4+3 Tranny UGGGHh
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,305
Likes: 2
From: Havelock NC
4+3 Tranny UGGGHh
Ok, boys,
I drove today about a 1 hour round trip to NC State, and on the way back, I'm in downtown Chapel Hill and I start to see smoke coming out from under my car. I make it back to my dorm and sure enough there's tranny fluid sprayed all over the passenger side of my exhaust system, right around the OD unit. The fluid was red so I knew it was ATF. Is there an overflow outlet or anything right there or does that sound like a busted seal. I'm hoping that maybe it just had too much fluid in there and it hasn't really ever gotten heated up and it was just releasing. Tranny was working fine. I'm gonna be ticked if this is major.
Thanks
[Modified by tarheelracer, 5:41 PM 9/7/2002]
I drove today about a 1 hour round trip to NC State, and on the way back, I'm in downtown Chapel Hill and I start to see smoke coming out from under my car. I make it back to my dorm and sure enough there's tranny fluid sprayed all over the passenger side of my exhaust system, right around the OD unit. The fluid was red so I knew it was ATF. Is there an overflow outlet or anything right there or does that sound like a busted seal. I'm hoping that maybe it just had too much fluid in there and it hasn't really ever gotten heated up and it was just releasing. Tranny was working fine. I'm gonna be ticked if this is major.
Thanks
[Modified by tarheelracer, 5:41 PM 9/7/2002]
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,516
Likes: 0
From: Lockport NY
Re: 4+3 Tranny UGGGHh (tarheelracer)
I'm gonna be ticked if this is major...
There's a 90* vent on the top rear of the OD, I can't even see mine, but there is supposed to be a hose going up towards the engine compartment. Doesn't do anything, unless it comes off, then I suppose it *could* leak fluid out...Maybe if it was to suddenly pressurize...
More likely one of the steel lines going to the radiator has a leak...And is spraying out...
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 190
Likes: 0
Re: 4+3 Tranny UGGGHh (tarheelracer)
The is an overflow outlet on the driver's side. One of the geniuses working on my car left it off once. When I went up a steep hill it looked like a fog machine in my rear view mirror. Some just have a pop off valve others have a tube leading to the engine compartment. Be patient and sort the thing out. They 4+3's really are worth the hassle. Just ask Scorp! :seeya
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 83,383
Likes: 87
From: Boston, MA
You should have a breather tube on your overdrive that runs up into the engien compartment near where the engine harness plugs into the firewall. It is just a vent at the other end of it. Where it attaches to the OD is simple a pressure fit, usually they have some RTV around them to hold them in.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,516
Likes: 0
From: Lockport NY
Re: (scorp508)
Where it attaches to the OD...
Do you know if *any* of the line fittings on the OD have o-rings on them??? The short one in your pic, or the ones going to the radiator???
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 83,383
Likes: 87
From: Boston, MA
Re: (Rich B.)
Do you know if *any* of the line fittings on the OD have o-rings on them??? The short one in your pic, or the ones going to the radiator???
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,516
Likes: 0
From: Lockport NY
Re: (tarheelracer)
I'm really in no position to anything for my car right now. I guess I have no choice but to take it to a service shop to get them to check it out. :(
I'd look at those steel lines...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,516
Likes: 0
From: Lockport NY
Re: (scorp508)
There's only hydraulic pressure when the car is moving, right??? So if the car is running but not moving, there should be no spraying, like from a bad seal/o-ring/gasket...
I'd think you'd have to be really sliding the car around to sling fluid out the breather/vent...
And those steel lines are on the side with fluid traces...
I'd think you'd have to be really sliding the car around to sling fluid out the breather/vent...
And those steel lines are on the side with fluid traces...
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 83,383
Likes: 87
From: Boston, MA
There's only hydraulic pressure when the car is moving, right??? So if the car is running but not moving, there should be no spraying, like from a bad seal/o-ring/gasket...
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,305
Likes: 2
From: Havelock NC
Re: (scorp508)
So the "too much tranny fluid that heated up and overflowed solution" is out of the question so this is my plan. I have to take my car back to my parking space tomorrow so I don't get towed, then my sister is dating the head mechanic at the Honda place in town so I'm gonna "borrow" his lift and hopefully find something easy to fix if that's possible. I have to drive it about 15 more miles total so I hope i've got more left in this thing.
[Modified by tarheelracer, 5:55 AM 9/8/2002]
[Modified by tarheelracer, 5:55 AM 9/8/2002]
Pro
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 681
Likes: 2
From: Newton (Wichita Area) Kansas
Re: (Rich B.)
Do you know if *any* of the line fittings on the OD have o-rings on them??? The short one in your pic, or the ones going to the radiator???
You'll have to click here until I learn how to post pics! :bb
EDIT: Just a little misunderstanding concerning the use of the "[IMG]" command. Here we go:
[Modified by jmr302, 10:55 AM 9/9/2002]
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,516
Likes: 0
From: Lockport NY
Re: (jmr302)
There is an o-ring underneath the aluminum block that that one tranny cooling lines attaches to. Odds of that coming loose are probably slim but maybe if the OD was recently replaced/removed...
You'll have to click here until I learn how to post pics!
You'll have to click here until I learn how to post pics!
(You have to open a Home Page on CorvetteForum and post pics to that; then link it to the thread)...
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
From: Renton WA
Re: 4+3 Tranny UGGGHh (tarheelracer)
I wouldn't drive that car anywhere unless you want to have the tranny rebuilt. Get it towed. It might be fixable at this point.
There are several o-rings and fitting on the right side of the tranny. You got to get under there and look.
The "aluminum block" you all are talking about actually houses a pressure relief valve for the tranny cooler. Line pressure must be about 70 psi to run fluid to the cooler, if I recall. I'm not reading the service manual right now. There's about 4 o-rings on that side of the tranny and several pressure fittings. You just need to get under there and look. I hope you get lucky. Otherwise $$$$
There are several o-rings and fitting on the right side of the tranny. You got to get under there and look.
The "aluminum block" you all are talking about actually houses a pressure relief valve for the tranny cooler. Line pressure must be about 70 psi to run fluid to the cooler, if I recall. I'm not reading the service manual right now. There's about 4 o-rings on that side of the tranny and several pressure fittings. You just need to get under there and look. I hope you get lucky. Otherwise $$$$