46RE where is it leaking?

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67Dart273

67Dart273

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So the White Whale leaks like the titanic on the way down. About 100 miles is a bit more than 1/2 qt of ATF. So I built this:

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?p=1970867769#post1970867769

here

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showpost.php?p=1970864448&postcount=280

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showpost.php?p=1970865329&postcount=281

and today got the mess outta there in about 2 hours, not bad for me, considering I spent 5 minutes laying on the ground crying after I ran my head into the differential "at full speed."

97 Ram 1500, 2wd, 5.2, 46RE leaking bad from the bell

So, take a look at the bottom photos. The converter is basically DRY. The front pump seems DRY, and there's a "one stream" leak down from the seal, PROBABLY done when I pulled the converter. it seems like??? it's coming from the lower edge of the front pump outer hub? Rest of it is pretty much dry!!!

More important, what would YOU do? Also, the pan is CLEAN, and from the paint on the converter, I'd almost bet this thing is a rebuild. PU has about 180K. Shifts and operates OK as long as you keep fluid in it.
 

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To me in the second picture from the bottom, the pump housing looks like it's been "washed" from between the lower 2 bolts up to the seal. It's just lighter looking in the picture and seems to be wider than fluid just running from pulling the converter. I'd look over the seal lip for a cut and tension spring. If the snout on the converter isn't worn I'd probably put a seal in it. I have to say though that it don't seem dirty enough in there to be going thru that much fluid.
 
Thanks for the reply. BOY it sure seems dry in there!!. Like I say, there is one little single stream out of the bottom of the converter seal, and I'm sure that came from pulling it out. Converter is completely dry. Front pump flange seems so, too.

Of course nobody here in town carries diddly for the thing
 
Bump?

Ordered front pump gasket / o ring / seal / bushing, hope the damn thing is not cracked
 
67Dart273 said:
Bump?

Ordered front pump gasket / o ring / seal / bushing, hope the damn thing is not cracked
Click to expand...

Del, that's what I was going to say (Look that converter snout over REAL well) because that looks like a hairline crack leak.
If not, it could be a small seal leak and either one can make patterns like that inside the bellhousing.
Obviously replace the seal also, and make sure the spring stays where it belongs in the back of the seal when it goes in.
That nasty Gaskacinch stuff works well for sealing between the seal housing and the pump metal.
If not that, then red locktite. (Do not remove the paint on the seal housing)
 
Tonight I successfully "red necked" a puller for the pump and got it out. It SURE SEEMS like it's the pump O-ring. Also, it seems hard, no real "give."

The converter is so dry it's amazing. It's grey paint, and no sign of fluid around the seal. I'm also thinking of ways to pressure test the converter, "I think" this will be easy. The plan:

Get a junk rad hose to fit the converter snout, and some PVC pipe fittings to fit the other end. Clamp 'em together, fill to the snout with fluid, and air pressure...................
 
67Dart273 said:
Tonight I successfully "red necked" a puller for the pump and got it out. It SURE SEEMS like it's the pump O-ring. Also, it seems hard, no real "give."

The converter is so dry it's amazing. It's grey paint, and no sign of fluid around the seal. I'm also thinking of ways to pressure test the converter, "I think" this will be easy. The plan:

Get a junk rad hose to fit the converter snout, and some PVC pipe fittings to fit the other end. Clamp 'em together, fill to the snout with fluid, and air pressure...................
Click to expand...

I did the same thing once to find a leaking converter. Worked great. Found the leak almost immediately. Only thing I have to say is the one I found the converter leaking on wasn't going through any more fluid than you said yours is and it had the whole inside of the bellhousing soaked with atf from the converter slinging it when it spun. Sure won't hurt to check the converter while it's out but since it was so dry I wouldn't suspect it. I'd be more inclined to think it's the big pump O-ring since you said it's hard. I've pulled them out of old transmissions with 100,000 plus miles and they were still pliable so I bet whoever rebuilt it didn't change it. I think your on the right track changing out all those seals and checking the converter
 
Thanks!!. I'm just about convinced. You can see the mess "only" in the bottom of the bell. ALL of the converter is dry, and ALL of the pump is dry except one small "dribble" from the seal. "I'm sure" now I did that pulling the converter. ONLY place I can see it's wet is near the bottom of the pump flange. The plug might be a bit wet, hard to say if it's leaking, it has teflon or something. I've not taken it out, but did "bump" it and it's snug.

