Transmission leak woes!

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Varment

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Hello world,

I've got an issue that has caused me to chunk a good amount of ratchets across the garage and hopefully I can get some help.

I swapped out my good ol' slant six and its 904 for a 318 and an a727 and since then I have had a constant transmission leak and cannot figure it out. All of the leak liquid is always found on the pan and around the dip stick tube so I know it is somewhere around the pan. I have replaced the gasket twice already and really don't want to keep doing that. I am starting to think that it is leaking only from the dip stick tube but how? The O-ring on the tube is perfectly fine, and last time I check and the few times I have messed with a transmission I have never RTV'd the actual dipstick, only the pan gasket itself. Can I not use a 904 dipstick tube and stick for an a727? Is there some measurement that is off? It seems to fit in the hole for it perfectly and the dip stick sticks out alittle over 1/2" out of the bottom of the tube. Should I RTV the stick or can that cause more problems?

Thanks,
Spencer
 
Been there! I too thought my pan was bad...changed gaskets, and even pans, but it still leaked.

Eventually I figured out the 904 dipstick tube does not sit at the proper angle on the TF727 (or in my case, the A-518 ) when you bolt it to the back of the engine. Doing so pulls the tube out of alignment with the case and causes it to leak. I unbolted the tube bracket and pushed the tube back up toward the firewall. It took a few days of watching the leak, but I found where it stopped leaking, then measured and extended the bracket (about 1.5 inches longer). No problems since then.
 
Let it dry and silicone it to make sure if it is the tube or not.Also the pan may be warped and the more you tighten the bolts the worst it leaks.Next time the pan is off look it over real good and make sure the bolt holes are not bent upward,which causes the pan to push thru the gasket and bottom out before the spaces between the bolt holes can seal off.As for a 904 tube and stick working on a 727 i have no idea.
 
dip stick has an O ring...

where the valve body comes out of the trans and hooks up to the linkage...there is a seal...

both will drip down make it look like the pan is leaking...

seal on drivers side...O ring on passenger side
 
Thats another one of those little tips that isn't found in the average book(s) of how to.
When a dipstick tube is installed with a new O-ring it will pretty much position itself centered and leak free. Vasoline and careful assembly will be in the book(s).
When a dipstick has a teather/fastening strap, that strap is made of nearly nothing.
It could have been distorted during removal or whatever.
Your mission is to hold that dipstick tube in its self set sweet spot and alter the teather as needed to install a fastener. Otherwise the fastener will pull the tube out of position and create a leak.
Millions of transmissions have a plastic plug in the pan that once covered the dipstick opening in the case. That's because the factory had determined that the tube with its new and correct teather shape should be one of the last pieces installed.
 
Well with it being on a 318 instead of a 225 I am guessing I cannot get the tube to sit correctly with the tether that is on there. Is it o.k to just silicone it up and hope I never have to take it back out?!

Thanks for all the help so far guys!

Spencer
 
Varment said:
Well with it being on a 318 instead of a 225 I am guessing I cannot get the tube to sit correctly with the tether that is on there. Is it o.k to just silicone it up and hope I never have to take it back out?!

Thanks for all the help so far guys!

Spencer
Click to expand...
Just clean it real good and put a little silicone around the tube and spread it with your finger dont force it way down into the trans as you dont want silicone chunks running thru your trans.If you have to remove it just clean the silicone off and reapply.
 
Dart-swinger said:
You can't use silicone to seal a transmission ,the atf fluid attacks the silicone and turns it into a jelly like mess and then really leaks.

The best stuff I have found to seal on a transmission is "The Right Stuff", atf doesn't harm it at all
Click to expand...
Thats good to know.When I say silicone I mean gasket type silicone.Either way I'll keep an eye out for that happening.
 
Once you use sillycone on anything, there is no chemical to completely clean of the hidden residue. I have been sillycone-free for years, with no problems, or back-sliding, lol.
 

It wouldn't surprise me to find out the shift control seal is what's leaking like 70aarcuda mentioned. Some good RTV sealer on the dip stick tube would eliminate that as a possibility. The tubes don't interchange between a 904 and 727. They're bent different and the strap is in a different place.
 
Fixed it! I ended up using absolutely no RTV/gasket maker on the reusable gasket for the pan, and just globbed Permatex 1 Minute Gasket Maker on the dip stick tube and didnt worry about making a new bracket and BAM no more leaks!

Thank you for all the help and past knowledge guys!
 
The what? What exactly is the vent, and where would this be located on the Transmission?
Click to expand...
Behind torque converter high in bell housing just above pump.
 
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