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Transmission Leak

  • Thread starter Thread starter b653gunn
  • Start date Start date May 26, 2010
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b653gunn

New Member
Oct 3, 2005
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May 26, 2010
#1
  • May 26, 2010
  • #1
I have a 4R70W in my 96GT, I'm having a small problem with a leak i can't locate . The rear tail shaft housing is dry, the dip stick is dry, the pressure and return lines are dry. It only happens ever so often around the pan and soaks the bolts.I've replaced the pan and gasket with OEM, torqued them to spec and it will stay dry for awhile then all of a sudden it will leak. I 've cleaned it with alcohol wiped it down, refill it and drive it to the store, park it then it will start to leak.WTF!!! my stang stays parked mainly, i only drive it every so often but when i do this crap happens.Any ideas??
 

wmburns

SN Certified Technician
Aug 14, 2009
5,892
514
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Houston Texas
May 26, 2010
#2
  • May 26, 2010
  • #2
Regarding the Ford transmission pan gaskets, they generally work very well as long as the bolts are torqued to spec. So if you are positive the bolts have been torqued per spec and the gasket is new, then next thing to check is the pan itself. Look for the pan itself to be warpped. Perhaps by over tighting from the prior owner.

Put the pan on a known flat surface. Use a small hammer and dolly to gently hammer back to flat.
 
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b653gunn

New Member
Oct 3, 2005
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May 27, 2010
#3
  • May 27, 2010
  • #3
I think i may have found my monkey on my back leak, LOL , This mourning i went out and inspected it one more time, the only culprit i could find , and with evidence, was the rear extenstion housing, where it mates to the transmission. I rubbed my fingers under their and it was wet with trans fluid. So what has been happening is the leaking transmission fluid has been leaking all around the top of the trans. pan. Seeping through the gasket and to the bolts. My question is can i remove the extenstion housing without dropping the transmission, basically dropping the drive shaft removing the metric bolts and slideing it back and replacing just the gasket??
 

wmburns

SN Certified Technician
Aug 14, 2009
5,892
514
204
Houston Texas
May 27, 2010
#4
  • May 27, 2010
  • #4
There is a procedure to remove/install the tail shaft housing on the car.

The tail shaft gasket is an unusual place to leak. Double check it is not leaking from the output shaft seal before diving into the tail shaft repair.
 
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b653gunn

New Member
Oct 3, 2005
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May 27, 2010
#5
  • May 27, 2010
  • #5
Well the only thing that drove me to this conclusion was the fact that the extention housing around the drive shaft is dry. I will check again tomorrow mourning to see. But is there another oring or gasket besides the seal at the end of the tail shaft housing ???
 
B

b653gunn

New Member
Oct 3, 2005
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Aug 9, 2011
#6
  • Aug 9, 2011
  • #6
UPDATE

Well after a year and a half of watching my stang sitting leaking trans fluid all over the place, i did some investigating and found my leak when i replaced my motor, i pulled the trans out with the motor, i guess when reinstalling them as a unit i bent the dipstick tube and didn't notice it. The top of the tube was resting on my strut brace, when driving it would pull away from it, but at rest it would rest on it. Twisting the bottom half in the trans. causing a gap between the housing and tube.whaallaaa. Pain to fix though had to drop trans mount and loosen the bolt underneath and straighten back out. So beware when pulling your engine and trans out as a unit.watch that tube.
 
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