94 Ranger Auto Trans Leak

[HxCGuitars]

Hey guys, got another thing that's kind of stumping me that I wanted to ask here first about.

I've noticed for a while that I've been leaving drops of tranny fluid wherever I go. I'm sure my trans pan gasket isn't in the greatest of shape, but when I crawled under to narrow down the leak, it was dripping off the bottom part of the bracket on the side of the trans that moves when you shift between P,N,D, etc.

Now this is where it got interesting. I cleaned it off to narrow it down, and it looked like it was coming from right underneath the bracket where it mounts to the side of the transmission. Now when I bought the truck, as I went to drive off, I was told a cable dry rotted that kept me from being able to shift gears as when you went to shift gears the lever was completely free and didn't engage anything.

It looked clean under the bracket, almost like there might've been gunk there keeping it from leaking before, and it had been cleaned when they put the new cable in. The bracket itself has a good amount of back and forth play, is it supposed to be loose? Almost thought maybe it had to be tighter to seal against the trans, so I attempted to tighten the bolt on top of the bracket and it didn't seem like it was doing anything, so before breaking something I figured I'd ask here. Is it even possible to leak out there?

Thanks in advance. Slowly getting my Ranger to satisfactory condition haha.

 

[cogs]

did you check the line to the vacuum modulator on the right side of the trans? if it has fluid, the modulator is broken. also, at the vacuum octopus under the hood driver's side, if that line to the transmission has fluid, it's the same thing. here's my replacement writeup:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=263904

 

[HxCGuitars]

Any pictures of the line by chance? Do I check it just by pulling it off and checking for fluid? Sorry I'm very new to the truck.

 

[cogs]

did you find the vacuum tree? it's the one with all the hoses attached to it on top. the modulator hose is one of the thin back ones that goes down toward the transmission (bottom of engine). yeah, just pull it off with the truck turned off, and feel for fluid. don't take off the bigger lines, since it's unneeded. mine was actually being forced off and spraying.

 

[HxCGuitars]

Is the tree in the engine bay? I'll attempt to look today. I'm at school so don't always get the best chance to look.

 

[Roadrunner777]

(interject and run away) The vacuum tree is on the driver's side of the upper intake manifold towards the firewall. Find the fitting with, oh, 6 or so vacuum lines going to it. That be the vacuum tree!

 

[cogs]

roadrunner... lol you ran... you can interject anytime!!

 

[HxCGuitars]

Alright, interesting...

First off I assumed that was the tree, which is why I circled it in red, but wasn't sure which one to pull off, couldn't really trace one that ran down towards the trans. Looking at yours, it's like mine doesn't have the one that faces the front... Also ignore the blue circle.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/692/leak2.jpg/

Also, here's a picture of where I'm getting the leak. The red is to point out where it's dripping off of (you can see the drip forming), and the blue is where it's looking like it's coming from (under the bracket, against the trans)

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/46/leak1.jpg/

Which line am I supposed to pull off? Again, sorry, I'm new.

 

[cogs]

on the first pic, the vacuum line is the one in the very back, closest to the firewall.

on your second pic, if that's the passenger side, then the modulator is right above the linkage. it's kinda shiny and round.

 

[HxCGuitars]

Alright thanks, I'll pull it off and check it. And that's my driver's side.

 

[cogs]

then it's not above there. are the bolts tight on the pan all around?

 

[HxCGuitars]

Yup, that's just what has me stumped. I just assumed with 164k on it that the gasket's not in the greatest of shape but it doesn't even seem like it's coming from the where the pan seals. I'll get under it again tomorrow and triple check but yeah.