Looks like a transmission leak... any inital thoughts?
Purchased my first '97 7.3L -95K miles. I've had it a month, took it on its first extended road trip - 500 miles round trip, 2/3rds mountain freeway, 1/3rd flat freeway - run somewhat hard, but not abuse - with 2000 lbs of shell and tools in the bed. 225 miles through return leg, stopped to get something to eat. Returning after 20 mins, there is a small puddle the size of my palm collecting under the front of the trans.
Finger test clearly shows nice clean tranny fluid, one drip per 5 to 10 seconds, and its only warm - not hot. No oil or fuel, and condensation is in a different puddle. Visual inspection - the fluid appears to be seeping down the sides of the flywheel/Torque converter access cover to collect at the valley point. Temps/Pressures normal, no slipping - so for a variety of reasons I drove it home. Morning inspection showed a similar sized stain on the cardboard I'd put on it. Guessing two tablespoons max. Multiple autotrans dip stick tests (running, cold, warm) indicate half way between min and max. It has since been "in-town" driven +5 times - without any additional leaking. Photo looks like its been cleaned up, which doesn't make me happy - but the time to whine about that is past.
So, I'm left thinking:
a) leak is coming from above the cover.
b) prep for sale maint could have over filled the trans fluid (is there a vent tube?)
c) transmission has to get really warmed up to leak...
d) something else is quite wrong, or will be...
Any thoughts, gut reactions, any simple tests - what do you think this is? Including when to have a Transmission Pro have a look - and any you know of in the Greater Sacramento Area...
Purchased my first '97 7.3L -95K miles. I've had it a month, took it on its first extended road trip - 500 miles round trip, 2/3rds mountain freeway, 1/3rd flat freeway - run somewhat hard, but not abuse - with 2000 lbs of shell and tools in the bed. 225 miles through return leg, stopped to get something to eat. Returning after 20 mins, there is a small puddle the size of my palm collecting under the front of the trans.
Finger test clearly shows nice clean tranny fluid, one drip per 5 to 10 seconds, and its only warm - not hot. No oil or fuel, and condensation is in a different puddle. Visual inspection - the fluid appears to be seeping down the sides of the flywheel/Torque converter access cover to collect at the valley point. Temps/Pressures normal, no slipping - so for a variety of reasons I drove it home. Morning inspection showed a similar sized stain on the cardboard I'd put on it. Guessing two tablespoons max. Multiple autotrans dip stick tests (running, cold, warm) indicate half way between min and max. It has since been "in-town" driven +5 times - without any additional leaking. Photo looks like its been cleaned up, which doesn't make me happy - but the time to whine about that is past.
So, I'm left thinking:
a) leak is coming from above the cover.
b) prep for sale maint could have over filled the trans fluid (is there a vent tube?)
c) transmission has to get really warmed up to leak...
d) something else is quite wrong, or will be...
Any thoughts, gut reactions, any simple tests - what do you think this is? Including when to have a Transmission Pro have a look - and any you know of in the Greater Sacramento Area...