94 a4ld leak that disappeared

[arizonai]

Hi. I was given a 94 B4000 with less than 50K on it.

It had been sitting for a long time and the thing wasn't shifting right, but I saw it improving the more I drove it.

I finally felt comfortable enough to pull the Boy Scout Trailer, which is a 12 foot single axle enclosed trailer. Not the lightest thing in the world, but this truck should be able to handle it just fine.

Drove it to a campsite an hour and a half away, no issues.

On the way back, about an hour in it started down shifting when it shouldn't. Then I got to a pretty nice hill and I had no power at all. Made it off the highway and it wouldn't go into gear. I added some ATF and it immediately poured out from what looked to be the bell housing (it was dark and rainy and I had just hiked 13 miles.)

I had it towed.

Today I wanted to find the leak. Filled up the Trans. No leak. Put it through its paces (not with the trailer) and it is still not leaking.

How can this be? I thought for sure I blew the front seal.

Any one seen this before?

 

[rusty ol ranger]

You overheated it and were pry pukeing fluid out the dipstick tube.

You got lucky, dont make a habit of it.

 

[adsm08]

Very likely to puke out the dipstick tube since it is quite a bit higher than the trans vent.

You did overheat it, and you popped the front pump lip seal. It is known for doing exactly what you describe in exactly the spot you thought you saw it.

Once it happens once it will probably happen again. Adding a large auxiliary cooler will help prevent a repeat performance.

 

[arizonai]

Ok Thanks,

It had a cooler added, but I'll add a remote cooler with a fan.

I'll add a temp gauge too.