Transmission leaking a lot of fluid. Help

[kosakoskim]

So to start off I recently acquired a 1993 explorer 4x4 XLT with 130k miles. I have put approximately 300 miles on it so far. I came home the other day after a 20 min drive on the highway and noticed a fluid trail in the driveway and looked under the vehicle to find a large puddle of transmission fluid.

I parked it in the garage and it proceeded to leak when i moved it. At this point it drove and shifted fine. About 2 hours later i put it on stands and looked around for something obvious and noticed it was the most wet where the bell housing meets the engine block. I started it, put it in neutral and drive and reverse and could not get it to leak.

The following night I added some transmission fluid it was about a quart low. I again tried to get it to leak and nothing happened. I took it off the stands and moved it back and forth and still no leak.

I suspected the pump seal to be causing the leak, but if it was damaged why wont it leak now? I also checked the cooler lines to see if they where clogged and eveything seemed ok. I started it with the cooler lines off to see how much fluid was being pumped and couldnt get anything more than a trickle....I found that this may be from a thermostat inside the transmission. I have done alot of searching and would really like to figure out the problem before tearing the tranny out.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! The issue with the front seal blowing out is pretty common on these transmissions. Check your coolant level in the radiator, and the fan clutch.

 

[kosakoskim]

Thanks! The coolant level is good and the fan clutch operates normally. I noticed the vehicle does get up to operating temp quickly, but it doesnt get hot, according to the instrument panel.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Maybe the thermostat is sticking?

 

[kosakoskim]

Are you referring to the thermostat for the cooling system or the one in the transmission? I would like to eliminate all possibilities that dont include dropping the transmission

 

[BrooklynBay]

It's the one for the cooling system. Your transmission doesn't have a thermostat.

 

[kosakoskim]

Im thinking ill just replace that front seal. Anything else I should do? Also are there any good write ups on taking the transmission out?

 

[BrooklynBay]

You might have to send the bellhousing out to have a new bushing installed. This requires a special lathe, and isn't as simple as replacing an ordinary bushing. There are only two places in the USA with such a machine. There's a sticky thread on the top of the transmission section on removing the transmission.

 

[kosakoskim]

How can my front seal be out if it wont leak now?

 

[BrooklynBay]

It blows out when the fluid gets very hot.

 

[kosakoskim]

Is there anything else that could cause this? Like if the vent was plugged or the transmission was overfilled. It happened about 1/4 mile from my house when i was braking for a turn.

 

[bruce119]

I too had this happen twice now. First about 4 months ago, I panicked thought for sure blew the front seal. BUT after it cooled it hadn't leak a drop since so thought I was on bowered time. I did a long trip about 2 weeks ago hot day think I had a sticky thermostat and it puked again. Same thing let it cool added fluid and all is god a drop since.

Now I have read that it is common for them to puke out the over flow when hot. Now from what I read that is located on the top of trany. I would think fluid would be all over the trany. In my case I didn't notice that it seamed that it was coming out the bottom drain hole of the bell housing.

BrooklynBay if it is the front seal would it be possible for it to dump fluid a couple times and not damage the seal. It just seams to me there would be at least a very slight leak a drip in the driveway.

Either case seems to be caused by over heating trany. That needs to be addressed.

Bruce

 

[kosakoskim]

I noticed a very slow trickle of fluid when i disconected the front cooler lines and ran the vehicle on jackstands. I dont know if this is normal or if there is a thermostat in the valve body because the tranny was cold when i did this

 

[BrooklynBay]

The seal could be good even if it blows out since heat causes everything to expand.

 

[kosakoskim]

Flushed radiator, replaced thermostat, changed fluid and filter in transmission . I was able to get it to leak after about 25 mins of driving, comes out a steady stream from inside the bellhousing. So it has to be the front seal. Can i change the seal my self or does it need to be pressed in by a shop

 

[BrooklynBay]

You need a seal driver to press the new seal into place. It's an easy job.

 

[kosakoskim]

I drove it home out of fluid tonight, had to push it the last block. tranny was slipping really bad untill it wouldnt move. What are the chances its ok

 

[bruce119]

When I overheated mine about 3 weeks ago and it blew out 5 quarts. I couldn't make it home I was only 2 blocks away. I had fluid with me and put 2 quarts in that got me home. Trany was slipping real bad I was feeling sick. But after it all cooled down the next day and filled it back with fluid (and I think I fixed my overheat problem) it has been running just fine. Now you seem to have a little bigger problem since it seems your leaking more frequent. How is your engine temp. holding do you run the A/C in like stop and go traffic. Does the temp. tend to come up on you when stopped in drive with A/C on. That was my problem with the trany overheat. After reading quite a few post I think it is the heat sink effect. The trany builds heat (pretty big mass of metal) and doesn't dissipate as well as an engine.
Just my experiences I'm no expert
Good Luck

 

[kosakoskim]

Engine temp is normal. Just replaced thermostat and coolant flush. Still pukes. I am not getting a good flow from the transmission lines to the cooler. It just trickles out

 

[kosakoskim]

Any ideas what would cause that? I checked the flow through the radiator and cooler unit and its not obstructed.