I have been fighting a trans leak all season with a 700r4 in my Camaro. I have replaced the cooler lines (they were leaking), pan, pan gasket, dipstick grommet (old one was torn), and the t.v cable and grommet (twice, now with an ac delco one).

Nothing has changed. I don't have an inspection plate covering the torque converter and flywheel and no fluid is coming from the front seal as far as I can see. The leak is on the passenger side corner and fluid is sprayed only as high as the t.v cable and wet around it. I'm almost wondering if I have a crack in my case that I can't see.

As far as how large a leak this is, I let the car sit all July and didn't drive it. The fluid level didn't even register on the dipstick. I lost a full quart of trans fluid.

I'm drawing a blank on what else to do here.

 

is the dipstick seated fully into the grommet and then bolted to the trans by one of the bellhousing bolts? its possible its working its way loose if that bolt isnt holding it in

 

Sounds like the dips tick tube is leaking based on your description..

 

Could be he grommet for the TV cable.

 

Dipstick is fully seated and is dry around the grommet. No fresh trains fluid. The t.v cable is new as well as the grommet. If I replace the grommet again would it be a good idea to put rtv on the t.v cable where the grommet sits?

Its just weird that nothing I have replaced has changed the leak at all.

 

i wouldnt rtv it. if any of that gets inside the trans who knows what it could clog up. are you sure the cooler lines aren't still leaking?

 

Cooler lines are dry. Brand new stainless lines and fittings.

 

If it's not leaking from the dipstick tube or TV cable, the only other places it could be leaking from is the pan gasket or servo cover.

You can try this ::shrug::

Go down to Walgreens or CVS and buy a can of foot powder spray.

Crawl underneath and clean off the area with solvent, Simple Green, etc. Get it so clean you can eat off of it. Dry thoroughly.

Spray the foot powder (liberally) onto the transmission where you suspect the leak. Start the car and let it run for 15-20 minutes.

The leak should show up in the powder.

UV leak detection dye is another option.

 

i agree about the powder trick. i've used it a few times to find leaks. it will turn pink where leaking from.
i found a pesky leak like this once. scratched my head trying to figure it out. the tranns was rebuild and they forgot to put the tailhousing gasket in there.

there is a special RTV for transmissions. anything else will not work. it will just leak past it.
https://www.permatex.com/products/ga...-gasket-maker/

rear seal for the driveshaft ok?

 

Well sorry about dropping off without any news, ended up putting the car away for the fall in order to do a bunch of work. But, my father got sick with cancer and passed away over the winter. I'm just now getting back to the car.

I ended up ordering a new kickdown cable (OEM) and an OEM Grommet from AC Delco. Installed them today so I'll see if that fixed the leak. Had a bear of a time getting that tv cable to slide on the hook for the valve in the transmission. How can I tell that the cable stayed on that hook after I bolted it to the transmission? I'm assuming it should feel like the cable is pulling on the plunger. Just want to make sure before I go and test drive the car.

 

If it is hooked up the TV cable will have a spring return. Disconnect it at the TB and when pulling on the cable there should be spring tension that will also pull the cable back into the outer sheath.

Be sure to adjust it correctly by manually opening the throttle at the TB. Not by the go-pedal (that is the wrong way).

RBob.

 

Thanks, just wanted to double check before I drove it. And yeah I adjusted the cable at the TB. About that though, was able to get a couple test drives in. And around town and part throttle it shifts fine. WOT starting from a roll it hangs in gear just a bit too long, then shifts. Can't say what the exact rpms are since my tach doesn't read correctly the higher the rpms are (says 7k rpms but it isn't right).

Not sure how the TV cable is adjusted wrong. Press the detent in, ratchet the slider back, release detent. Then manually open the TB and the adjuster ratchets out a little bit.


As far as the leak, its smaller. Looks like the TV cable grommet failed, it was very soft and pliable. The new one is quite a hard rubber. Looks like the rest of the leak is from the dipstick tube and grommet. Ive replaced the grommet already so looks like I need to find a new tube.

 

Never stated that you adjusted it wrong, just stated to make sure that it is adjusted correctly. Too many folks do the "pedal to the metal" adjustment which is wrong. Even GM states in their FSM not to do that.

The only additional step I take is to check if the TV/throttle cable bracket flexes as the TB reaches WOT. If it does then click the cable out one more notch so that it doesn't. Otherwise it stretches the heck out of the TV cable.

RBob.

 

No, I meant I have run into problems doing the adjustment. Ive done it correctly but WOT shifts are way to high, holds the gear to long. I'm assuming I did something wrong but not sure what.