ATF Leaking Everywhere

PonyNerd · Feb 16, 2008

This afternoon I had to have my '66 coupe towed 50+ miles back home. She developed a major leak and started spewing tranny fluid everywhere. I just crawled out from underneath her and believe I have found the problem, but I'm not entirely sure how to fix it.

The previous owner rebuilt the engine, but forgot to reattach the top of the transmission dipstick tube to the engine. After 18 months or so of vibrating, the dipstick tube worked loose. I was able to easily pull the tube right out of the transmission.

Is it as simple as mounting the top of the tube to the engine and calling it a day? It can't be that easy. I think I noticed an O-ring on the end of the tube when I pulled it out of the tranny. Is this the only thing sealing the tube and the tranny? Or is there a locknut or something I should be looking for? Should the O-ring be replaced?

Thanks for any help!

PS – She’s an automatic.

HookandLadder · Feb 16, 2008

New O ring...push it in and then make sure the tube is attached to the back of the engine on the passenger side head. The tube has a small tab on it.

chromedog · Feb 16, 2008

also, make sure the end of the tube that goes into the trans isnt out of round... ive seen them slightly egged, and they wont seal. better to check now, rather than get it back together, and still be leaking...

PonyNerd · Feb 17, 2008

Ok, so I picked up an assortment of O-rings from the great parts mecca AutoZone. Then I made sure that the end of the tube was round and not lop-sided. After much trial and error I figured out that I needed to lightly tap the end of the tube in order for it to seat in the tranny. But no matter how hard I try I can't get the tab to line up with any bolt holes on the passenger header.

Any suggestions? Better yet, could someone send me a pic or two so I can see where it is supposed to mount.

Thanks again!

BarnStang · Feb 17, 2008

I think you need to flip it around and attach it to a bell housing bolt? Will the tube turn 90 degrees and line up?

HookandLadder · Feb 17, 2008

NOT a header. The back of the passenger HEAD! There is a threaded hole on most, some have an insert with threads. The part of the head that faces the firewall.

PonyNerd · Feb 17, 2008

The bell housing was my original thought also, but the tab is about 2" away from the nearest housing bolt. I've tried coming in from both sides of the heater hoses - from the driver's side the angle is wrong. The hard lines running along the bell housing part way down the passenger side have been annoying also. But the biggest obsticle has been a large rectangular protrusion on the bell housing. If it weren't there I _might_ be able to reach a bell housing bolt.

[tinkering]

I just came back from the garage and have some more info. Since this car is a salvage I wanted to make sure it had a Ford tranny - yep, C4 according to the pan shape and hole pattern. Wasn't too surprised by that, but better safe than sorry. While I was there I took a tie strap and tied the tube to one of the heater hoses as a temporary fix. I started it up and stuck my head under only to be greated with the sight of tranny fluid spurting out of a hole in one of the soft lines from the tranny to the radiator. The hose ran along the starter motor where the bolt on the cover band eventually wore a hole in it.

So I'll get some new tubing in the morning to fix that, but I'm still stumped as to where this bloody dipstick tube is supposed to mount.

PonyNerd · Feb 18, 2008

HookandLadder said:
NOT a header. The back of the passenger HEAD! There is a threaded hole on most, some have an insert with threads. The part of the head that faces the firewall.

Oops! My bad. I should check my spelling better, I ment head.

I'm attaching 2 pics - the 1st shows the protrusion on the bell housing that I mentioned in my last post. The 2nd highlights the only 3 holes on the side of the head. If it wasn't for that protrusion I could probably reach the hole hidden behind the heater hoses.

BarnStang · Feb 18, 2008

If it's never been attached to anything, the tab may be bent in the wrong direction. It may help if you can see which side of the tab the bolt seated on and which side was against a flat surface.

HookandLadder · Feb 18, 2008

I don't think that is the factory dipstick for the tranny. You may want to grab a stocker out of a salvage yard and go with that. Sorry about the soft lines....just make sure you rout them correctly.

chromedog · Feb 18, 2008

ditch the soft lines... ive gotten stranded myself for the same reason. get yourself a roll of 5/16" steel line, a flaring tool, and have at it, you can reuse your old ends.

PonyNerd · Feb 19, 2008

HookandLadder said:
I don't think that is the factory dipstick for the tranny. You may want to grab a stocker out of a salvage yard and go with that. Sorry about the soft lines....just make sure you rout them correctly.

The thought had crossed my mind that it wasn't the right tube/stick. The salvage yards around here don't have much in the way of classics so I'll probably have to hit the net to find one.

For now I'll deal with the soft lines. I believe I routed it past anything sharp so it should be good for a while.

Now it's off to tracking down a short in the headlights.

Thanks everyone for your help.

ATF Leaking Everywhere

PonyNerd

New Member

HookandLadder

chromedog

New Member

PonyNerd

New Member

BarnStang

HookandLadder

PonyNerd

New Member

PonyNerd

New Member

BarnStang

HookandLadder

chromedog

New Member

PonyNerd

New Member

Similar threads

ATF Leaking Everywhere

New Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

Similar threads

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency