my car is leaking MAJOR tranny fluid... like 1 pint every 2-4 days. i took it to the dealer and they said it was the front seal, and thats usually what happens when the tranny is about to need rebuilt. BUT my tranny shifts very FIRM for a stock transmission (just a little high, 2600rpm and 3250rpm) and it has no other problems, no slipping etc except for the front seal.

can i do the seal myself or should i take it to a tranny shop? if i have to take it to someone APPROX. how much would it cost??

thanks...
zach

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17 from Wichita, KS (previously newbieZ28)
1988 Iroc-Z ZZ4 tpi, ttops, 50k miles on chassis (edelbrock tes, stock tpi) free mods etc coming soon after first 1/4 times!
1985 Z28 LB9 option [STOLEN!] Click here to see

http://thirdgen.bawx.org
K.I.S.S - Keep It Simple, Stupid.

 

You can do it yourself, but it requires the removal of the tranny. You'll need four good jack stands and a tranny jack on a hard smooth flat surface (garage floor) to do it safely.

I haven't priced it, but a shop would probably want about 6 hours to do it - times the local rate (about $50/hr here), or about $300.

Do it yourself with your dad or a friend helping; you'll gain valuable experience and appreciate your ride a bunch more after getting it done. Change the fluid and filter while you're at it. Synthetic fluid will help your tranny last a lot longer, assuming it isn't at the edge of the cliff like the dealer says.

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82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car. Rescued w/86 LG4/TH700R with all harnesses, sensors, ECM, etc. 3.08 open, cat-back from '90 305HO, Accel HEI SuperCoil. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily driver, work-in-progress.
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. Currently 396 .030 over, Weiand Action+, Edelbrock 1901 Q-Jet, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" headers, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & shift kit, 3.08 10-bolt, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Best 15.1 @ 5800' Bandimere. Daily driver while Camaro was being put together.

 

Regarding only needing four jack stands (one at each corner of the vehicle to lift it up) - what did you use to support the rear of the engine (the rear is supported by the transmission)? I have used wood, cinder blocks or similar. There is not a tremendous amount of weight that needs to be supported. Did you just let the engine rest on the exhaust crossover pipe?

Also, I have removed/installed manual and automatic transmissions with just a regular floor jack. I held the transmission with one hand and manipulated the jack to remove/install the transmission by myself (on smooth ground, of course). With care, I never encountered any problems or thought there was anything unsafe about the procedure. I found using a floor jack to be easier than using a transmission floor jack because I can manipulate the jack easier with my hand. Some may think that there is too much risk that it will fall off the jack, but I have always felt it was a safe procedure.

Replacing the seal was easy.

Just my opinion.

 

i just put a new 700r4 in my camaro not too long ago, about a month after i blew the seal.. after the headaches i had putting that tranny in i decided to take it to a shop, turns out my torque converter was a bit out of spec, and vibrated the seal out.. my total for repair was 312 bucks, including a new 175$ converter...

 

Well, let me see if I can add some more positive influence to your situation... I just R&R'd my tranny (700R4) twice (yes, twice) and it wasn't that hard in my garage. I did the 4-point jack stand thing, used a 3-ton floor jack and it wasn't that difficult. One thing I did was make a "cradle" for the floor jack for safety. (I'm a little guy and I'm not fighting with a tranny - it's gonna win) Anyways, what I did was just cut a piece of scrap plywood about the size of the pan and used 1X2 pieces on the side for "rails" to help keep the tranny from sliding off, although it never came close. One thing to remember is to put the "cup" of the jack almost at the front of the pan for balance because of the converter, which is pretty heavy full of fluid. It'll take you some time doing it your first time, but be patient. When I did mine, I put it back in myself start to finish...

 

Thunderstick, I also built a trans jack adapter out of wood when I dropped my trans! I had one upright board that mated to the front of the case, just in front of the fluid pan, and just before the curve of the bellhousing. It worked well.. except putting the trans up was a bit of a pain to get the proper "angle".

Stuart, I had a second hydraulic jack under the engine's oil pan, with a long block of wood across the rear edge of the pan. You're right, it's not much weight, i think it's just so we don't smash up the distributor or rip the motor mounts in two

Five7Kid, would you recommend synthetic if the fluid's changed yearly anyway? I have a Summit remote trans filter and a B&M trans cooler (in line with the original).

-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.v6fbody.com mailbags

 

The engine can be supported by the exhaust, but I use a floor jack w/2x6 under the pan.

As far as floor vs. tranny jack, depends on the type of each. A good, low, adjustable bed tranny jack is easier to manipulate than a floor jack. I rented one my last tranny install, it had a swivel pump handle that could be operated from almost any position around the jack. I rented it because the tranny fell off my floor jack on the way out, and I simply could not get it to say put when trying to re-install.

I stand by my statement that a tranny jack is the safest way to do it. I did it by myself, but if you're new to this task, another person's help is valuable, even if they've never done it, either.

Another tip: Before you take it apart, drain the fluid by removing the supply cooler line and routing it to a jug or pan. Start the engine and run until it starts spitting. You've just drained most of the pan and part of the converter, and saved spilling a bunch of fluid all over when trying to drain by dropping the pan.

 

Agreed - tranny jacks probably are the safest means of doing it - afterall, that's what they're designed for, but a little tool time home-built's work pretty damn good, too. I guess one problem with that is the center of balance issue, too, but that's why I said the forward part of the pan - worked like a champ both times - came out nice and level.

 

running the trans until out of fluid will put unnecessary wear and tear on your pump, provided you dont burn it up.. easiest way to drain fluid is remove all but two bolts (in each corner)when down to the last two, wind them out, but not the whole way, and smack the pan with a rubber mallet to break it free, then hold the pan, and remove one of the bolts, and tilt the pan to let it pour out..

as for my swap no tranny jack would of helped, did it all on a gravel driveway, no cement surfaces, so we did it all by hand.. put the front of the car on ramps, and jackstands under the axle.. lowered the tranny by hand and slid it out.. what a nightmare, and then the hellish time i had finding the right extention and swivel to get the upper bellhousing bolts.. heh