Tranny leaking fluid....EVERYWHERE!!!!!

[toby2tongues]

I just bought my first classic diesel, 1984, F250, DRW, auto transmission, 8,000 original miles...yes that is right, 8,000 original miles...read my post in the introduction if you want the details.

but to the problem. I have been in the process of tuning this thing up. all the normal stuff...fluids, hoses, belts, tires, etc...took it for it first real drive tonight, about 60 miles each way. when i got off the highway at my final exit, it would not down shift, even when i manually knocked it down to first...coasted for a bit, finally it shifted. drove the 1.5 miles back home. it struggled the whole way. when i came to a stop, i did not want to shift back into a gear....(sorry for my ignorance on this, but i have never owned a "classic" car with an auto transmission that ever had a problem, i have never worked on one...ever).

finally got home, jumped out of the truck, checked the dip stick (yes with it running), bone dry. crawled under the truck, there is ATF covering the entire underside of the truck, from the bell housing to the rear diff.

Where the hell do i start?

there is no one spot that is not covered with fluid, so i cannot tell where it might be coming from....front main seal maybe?

what would be your first steps?....other than this, after a new set of tire, and an alignment, this thing drives like a brand new truck.....at least a brand new truck from 1984.

also, any advise on other things to check would gladly be appreciated....I am fairly mechanically apt. I have several classic bikes..hondas, harleys, urals and enfields...as for autos, I am a vw, and jaguar guy, or rather a V12 jaguar guy. this is the first classic truck.

attached are some pics of the truck.

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[fx4wannabe]

That is a damn nice truck. Sorry not much help with the leak. First thing I would do is degrease it and wash it down then fill it back up and drive a short distance and see what happens. A leak that bad shouldn't be too hard to spot.

 

[1995voyagerES]

At least it won't rust now Nice truck btw!

Maybe a cooler line got loose ?

 

[fx4wannabe]

Cooler line may be a good place to look. As old as it is there's a good chance the rubber lines are shot.

 

[cpdenton]

Well, you say it is covering everything, so I would go as far forward as you can see trans fluid and start there.

If you were on the freeway, it should have only blown toward the rear. If you can't identify it quickly, clean it off as best you can, refill and start it to see if you can find where it is dripping.

 

[Waystro]

Mine started leaking from the pan and the oil cooler lines at the radiator
but I'd say the The transmission is toast. Mine only was out of fluid for about a mile and it got Trashed.

 

[laserjock]

With those kind of miles which is totally believable given the condition of the truck, I'd guess it sat a long time. If you say it starts at the bell housing it could be a dried out screwed up seal to the converter. I would think if it had been a cooler line, it might have emptied faster but that's just a WAG. I'd be looking in the bell housing. But the above suggestions are good ones.

Nice truck! Take care of that time capsule and welcome to OBN.

 

[FORDF250HDXLT]

WOW! HOLY MOTHER OF GOD THAT'S AWESOME!

i was just gunna say the same thing laserjock did above.so not much else to add but i had to comment on that time capsule!that's ridiculously NOS.how can you even think about driving it now? she belongs in a museum lol.very cool,brother!

 

[icanfixall]

I like what has been posted so far. Being the year it is I'm sure you have a C6 trans. Those are simple and cheap to rebuild or have rebuilt. But do refill the trans and run it. See if the leak shows up. Like already said. Look for the leaks as far forward as you can. Wind will blow a leak all over the rear underside of any car or truck..

 

[OLDBULL8]

Copied from Introduction, just incase you didn't read it.

Welcome to the OB.
Along with what towcat suggested, you should change the oil and coolant. The oil cooler on the drivers side, the O'rings have probably hardened up and should be replaced also. Replace the lift pump, cheap at $26, diaphram in it could go anytime. Replace the "Olives" in the hard lines, one at the top from lift pump to filter and one each end of the line from filter to IP.
If the trans. is leaking fluid out the front, the seal on the input shaft from torque converter is probably it, have to pull the trans to fix that. If that, then a good time to replace the rear main seal. While your doing all that, would be a good time to fill the filter with some Seafoam or ATF, run the engine for 2 -3 minutes and let set at least overnite.
Super find, but do all those things and you'll have a really nice truck for a long time.

Just thought of the rubber hoses to the rad oil cooler lines, probably are shot, cracked and leaking.
Also pic of C6 tranny.

 

[cpdenton]

And just a thought that I am sure everyone else here is thinking....

I want more pictures! That is an amazing example of that year model. I did notice it was an f-250. So the dual rear wheel should be an aftermarket or dealer conversion.

The more pictures the better!

 

[idi_econoline]

<jaw on floor>

Wow, what a score! That beauty looks like it just came through a time portal from the 1980s.

Best to check anything and everything that deteriorate with age: hoses, seals, gaskets. And change ALL the fluids.

 

[toby2tongues]

thank you for all the replies. it seems to be coming from the front main input seal...after I cleaned everything, the first oil spot i saw was from where the starter meets the housing. I put some blue devil it, and the leak as all but gone away. the transmission only took 3.5 qts to get it back up to level, its been running fine since...fingers crossed, funds are getting low...wish me luck at the belmont, and lets hope American Pharoah's jockey falls off coming out out of the gate.(with no injuries of course)

I have replaced the oil, coolent, fuel filter, all belts, both rad hoses, diff oil, shocks and tires. I am waiting on the return line kit from type4.

Oldbull8, thanks for the insight, i am still google'n all the terms you threw out again, this is my first diesel, I have always been a v12 or german aircooled guy...but luckily im a sightly faster than average learner. I'll try to get some more pics.

as for the F250/Dually. this is a Centurion truck, it was that company that used to make the bronco and van duallys. This truck was sent to them by ford, and sold through a dealership as a "custom conversion." from what I have been able to understand, the entire truck is now a 1ton, front and back.

work for this week:

get the A/C refreshed and recharged
replace all the fuel return lines and caps.
buff out one more time with polishing compound (have already done two rounds of #3 3m compound, once with wool, one with "grey" foam with all accessories removed from the truck to insure uniform finish...13hrs)
devise new fuel filler neck...it will not take diesel any faster than 1/2 gallon per minute...the neck is not standard, it is piece milled together from Centurion, any advise on this will be appreciated.
retrofit an aux input jack into the stock radio
install new muffler...wanting a little throught'y'ier sound, but would rather not **** off the neighbors anymore...between the harley and the rooster, i am currently not on their christmas card list right now. I would leave this stock, as I am leaving EVERYTHING else, other than the hulla girl on the dash, but there is a small pin hole in the muffler, which is only going to get worse come winter when the salt hits the roads.

 

[OLDBULL8]

Olives are a seal on the hard lines, one at the top of the hard line from lift pump to filter 3/8", from filter to injector pump 5/16".

ATF is Automatic Trans. Fluid.

That's the only two I mentioned.

 

[toby2tongues]

thanks....the olives had me scratching my head