Thanks for the quick reply! It hasn't been worked on by anybody. I'm just suspicious that the cold weather and the temperature change of the tranny fluid caused the snap ring to shrink? I've tried to turn the cover with a channel locks and there is not enough room for that, tried to chisel it to turn with no luck. What would you suspect why it came off in the first place and start leaking?

 

[ponkotsu]

Thanks for the quick reply! It hasn't been worked on by anybody. I'm just suspicious that the cold weather and the temperature change of the tranny fluid caused the snap ring to shrink? I've tried to turn the cover with a channel locks and there is not enough room for that, tried to chisel it to turn with no luck. What would you suspect why it came off in the first place and start leaking?

Maybe try pounding it back in flush again and then pry it out might work. I really have no idea why it came out. When I took mine out, it took a lot of work because of dirt and corrosion.

 

[barfrog]

Well after getting the cover off and replacing the servo, o ring and clip, taking it to the tranny shop and having them replace the fluid and filter it was good to go for about 120 miles and popped off again. Had it towed to the tranny shop they replaced the cover and cleaned out groove that the clip sits in and it would pop off after a minute. The tranny shop put in a rebuilt for $1000 cash and didn't charge me for the trouble of trying to fix the original one.