Need serious help..

[mtnrgr]

Once again transmission fluid is coming up the speedo cable housing and leaking onto the dash, pedals, floormat, etc. This issue was originally in 2014. After a whole year a shop found it had mercon 5. They removed and put in mercon 3, and problem solved. Fast forward thousand of miles, and years later. This started 1 1/2 weeks ago. Some of you may remember that I had my transmission rebuilt Sept of 2018, and it has been good. This started after I changed the vss. Wanted to use Ford, nobody had it in stock. I went with a dorman from the auto part store, and that is when it started. After a few days of driving noticed this B.S. again. Over the past week, and alot of research yet again. I found some culprits of other online. I changed the speedo cable, changed the fluid mercon 3 again, changed the vss with a ford part, and no fix..yet. Have been talking with some in the industry, and they are baffled. All I have done it should not be doing this. Still seeking assistance from those I know. Need help as my truck is my only vehicle at the moment. Anybody have any ideas to wtf is going.

 

[fastpakr]

Do you have a clogged transmission vent tube?

 

[Snoranger]

Did you check the vent tube? Make sure it's not clogged. That could cause pressure to push fluid up the speedo cable.

 

[mtnrgr]

Don't recall if the 5spd trans has a vent tube. If it does where will be located?

 

[fastpakr]

Sorry, I missed that it was a manual the first time through. I can't remember about a vent tube on the Mazda trans, but I -think- it goes through the shifter. Do you still have the factory rubber shift rail plugs? Also - any chance you're running a Hurst shifter?

 

[mtnrgr]

Are you referring to those 3 rubber plugs that are prone to leak? No rubber plugs, those were replace years ago with those steel plugs or whatever they are made from. Not running a hurst shifter, good ole standard oem shifter.

 

[fastpakr]

Yes, those plugs. They would give you a secondary venting spot if the vent through the shifter was clogged. I'd do a little digging online to get specifics on how the Mazda shifter is designed to vent, then look at yours carefully. It certainly sounds like it's clogged, and the metal plugs you have in place are forcing the built up pressure to go anywhere it can.

 

[Snoranger]

Yup, the vent is in the shifter on the m5

 

[mtnrgr]

What will I be looking for on the shifter for the vent? Why all of a sudden would it start doing this after the vss was changed?

 

[Bill]

There's nothing to look for. The shifter just really isn't sealed. My guess is there is a seal (o-ring) or bushing at the speedometer gear that prevents transmission fluid from entering the cable.

 

[mtnrgr]

Getting another vss from Ford today. The one I got earlier has the plastic insert where the cable goes. Come to realize that this for the electronic speedo, not the mechanical. Removed the insert, and no change, two of my friends who are trans mechanics at Ford said get the right vss as the two are built different inside. I am getting the correct one for a mechanical speedo. Need to change the shifter bushings any way as they are starting to leak. When I have this apart. Some say to look for a clogged vent and your saying not to look. How do I approach this? I am getting tired from taking this truck apart...can't do it anymore.

 

[Shran]

They are indeed vented through the shifter if you've got the freeze plugs installed. The shifter seal has a big rubber piece in the middle - I'd be tempted to drill a small hole through the rubber. That should let it vent. I agree with everyone else who says it's blowing fluid through the cable - though that is very weird. I don't think they're sealed down there, or at least not very well... every time I pull a speedo cable out of a VSS, a bunch of fluid drips out.

 

[mtnrgr]

Problem solved....Bought the correct vss from Ford. Bought a good used speedo cable and housing from my friend's junkyard. Installed all late last week, and have driven 500 miles on all kinds of terrain. All is dry...Thanks to though that helped...