Leaking transmission

[r.71]

I have a 94 Mazda B3000 with an auto trans, I think it is the A4LD (it's a rebuilt from Jasper prior to me owning this truck). About a year ago I noticed it was leaking transmission fluid, and it looked like it was from the pan. So I changed the gasket/filter. It had an RTV-like gasket before, but I got a kit from Advance Auto that had a rubber gasket.

It was ok for awhile, still having a slow leak. But now the leak is a little worse and I'm not sure if it's the pan leaking still. I can see it dripping from the kickdown lever (I think that is what it is called) right next to the pan. The pan bolt at that spot will not tighten down, but all of the others do.

Probably a dumb question but is it likely that it is the cause of the leak?

 

[kimcrwbr1]

You can try changing the pan gasket and the shape of the pan will tell you what tranny it is. You may as well put a new filter in while you have it off. It could also be one of the shaft seals leaking. Find out which tranny you have and get a parts schematic of it to show you where all the seals and gaskets are. If it is not leaking out of the oil pump seal you can possibly fix the leak without pulling the tranny. Does the kickdown lever shaft that goes into the tranny wiggle side to side the same with the shift shaft. I hate leaks hope you figure it out.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/AutoTrans.html

 

[r.71]

I found the records from the PO. It is an A4LD and was replaced at ~140k miles, it has 245k on the engine now. I downloaded the pdf from this site for that transmission.

I'll check the shafts tomorrow to see if they're loose.

Is it better to use the rubber gasket or is a RTV type gasket ok to use? What about that bolt that won't tighten, any simple way to fix that?

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Sounds stripped to me easy to do it could be the problem. I like to reverse dimple all the bolt holes in a oil pan. Take a ball peen hammer and gently tap on the screw holes while setting on a wood stair or log. Maybe get a helicoil for that bolt or a bolt a little longer maybe the threads in the tranny are a little longer up there. measure the depth of the hole and grind a bolt that length. You only need a couple threads to snug it up just pull it tight with the other ones first