Trans is leaking!!!

GrandmaLS

Club Member
Ok, so I'm dripping some trans fluid right now. Nothing that can't be topped off ever day or two but it's fucking annoying. The dripping is not coming from the trans pan or gasket. It was JUST replaced like 250 miles ago. It's leaking from where you see in the picture.

The car leaks a lot more when the car drives around and heats up. My real question is, if this is something I'll be able to fix in the driveway or not. Does fluid normally sit in the tail shaft housing, or is there a seal on the back of the trans case and its allowing the main transmission case to leak into the tail shaft housing and that, in turn, is causing it to leak? I don't see it being a problem if it's just the housing/tail shaft housing seal is leaking but I don't have any special tools for repairing beyond that.

Sorry for the shitty paint drawing...
trans.jpg


Vehicle - 1996 Mercury Grand Marquis

Thanks,
Tom
 
yes, there is a seal/gasket there

remove driveshaft, unbolt trans mount, jack up trans, remove any sensors from the tailshaft/extension housing, and remove the housing, replace it, it will either be a large rubber ring or a gasket, depending on the trans
 
yes, there is a seal/gasket there

remove driveshaft, unbolt trans mount, jack up trans, remove any sensors from the tailshaft/extension housing, and remove the housing, replace it, it will either be a large rubber ring or a gasket, depending on the trans

There is supposed to be trans fluid in there though? A guy I work with thought the tail shaft housing was dry. That there was a seal keeping the trans fluid in the main body and that was leaking and causing the tail shaft housing to fill up and leak.
 
yeah should be fluid in there I would think thats why you have an output shaft seal or why if you pull out the output shaft trans fluid comes out. Im not 100% but kinda like a 92% lol
 
most but not all transmissions have fluid in that area. you need to list the vehicle year and transmission type or model #.
from your picture, it looks like your describing a extension housing to case leak. that area is not common to have leaks on any transmission. some models have a vent on top in that area that could be spitting out fluid. gravity always brings the fluid to the bottom.
 
1996 grand marquis has a 4r70w/aode transmission, and it does have fluid in the tail area. that transmission is also very common to crack or corrode in the mount area. the vent is also located at the rear of the case at the top, right where the extension housing bolts up. a can of brake clean and a air blower will clean the area of the leak, then watch it closely, and see exactly where the leak begins to seep through.
 
1996 grand marquis has a 4r70w/aode transmission, and it does have fluid in the tail area. that transmission is also very common to crack or corrode in the mount area. the vent is also located at the rear of the case at the top, right where the extension housing bolts up. a can of brake clean and a air blower will clean the area of the leak, then watch it closely, and see exactly where the leak begins to seep through.

I did that and it seem to be dripping right from the bottom of where the tail shaft/main housing meet. The sides are dry and if it was coming out of the vent I'd think you'd see it running down the sides of the tail shaft housing.
 
I did that and it seem to be dripping right from the bottom of where the tail shaft/main housing meet. The sides are dry and if it was coming out of the vent I'd think you'd see it running down the sides of the tail shaft housing.


you are correct. you would see it running down the sides if it was the vent.. its just a gasket, and its not too hard to change. its not a very common spot to leak from.
remove the drive shaft & crossmember, speed sensor and extension housing bolts.
 
the tail gasket is usually pretty good.

check for a leak around the trans mount area.. The steel body of the mount and the aluminum don't get along too well (2 dissimilar metals and any liquid make a battery) . What happens is corrosion under the mount that eats into the tail housing, it starts leaking and runs down towards the pan.

Just another area to look at.


Mike.
 
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