Bummer...

[tmcalavy]

Took the 93 Ranger XLT with 3.0 down the road today so the wife could look at new love seats at a furniture consignment shop about 90 miles away. Didn't score one, so we headed another 30 miles west to another consignment shop to have a look there and on the way the truck started throwing tranny fluid. Pulled in to a stop-n-rob and it took 3.5 quarts to get it to register on the stick again, so we limped in to my Mom's place about 12 miles away and left the truck there. Rented a car and came home. Saturday we go back to drop off the rental and take the Ranger to a shop that a local mech recommends. I have no idea where it's leaking and it was 105 so I didn't drop and crawl under to have a look on the black pavement. Wondering what a rear tranny seal costs these days? Anyone have one done recently? If so, what kinda wallet rape am I lookin' at? It's not anything major I think, cause it was working okay even low on fluid, and didn't do any weird stuff after I rejuiced it and headed to Mom's house. Hoping it's a blown tranny cooler line or something real easy, but keeping my fingers crossed. Next week will tell the tale. Oh yeah, anyone know a good mech or tranny shop in Denton, Tx?

 

[adsm08]

Did you refire her to see if she was still leaking? That will tell you real quick if it's the front pump seal.

 

[tmcalavy]

If you mean did I run it after rejuicing it? Yeah, drove it about 12 miles and I could tell it was still throwing fluid, could see a slight smoke from it burning off as it traveled down the hot drivetrain. If it pukes a bunch in my Mom's driveway tomorrow and Friday I'll have hell to pay...literally and figuratively. More fun in store Sat. morning.

 

[NoahS]

You might actually luck out and not have had anything blow. My 1994 xlt 3.0 did the same exact thing under similar conditions, after driving a lot of highway miles on a 100+ day I noticed a burning smell and then noticed the trail of fluid I was leaving. I pulled over in a parking lot and got a ride home too annoyed and hot to try to deal with it past a quick glance under it to say "yup transmission fluid everywhere" when I went back the next day I filled it back up with transmission fluid hoping i could at least get the truck home. It never leaked again.

Long story short, the a4ld has a vent on the top that transmission fluid can "boil" out of if it overheats. My transmission was no worse for wear after all that so at least you have a best case scenario to hope for now

 

[tmcalavy]

Yeah I was trying to imagine the best case scenario today and only came with a bad cooler line or maybe the valve modulator...both of which can puke a large amount of fluid. I don't believe it was hot enough to boil it though...the wife boiled the tranny juice in a buick park avenue once and it actually rolled backwards while we were going uphill in D. I'll never forget that joyous day...hated to lose that ride, it was a real road trip monster.

 

[tmcalavy]

Well it was a best case scenario...went over to Mom's house, dropped the rental on the way, checked the truck out...down a little tranny juice, but it started and ran good and no slipping while I drove it around the neighborhood to warm it up. Topped off the tranny and watched...no evidence of new puking, so we headed back home and stopped at a furniture store on the way...scored a nice dresser, then went across the Metroplex and stopped at another furniture and scored a soft-side King waterbed. All the while watching the temp gauge and gallon of Mercon at the ready. No problems, and it was close to 98 at times. The wife shadowed me in her Merc and no sign of leaking fluid so I guess it simply overheated and belched it out the vent on top of the tranny. Next up is a full tranny flush, filter, and installation of an aux tranny cooler.

 

[Andy D]

In one of BMWs , the lip seal started leaking. It took 2qts of ATF to go 20 miles. It was leaving a trail. I added coolers to my Grand Wagoneers.