KCVETT

I get to work and check the transmission dipstick and it's completely low....like only a few bubbles low...I put a cardboard under the car to see exactly where the drips are coming from. Car doesn't even have 100,000 miles yet(99,205...) 1996 auto lt1. TBH I'm so frustrated I don't even know where to start with this leak.

BLUDICE

I feel your pain - had my '94 for 2 weeks and the trany started marking it's spot - $1300 later it's as good as new.

KCVETT

I hope to God it's just the tranny pan gasket

kg4fku

Are you sure that is ATF?

Looks pretty dark in the pictures. More like motor oil.

BLUDICE

Mine has 95,000 miles - bought it at a dealer - they had given the PO an estimate a year ago to repair the trany - needed all the seals replaced - so I got it in the rear - LOL.

BrandensBeast

Looks like oil to me! Can't be mad at the car, it's 20 years old, it's going to break here and there, hopefully no damage done.

BLUDICE

I was going to say the same thing - oil?? Rear main seal??

KCVETT

Idk if it's motor oil or not because tbh I don't think the tranny fluid has EVER been replaced. I bought it with 72k last year so I been driving the hell out of it but not like racing or nothing. I am sure the engine leaks a lil bit but what LT1 doesn't 😂

KCVETT

Also I did check the dipstick and the color is very similar and dark as **** like the pics.

KCVETT

appreciate it man and you are correct it is 20 years old...it's a used car so I expect nothing less. At least the engine is sound.

kg4fku

If that is what the fluid in your transmission look like then the repair is not going to be just a pan gasket. The only reason your ATF will be that dark is if the transmission is slipping and burning clutch material.
ATF should be clean and pinkish red.

jmagilto

agree that it looks like oil. if tranny fluid - maybe cooling line failed. but - if tranny fluid - tranny is already toast.

KCVETT

I am low in both engine oil and tranny fluid tho....and the transmission doesn't really slip much but it does.

KCVETT

Cardboard box I left underneath....

kg4fku

With an automatic transmission, if it slips at all then it is done.

EDIT: If you don't have the funds to fix it then you could flush the trans and replace the filter. This WILL NOT fix the issue. It will just prolong the inevitable. That being a complete rebuild.

KCVETT

-____-

BrandensBeast

Look at it positively, if you really enjoy this car and want to keep it for a while, a broken transmission isn't always bad, rebuild it and make it BETTER then it has ever been, make it bullet proof, and never have to worry about it failing I'm sure others have that thought in the back of their mind, no matter how clean/well taken care of these vettes are, they are 20-32 years old and WILL break, it's a matter of when, and where, another positive thing is, if you got the car home, don't have to pay for a tow truck!

KCVETT

I agree with everything you just said. Only issue is it's gonna get expensive and I just put my two weeks in at work LOL the timing of this is priceless haha -_- but during lunch I went to buy some engine oil and ATF for the meantime...I know a corvette specific shop close to me so I guess I know where I'm going after work. I usually do all my own work but I really don't want to touch the tranny. On the bright side my car is really clean atm ha

the kid C6

One of the funniest posts I read on this forum was over in the C3 section ... "If it's not leaking fluids, it's because it's empty."

I agree that the puddle looks really dark for transmission fluid. Keep us posted.

Patsgarage

That big of a leak is not going to be too hard to locate, you will probably have to degrease the underside first, then see where the fluid is coming from.