Automatic Transmission Leak
 

E150 auto was parked with nose downhill and I noticed transmission fluid was seeping from the filler tube connection to the transmission.

Is it a good assumption that there is a bad seal at the connection? Or, is it a vent or something like that which needs unstopped?

If it looks like a seal, how should it be removed (fished out)? Never done that.... and is that an OEM part requirement?

RE: Automatic Transmission Leak
 

Where the tube plugs into the trans, theres an oring. It's over the end of the tube and it's pretty common to start leaking, but mostly after the trans has been removed and re-installed. You'll want to drain the trans pan, because once that tube comes out, you'll have a mess on your hands. Make sure the tube is bolted to the head, so it's not moving around and stressing the oring. The tube should feel secured. If it pivots, then you're missing the bolt, or the eyelet for the bolt has broken off. In that case, just get a new tube. Most of the time, it's just a worn o-ring.

good luck

RE: Automatic Transmission Leak
 

Yeppers easy fix done a bunch of them my self over the yrs.lube the oring before you install it in the pan , will help it slid in easier .

RE: Automatic Transmission Leak
 

Son of a gun, draining the pan I definitely didn't know. What else is there in store.....need to change a filter (or clean a filter)? What about the type of transmission fluid? I think I read on this site somewhere that Ford has a specific fluid that should be put in, unlike other manufacturers.

So, this O-ring is slipped over the filler tube and that combo is installed? Guess that answers how the O-ring comes out .....(comes out when tube is removed).

Also, I suppose a little vasaline wouldn't be a bad idea when the combo is slipped back in?

Thanks all, sounds fairly simple but at the same time, could get to be tedious.

Doyle

RE: Automatic Transmission Leak
 

Not wanting to make life more difficult than it is is right now, but since you're willing to pull the dipstick tube and change the o-ring. You may want to get a general idea to the health of your trans. Remove the pan completely, check to see how much worn clutch material or metal has attached itself to the magnet in the pan (fine textured, black is normal). It takes time and experience to know what burned transmission fluid smells like, but if it's bad, you know by comparing it to whats in the bottles of the 6 qts or so of new fluid you'll need to replace what you've removed. Get yourself a new filter/gasket kit and do that service on your own. Not sure which trans you have but filter replacement is simple with either one. One will be black plastic and will just pull down from the valve body with a light tug. sometimes the orange colored gasket stays in the valve body. Fish it out carefully with a non-metallic tool. Don't scratch the bore... The other type is a bolt up filter with 2 or 3 small bolts. Remove the bolts, drop the filter and make sure the inlet and outlets parts of the filter are removed and re-installed with the fitted o-rings(orange colored maybe, but surely fitted) that come with the kit.

Hmmm, also, use safety glasses and clean the fluid off your hands and arms as soon as you can.

RE: Automatic Transmission Leak
 

Good comment, makes sense to me if one has to drain to address the filler tube O-ring replacement, why not perform filter replacement and perform some condition analysis of the tranny.



I don't know either but I suppose it will be labeled on the bottom of the transmission? I will probably need that to get the correct filter kit.


Spoken like a professional. All good tips. Thanks to everyone who contributed. Wish the weather was a little warmer..wink.

Thanks again guys,
Doyle

RE: Automatic Transmission Leak
 

might as well drain converter while your at it , no sense adding only partial clean fluid in all that used oil.