Trans fluid leak, big puddle, truck hasn't been driven in days

[socci]

So I just noticed a large puddle under the passenger seat area on the street. Its def tranny fluid and is dripping on the pass side cat. I cant go look until tomorrow, but I figured someone can give me a starting point. As far as i know the leak sprung while sitting in the street. I have not drove it since Friday, and the leak its fresh today. I'm pretty positive there was no leak yesterday.

Oh its a 2000 awd with 116k

 

[Ricco4592]

When my truck was leaking fluid it was coming from the fill tube. The o ring on there had fallen off I guess?went to the dealer and bought the $3 o ring,threw it on, no more leak. Mine was also leaking straight on the cat and burning as I drove.

 

[socci]

So I just went under there and it looks like where the fill tube meets the pan is where the leak is coming from. The thing is there is tons of red rtv around the tube, so I am thinking that is a problem. Most likely the previous owner had a leak and just put some rtv there im assuming. I just dotn understand why so much fluid would come out from that spot if the car is not moving. Wouldnt only the fluid in the fill tube come out, considering it sits on top of the tranny pan?

 

[Bruces expo]

Whatever pressure is in the trans when it shuts down stays in the pan , then it finds somewhere to leak from , sounds like previous owner only masked the problem to sell it , Good luck with it !

 

[drdoom]

Check the vent tube, to be certain it is not clogged.

 

[budwich]

have you checked your fluid level???

 

[Ricco4592]

thats exactly where mine would leak from.When I would shut the truck down it would gush out. The O ring slipped on the end of the tube where it meets the tranny and leak was fixed.

 

[socci]

drdoom, I can probably google it but I have no idea what the vent tube is or where it is.

budwich, I have not, but there is a puddle the size of a kiddy pool in the street, so I plan on fixing the leak and replacing all teh fluid before I drive it again.

Ricco, any chance you know wehre I can get a new tube also? I am not having much luck finding one. My tube is in rough shape from what I can see, so I might as well replace it.

 

[Ricco4592]

When I was looking to replace mine I got it from David Stanley the ford dealer here in Okc, but you should be able to get it from the ford dealer anywhere. It was $30 I think , or from a salvage yard too if your feeling cheap lol

 

[socci]

When I was looking to replace mine I got it from David Stanley the ford dealer here in Okc, but you should be able to get it from the ford dealer anywhere. It was $30 I think , or from a salvage yard too if your feeling cheap lol

Alright I wasnt sure if Ford was going to try and charge some ridiculous amount for it, but 30 is not bad.

 

[Ricco4592]

Nah it should be around that price. If anything if they don't have it go snag one from the salvage

 

[drdoom]

Socci, on my '97 the vent tube is metal, it sticks down by the linkage, slightly to the front IIRC. It is right beside the pan, on the driver's side (US models). It is designed to give a safe path for pressure and / or fluid to be vented safely onto the roadway. I probably would just slide a piece of rubber tubing over it, and see if I could blow through it. Loosen the dipstick a bit beforehand. Maybe someone else has a better way to check it. Unbeknownst to me, the vent on my truck was plugged by mud daubers...so when my torque converter overheated, the fluid was forced out elsewhere, right onto my hot catalytic converters, causing a serious vehicle fire. I know everyone probably gets tired of me mentioning that incident, but maybe people can learn from my mistakes. Mistakes like not checking the vent, ignoring the flashing O/D OFF light, and general procrastination. Best wishes.

PS: I just saw a Focus burn, pinhole in a power steering high pressure line. What a mess.

 

[socci]

Ford just told me its discontinued and he cannot get one, so it looks like a junk yard for me. He does have the o-ring, so I guess I can cut the rtv and see if the tube is actually damaged.