Mystery leak

[brotherGood]

Full disclaimer to start off with..I have not had the time to throw the car on stands and run it in gear yet

A couple of weeks ago I pulled the car out to clean the garage, and when I did so I noticed it took a bit for the car to move. Just chalked that up to the fact it hadn't been in gear while on in a while, so I held the brake until it started to push. Got out, turned around and there's a pretty good sized puddle on the floor. I cleaned it up, and tried to make note when moving the car back in to see if anything was actively leaking (didnt see anything)

Went out yesterday for something unrelated, and figured I'd check to see if the puddle had returned..it does look wet in two places. A little forward of the front of the pan, and a little rearward of the back of the pan (almost near the speedometer housing) but center to passenger side of the car.

Easy thought would be pan gasket. In the 10 years I've had it, Ive never even opened the transmission up..and I'm sure the amount of time it has sat over the last 6 years haven't been kind. Supposedly, the front seal was replaced when the engine was out for preventative measures. Not sure I buy that, but Im equally as lost.

Does anyone have any ideas off the rip? Is there a way to pressure test the system, or is it best I just put it on stands and run it?

Thanks in advance

 

[volare 77]

Possibly dip stick tube seal.

 

[Aspen500]

I'd suspect the dipstick tube seal as well. When a car sits for a few months, the torque converter tends to drain into the pan, which raises the fluid level. Could be the pan gasket also but the most common is the dipstick tube seal.

If my car sits a week or so, it takes a while to go into gear so, I always start it in neutral and wait a few seconds before going for reverse. Torqueflites don't pump fluid in park, but do in neutral (which is why the level is checked in neutral only). Also why it says right in some owners manuals (my Dakota for example) that if the temp is below 5 degrees to start the engine in neutral, to get the fluid moving as quickly as possible.

 

[brotherGood]

Would the dipstick tube seal create a spot just forward and to the rear of the pan, or are you referencing potentially 2 problems at once?

 

[Duke5A]

Would the dipstick tube seal create a spot just forward and to the rear of the pan, or are you referencing potentially 2 problems at once?

You're going to have to get under the car and look. Leaks from the dipstick tube will run down the entirety of the pan rail. You'll never know for sure where it is coming from without eyeballs on it.

 

[brotherGood]

You're going to have to get under the car and look. Leaks from the dipstick tube will run down the entirety of the pan rail. You'll never know for sure where it is coming from without eyeballs on it.

I know I had already put it on list of things to accomplish this weekend, just figured I'd ask the question up front.

Wouldn't have ever thought of the dipstick tube seal as even being a thing, but I'll now know to check that area.

 

[Duke5A]

Wouldn't have ever thought of the dipstick tube seal as even being a thing, but I'll now know to check that area.

The fluid level is actually higher when full than where the tube slips into. Pulled one out once without draining the pan and created a kiddy pool of ATF in the garage. Live and learn....

 

[Mikes5thAve]

Pan, dipstick tube seal, it could be any number of things and no way of knowing until you look. Most spots aren't a straight drip to the floor so don't judge by that.

 

[AJ/FormS]

For that matter, it could also be the vent. When several quarts of convertor fluid drains into the trans; on start up, the spinning parts will fling that oil everywhere, and some of it is sure to come out the vent, and end up dripping from inside the bellhouse..... seeming to be a front seal. Give it a half-hour at idle in Neutral to drip out, else it will get blown down the pan, and completely oil your undercarriage, by the wind, as you drive.

 

[Locomotion]

Don't forget about the seal where the shift linkage arm bolts on to the valve body and check the cooler lines. Any kind of leak can "travel" before dripping down somewhere away from its source..

 

[LSM360]

Yep, mine was leaking from selector shaft seal.