can't pinpoint the leak...

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MTmopars

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I have a frustrating 727 transmission leak. Under a load fluid as squirting out from somewhere hitting the exhaust and creating white smoke from under the car. I can see where the driver side torsion bar is wet. I just can find from where. I have right stuffed the pan and fill tube. I can't replicate it in neutral to find the source.

Any ideas where?
 
Can I replace the steel lines with rubber?


I'd rather have steel ,they may just need to be tightened up at the transmission.

Make sure they are routed away from the exhaust and anything metal so they don't rub a hole in them
 
They are tight. Already checked. They are the original lines but are for a 904.
 
They are tight. Already checked. They are the original lines but are for a 904.


Might need to pull them off and see if the flare is cracked or the fittings that go into the trans may need tightened or sealer put on them.

Any auto parts stores will have the steel line by that foot that is easy to bend.

If you go with rubber you have to get higher pressure Power Steering hose , as fuel line hose isn't strong enough.

And the PS steering hose is a lot more expensive than the steel line
 
The cooler lines sometimes crack at the bracket that is bolted to the bellhousing. It's metal-to-metal -- it really should have a rubber isolator. My tranny shop refused to put it back on.
 
I don't like rubber lines for anything. Like said before double check the fittings and install steel lines correctly.
Another thought if the leak is not the lines check the vent.
 
You might find this silly, but wipe down the trans just enough to get rid of the excess fluid but leave it just wet enough so you can dump some baby powder on it around the area where you think it's leaking. Wrap some paper towel around the trans line in the suspect area and tape it on.

Take it for a short drive and look for the wet spot.

No funny jokes guys. :D
 
You might find this silly, but wipe her down just enough to get rid of the excess fluid, but leave her just wet enough so you can dump some baby powder around the area where you think it's leaking. Take her for a short drive and look for the wet spot.

Fixed
 
As an update...

I jacked it up today. Once in the air I rolled around under the car and looked for obvious leaks as I was wiping everything down. Looked like a little leak near the speedometer cable and a bigger leak from the power steering box. Lit her up and let it warm up in neutral. Looked under the car and fluid was dripping fast from power steering. That was new. I turned the wheel back and forth and minimized that leak. I called the wife over to watch under the car as I revved the motor up to 5000. Nothing. No smoke, no oil squirting. I got in and revved to 4000 holding the brake in Low. Nothing.

So I am wondering if this leak is pudding on the K frame and when I get on it the puddled oil drips back on the exhaust.
 
You might have over filled the PS pump ,it gets filled to the bottom of the fill neck ,just enough to cover the gears
 
I check the pump, it is a newer style from 440 source and has a dip stick. It was way low. I'm guessing I haven't noticed the leak until now.
 
so you've checked the fluid level in the trans, and its spot on, at full?
 
There's a whole host of stuff that could be leaking. If you are using trans fluid in your steering gear it could be misleading you. I try not to use trans fluid in my steering box, only power steering fluid, but...I'd degrease/gunk the entire engine, k frame, steering gear and underside of the trans at the local car wash and start looking as soon as I got home from driving it back.
The trans could be leaking from the valve body seal in the case, the converter seal, the speedo cable, the coolor lines (as mentioned) or it could be the seals in the steering box or pump.
 
I've been keeping an eye on the trans level. It's good. When I bought the car the motor was out and the original SBM pump was wired to where the battery tray was supposed to be. I thought from casual observation it was coming from the trans because I did have a leak there to begin with. I popped off the pan and pulled the fill tube and used right stuff. During came break in I had a cooler line that was a little loose and dripping. So when I had wiped under the car without jacking it up I noticed the trans cross member and torsion bar on right side were wet. I drove it again and same area was wet. When I jacked it up I couldn't find much wet on the trans. Just a little by speedo and a little on the bottom of bellhousing. But not that I could roll under the car I could follow further forward and the pitman was wet. Following it up I could see it was originating from the steering box. I could also see discoloration on the headers behind the pitman and storing box. With the suspension hanging I started the car in the car to warm it up. Got down to look for leaks and the steering box was dripping bad. I had noticed a light pooling in the area before but assumed it was from when I changed the filter and oil ran onto the K member. The oil from the steering box was darker than I would have expected. In the drips it was a dark reddish brown. It tastes like what was on the torsion bar. Anyway, moving the wheel back and forth a bit and the drip slowed substantially. So I continued with my test. I have only noticed the smoke when accelerating hard from a roll or kicking down to 1st. So I had my wife watch under the car as I revved up in neutral to 4-5k. Nothing. Had her watch the exhaust. Nothing. Repeated with the car in 1st holding the brake. Nothing. At this point I am assuming this is my culprit.
 
I've been keeping an eye on the trans level. It's good. When I bought the car the motor was out and the original SBM pump was wired to where the battery tray was supposed to be. I thought from casual observation it was coming from the trans because I did have a leak there to begin with. I popped off the pan and pulled the fill tube and used right stuff. During came break in I had a cooler line that was a little loose and dripping. So when I had wiped under the car without jacking it up I noticed the trans cross member and torsion bar on right side were wet. I drove it again and same area was wet. When I jacked it up I couldn't find much wet on the trans. Just a little by speedo and a little on the bottom of bellhousing. But not that I could roll under the car I could follow further forward and the pitman was wet. Following it up I could see it was originating from the steering box. I could also see discoloration on the headers behind the pitman and storing box. With the suspension hanging I started the car in the car to warm it up. Got down to look for leaks and the steering box was dripping bad. I had noticed a light pooling in the area before but assumed it was from when I changed the filter and oil ran onto the K member. The oil from the steering box was darker than I would have expected. In the drips it was a dark reddish brown. It tastes like what was on the torsion bar. Anyway, moving the wheel back and forth a bit and the drip slowed substantially. So I continued with my test. I have only noticed the smoke when accelerating hard from a roll or kicking down to 1st. So I had my wife watch under the car as I revved up in neutral to 4-5k. Nothing. Had her watch the exhaust. Nothing. Repeated with the car in 1st holding the brake. Nothing. At this point I am assuming this is my culprit.




it taste like what was on the torsion bar???wtf
 
Well yeah. Trying to figure out what the fluid on the torsion bar was I gave it a taste. Sometimes when a look or sniff isn't enough, a quick lick will solve the mystery. Lol. No, I didn't lick the torsion bar.
 
ATF will make a power steering system leak .I run power steering fluid or hydraulic fluid in mine
 
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