Spontaneous Automatic Transmission Leak?
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: Ontario
Spontaneous Automatic Transmission Leak?
We all know how spontaneous combustion can occur in stored inflammable materials. Today I reinstalled the seats in my Corvette that has been in indoor and heated storage since late October. I found about a one-quart puddle of pink transmission fluid under the car. It was not there when I removed the seats two weeks ago. The car is started once a month and run for about 20 minutes by the storage company but was not started since I visited two weeks ago. Can an automatic transmission in storage develop a spontaneous pan leak?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Chattanooga TN
Re: Spontaneous Automatic Transmission Leak? (paul67)
Yes, anything is possible. Automatics are funny, they can ocassionally puke out some fluid just to keep you wondering. I had a 72 Eldorado that would stay fine for about a month, but after that it lost about a pint of fluid, fill it up and it was fine until is sat for a few months.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Buckeye, AZ
St. Jude Donor '12-'13
Re: Spontaneous Automatic Transmission Leak? (paul67)
It seems mine drips about a drop a week during winter...I assume because the seals tend to dry bit. In summer, the more I drive it, it may not even drip a drop over two weeks. It looks like it drips by the front of the convertor. Research says not to worry unless it becomes excessive; just moniter the levels.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Orlando Floriduh
Re: Spontaneous Automatic Transmission Leak? (gliot1)
Sometimes the act of just sitting puts flat spots on the main seal where the torque converter goes. so a leak occur. Try to see where it came from and then watch it for a few days when you begin driving the car again.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 30,995
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From: Ontario
Re: Spontaneous Automatic Transmission Leak? (Ed T)
Thanks Ed. We talked about this a bit last spring and the transmission was dry all summer. You mentioned this possibility on lengthy storage. I will check out of hibernation late in April, check the fluid level, go for a good run with Irene Cara's "What a Feeling" on the stereo, and check the fluid level again afterward. After five months of winter I am getting a Corvette itch. BTW the new seats look great in the car. Could not get any pics as the storage depot is so dark.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Waterford Mi
Re: Spontaneous Automatic Transmission Leak? (paul67)
Back when I had my TH400 it would start leaking everytime it sat for more than 3 weeks. I changed the pan gasket every year and still had the leak a month or two later.
2nd Gear
Joined: Aug 2013
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I believe that if, when you store your vette, you wrap a rag around the dipstick you may find that the rag is soaked when you return if the car sits for a substantial amount of time. What may be happening is that when the car sits the fluid drains out of the torque convertor and into the pan overfilling it and eventually running out the top of the dipstick tube. If you try this and find the rag soaked when you return then you'll know that's where it's coming from. The only cure is to start the car every couple of weeks and shift it back and forth from drive to reverse a couple of times and then just go ahead and shut if off. All of the fluid will be replaced in the torque converter and you'll start the process over again.