Frankly, as much as it's leaking, I expected more of a mess

I've been reading contradictions on disabling the check valve in the cooler lines. What are opinions on that?
 
67Dart273 said:
Thanks!!. I'm just about convinced. You can see the mess "only" in the bottom of the bell. ALL of the converter is dry, and ALL of the pump is dry except one small "dribble" from the seal. "I'm sure" now I did that pulling the converter. ONLY place I can see it's wet is near the bottom of the pump flange. The plug might be a bit wet, hard to say if it's leaking, it has teflon or something. I've not taken it out, but did "bump" it and it's snug.

Frankly, as much as it's leaking, I expected more of a mess

I've been reading contradictions on disabling the check valve in the cooler lines. What are opinions on that?
Click to expand...

I haven't done anything new enough that used a cooler line check valve so I'm not positive what it even does. I assume it's to keep the cooler from draining back in the pan when you shut it off but I'm not even positive on that. If that's all it is and it's working right I would leave it alone.
 
fishy, the checkball is to help with drainback. 67Dart273, the cooler line checkball can be removed, it won't hurt it one bit. If there is any restriction in the cooler line or in the line that goes through the rad, it will blow past the pump seal, fyi.

Before you pulled it, with it running, was it dripping or pouring out of the bellhousing? It could just be the seal, too. Does the pump bushing took clean? Is it a dimpled one?
 
The leak was definately coming out of the bell. It seems to be getting worse. That is the bottom of the truck is getting "wet" and messy. Pressure washed the bottom. No way it's cooler lines, pan, or further back, I could tell before it started "coating" the under parts.

Have not checked the bushing yet. Please re-read some of what I posted. From the looks of "everything" in there I don't see how it could be the seal or a converter leak.

So far as the check ball, I'm getting mixed hits. the agreement 'seems to be' that it might need to idle a few seconds in neutral "in the morning." I don't understand why they need it IE what's different than older models. Is it the configuration somehow of the radiator?
 
67Dart273 said:
The leak was definately coming out of the bell. It seems to be getting worse. That is the bottom of the truck is getting "wet" and messy. Pressure washed the bottom. No way it's cooler lines, pan, or further back, I could tell before it started "coating" the under parts.

Have not checked the bushing yet. Please re-read some of what I posted. From the looks of "everything" in there I don't see how it could be the seal or a converter leak.

So far as the check ball, I'm getting mixed hits. the agreement 'seems to be' that it might need to idle a few seconds in neutral "in the morning." I don't understand why they need it IE what's different than older models. Is it the configuration somehow of the radiator?
Click to expand...

The check valve is a drainback thing, but you won't even notice it being gone.
We used to remove them because there was a high failure rate.
When they failed it was usually in the closed position and the trans would burn up.

Take it out.
 
67Dart273 said:
So far as the check ball, I'm getting mixed hits. the agreement 'seems to be' that it might need to idle a few seconds in neutral "in the morning." I don't understand why they need it IE what's different than older models. Is it the configuration somehow of the radiator?
Click to expand...

There's probably nothing different in the trans from the older torqueflite's but they were notorious for draining back after sitting a while so when you started them up it took a few seconds to fill the converter after you dropped it in gear before the vehicle would move. I imagine they had millions of complaints about it over the yrs. about it because everyone thought it was a major problem when it really wasn't.
 
Thanks. I looked the trans over good yesterday aft. I'm convinced it has to be that O ring. It's simply "too dry" up above. Only the bottom is wet for couple of inches.
 
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