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the OD hasn’t worked since I bought the car last year. I finally got around to dropping the OD pan for a filter change. And this is what I find.
Questions I have that are not in the FSM. Would ATF ever get the consistency or smell of gear oil? Any reason the top of the OD and tranny are covered in Oil? Coming out of the back of the valve covers or the oil pressure sensor on the back of the block?
First off, I am no transmission expert. I have never seen ATF turn into anything close to hear oil. When ATF goes bad it turns brown-ish and has a distinct smell of burnt ATF, and the constancy doesn't get really thick. I think there is a good chance that it is gear oil leaking out of the manual transmision and into the overdrive part. I am not sure that it is possible, but I would be willing to bet there is a seal between the two that keeps the fluids separate.
The oil on the top is defiantly coming from the engine: valve covers, back of the intake around the distributor, or the oil sending unit. It could be a combination of all three. The only way you will know is to take the time to investigate. It helps if you can clean off back there (not easy, I know) and look for new spots. Remember it comes from the lightest spot and leaks down, so start at the higher leak first.
First off, I am no transmission expert. I have never seen ATF turn into anything close to hear oil. When ATF goes bad it turns brown-ish and has a distinct smell of burnt ATF, and the constancy doesn't get really thick. I think there is a good chance that it is gear oil leaking out of the manual transmision and into the overdrive part. I am not sure that it is possible, but I would be willing to bet there is a seal between the two that keeps the fluids separate.
The oil on the top is defiantly coming from the engine: valve covers, back of the intake around the distributor, or the oil sending unit. It could be a combination of all three. The only way you will know is to take the time to investigate. It helps if you can clean off back there (not easy, I know) and look for new spots. Remember it comes from the lightest spot and leaks down, so start at the higher leak first.
Thanks for the reply. I’ll check the back of the block and valve covers for the oil leak.
I took the OD pan up to a garage. The mechanic said it smelled like cooked ATF, and also said looking at what was left of the gasket on the pan that it probably hadn’t been changed more than once since it came off the line. It had some metal shavings in it, but he didn’t think it was cause for alarm. Said if the system shut itself down due to lack of fluid I should be fine, but also stated he knew nothing of the OD on the 4+3.
Now my my issue is the grommet I needed to save broke apart when I tried to remove it. Stuck until I can find a replacement.
Thanks to you both. Is the seal something I can replace? I’m going out to the garage now to check the level in the transmission. If it’s really low, I’ll break out the FSM and see where to go.
I’m hoping that it just hasn’t been changed in a really long time. I’ve never had the OD light up on the dash. I would assume in the case the best route is to change the Filter, fluid and the relay? Fire it up and see if it works, go from there? One of the many things I’ve picked up reading through the posts here is don’t throw parts at it.
When you shift it into overdrive, does the light come on?
With the overdrive light on, if you let off the throttle, does the engine go to idle speed, but when you give it throttle, the RPM's come up to direct drive speed and the car moves again? If you shift it out of overdrive, does the engine RPM remain "up" when you lift the throttle? If both = yes, you have burned up overdrive clutches. Which is what the contents in the pan look like to me. A "burn-up".
The OD light has never come on since I've owned the car. I know the OD hasn't worked as I usually run 3,200-3,400 RPM at 75-80 mph. It's an early 85 with the OD switch on the console. Again, no real metal shavings in the pan.
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This would be my bet also.
4+3 questions
