Ok.. so the guy at the Transmission shop says..

[tpstaples]

Hey everyone,

So i brought my 91 Explorer in to get looked at at Cottman Transmission. They guy sounds like a really good guy and will do whatever I want to do, but says the following.

I have a A4LD transmission and it's leaking up where the bell housing meets the engine block.

His recommendation is to let him pull out the transmission to verify why it's leaking. He thinks it's either the "pump" or the "torque converter".

What do you guys think.. and here's my question.

Do you think i could drain the fluid, and pop the transmission off the engine just a couple centimeters.. enough for me to run a line of rtv sealant along the seam and push it back together to fix the leak?

I only need this truck for another 6 months tops.. It's a temporary truck until my girlfriend's settlement comes in adn i can then fix it up good while she drives something else.

The mechanic wants $425 just to pull the transmission. Then whatever it costs to fix it. and yes.. $425 includes diagnosis and putting the tranny back in.

what do you think?

 

[Eneurb]

That's not gonna work. You probably have leaking pump bolts or a leaking torque convertor hub seal. Sealing the bell housing to the block with rtv won't do anything but turn your bell housing into a fish tank.

 

[tpstaples]

so what options do you think i have seeing as I only need this thing to work for another 6 months..

should i chance letting it leak and filling it up with a quart of fluid every so many miles? The truck is used on long trips and for a business right now.

Should i eat it.. and cough up 425 and let them pull the transmission?

I know i dont want to do that myself.. i just replaced the transfer case and that was a ***** of a job.

 

[Crankcase]

how fast does it leak? If you don't get it too hot, it will only be a slow leak and you can drive around and add a quart every 5 days or so...

Chances are it is the pump seal...very common problem.

 

[tpstaples]

maybe i should have the guy just change the fluid... like he was going to.. and then i'll add transmission sealer over and over with my fluid adding. what do you think about that?

 

[ve4ron]

Not liklely going to help .
Cough up the 425 or just keep watching the fluid level if you dont plan on keeping the truck long.

 

[tpstaples]

i was hoping you wouldn't say that.. hmmm
welp.. i think i'll have him fill it up with fluid, take it off the lift.. and bill me what i owe.

I'll chance watching the fluid.. if it gets too bad... i'll have to have someone pop the tranny. I'll get a few quotes.. maybe someone will do it cheaper.. even though cottman transmission is guaranteed for life and transferrable to another owner..

 

[ve4ron]

If you can take the tranny out yourself it would save you 325 out of the 425 .
the biggest part of that job is removal and installation .

 

[tpstaples]

I've done 2 tranny's and 2 transfer cases in my lifetime.. and i REALLY dont want to do another one..

I also just finished doing the friggin transfer case on this *****.. which would mean i'd have to do that whole job again.. ug... unless the transfer case and transmission come out in one fell swoop.. hmm.. maybe.

worst transmission job i did was on my '85 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z. The friggin thing was so up inside the engine it took me a week to get it out of straight work after school.... it sucked. every part of that job sucked.

 

[ve4ron]

yep one piece is the best way.

 

[tpstaples]

luckily on this one, the 4x4 shifting is electronic.. so there's no shift lever to dissassemble if i did have to go this route.

hmmmm