Transmission fluid leak

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Chrisman889

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1985 Suburban major transmission fluid leak all of the sudden. Fluid all over the front drive shaft, fly wheel cover, just everywhere. Any thoughts on why or what caused this. I know it is tranny fluid because the fluid was very low, I was surprised it was still shifting.
 
I am by no means a transmission expert - but could it be the rear seal?

Have you had any work done on it recently? You could check the transmission pan and/or gasket, and if it has a drain plug maybe it has come loose or maybe been hit by a big rock. Have you hit any big pot holes lately?

Where have you seen the tranny fluid? Is it nearer to the front or middle of the car? If it's near the front it could be a leaky transmission fluid line that runs up to the radiator for cooling.

I wouldn't drive it until I had it looked at - it could be fixable now but in just a few miles you might have to buy a whole new tranny.


Hope it turns out to be something simple.
 
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It's towards the middle. I haven't hit anything. It seems to be coming out pretty rapidly since I just checked the fluid about 2 weeks ago and it was fine. I would assume replacing the rear seal is a pretty big job right? Hopefully it's just a loose pan or just needs a gasket.
 
Check your pan gaskets, but it sounds to me more like a seal has blown out. If it's your front pump seal, the transmission has to come out in order to replace it. It's behind the torque converter. The real question is what caused it to blow. You need to have the clutch volume indexes checked at a REPUTABLE transmission shop, if you can get it to one.
 
You sure are having a lot of troubles with the 'burb. Hopefully you are winning the war. :)
 
VanGo, I know it seems like one thing after the other. Honestly most of the time it runs really good. The guy I bought it from took out the diesel and put in that 350 along with the transmission. Something is telling me he did a shotty job on it.
 
The diesel must have been really bad. Most drivers would love to have one for the MPG and torque. Any success yet with the carb or starter issues?
 
Starter has gotten better but still knocks a little. I have kind of turned my focus on the labored starting to being an ignition problem and not the carb. I think I need to just get a new ignition module, rotor and cap. I was also going to check the timing advance, I heard those get loose over time. Still cannot start it when hot, but if I unplug a spark wire and plug it back in and kind of wiggle the rest of the wires around it seems to want to start right away, hence the reason I'm focusing on the ignition for the problems.
 
Not starting when hot is a common symptom of a work distributor. Not saying that is it but it might be. You might find a good one in a salvage yard. They can't be much at the parts store either. You used to be able to buy the parts to rebuild them. Any more we're a throwaway society.
 
You don't think it's because the starter is getting too hot from the headers? I know I can still get a module, rotor and cap. But I can't seem to find the timing advance mechanism I think that's what's wrong.
 
Some people have put heat shields over the starters and claimed that fixed them. Personally I think they were connection problems that got fixed in the process of adding the shields. If the starter cranks but the truck won't start, it's obviously not a bad starter. Spark and gas is what an engine lives on.
 
Chrisman889 said:
You don't think it's because the starter is getting too hot from the headers? I know I can still get a module, rotor and cap. But I can't seem to find the timing advance mechanism I think that's what's wrong.
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Any HEI or points type distributor, pre-computer, for a GM vehicle should have the mechanical advance under the distributor rotor. If they stick in a full advance position you will have a hard time starting when hot.
 
Yes I'm thinking it is probably that exact thing and I actually found a kit for it. Thanks
 
VanGo said:
You sure are having a lot of troubles with the 'burb. Hopefully you are winning the war. :)
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VanGo,
My problems just seem to be increasing I've noticed on top of all the other problems this thing vibrates like hell, I mean I've been noticing loose bolts all over the place. It began with the starter bolt that had vibrated all the way out. Power steering pump, valve covers, ground bolts etc. etc. The motor mounts look ok and I know I need a new transmission mount, which I do have one just haven't put it on yet. I mean this thing shakes and rattles bad. What could be causing this?
 
When you say rattles, when does it do it? At idle? When driving? What speed? Is it an alignment kind of shake? Does coasting or giving it more gas have any effect? It's not enough to go on. Discerning the conditions when it does it will help locate the cause.
Mine rattled a lot when I ran over bumps. I thought it was the exhaust. It was the doors. I replaced all of the bushings and pins but it didn't help. It turned out to be the door seals. The doors weren't shutting tight.

The transmission mount could be causing some vibration. Did the PO do a lot of off-roading with it?
 
It's definitely from the engine or drive train. I't increases when I accelerate. You really think the tranny mount could cause that much? I'd better replace it soon then. Also I better replace the gear oil soon, I checked the level of the front end differential and that oil is a thick grayish color. Oh and that is also leaking from the seal where the drive shaft goes in. Yes I think that truck did a lot of off roading previously.
 
I'd start with the mount, especially since it happens when you accelerate. It would be a good idea to replace the oil and seal someday. You don't want it to run dry. I had to replace the seal on my trans tail housing. When I parked on an incline fluid would leak out :(
 
I'm talking about the front differential, where the driveshaft goes into the differential. What seal am I looking for? Would that be the pinion seal? Do you know what weight of gear oil I need? Would I be safe just getting a heavy weight?
 
Just tell the parts counter what you said "seal where the drive shaft goes in". They can look it up. I don't know what weight oil you need, I have a 2WD. Someone here will know, or your manual should say. Don't put anything heavier than you need or it will waste more energy to spin.
 
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