prix Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Car was up on the lift yesterday, and (quite by accident) I saw a thoroughly moistened trasmssion pan. Oil covering it...it's not dripping, but definitely seeping. My guess is it's been seeping for awhile now (year?). Question: I paid someone a better than fair wage to reseal that and it looks like hisi seal lasted two years, two and a half years at most. His shop warranties work for a year, so this repair will be on me. How long should a new transmission pan seal last? The car hasn't been driven hard at ALL (or even very much) since the seal was done. Maybe 15K at most? We do have hot summers here in SoCal though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaswood Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Car was up on the lift yesterday, and (quite by accident) I saw a thoroughly moistened trasmssion pan. Oil covering it...it's not dripping, but definitely seeping. My guess is it's been seeping for awhile now (year?). Question: I paid someone a better than fair wage to reseal that and it looks like hisi seal lasted two years, two and a half years at most. His shop warranties work for a year, so this repair will be on me. How long should a transmission pan seal repair last? The car hasn't been driven hard at ALL (or even very much) since the seal was done. Maybe 15K at most? We do have hot summers here in SoCal though. "...Oil covering it..." ATF, Automatic Transmission Fluid, should be pinkish. I am given to understand that there is KNOWN method for blowing the rear crankshaft seal and that is sometimes done by service personal in order to sell a $1200.00 job. What about forward of the transmission pan..? I have seen what you describe resulting from PS pump leakage, steering rack leakage, and even valve cover gasket leakage. It is not all unusual to have to retighten the sump bolts sometime after (months) installing a new "gasket". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prix Posted February 24, 2012 Author Share Posted February 24, 2012 Yeah, this was an off-the-cuff diiagnosis while the car was up on the rack for an oil change. We saw an oily surface all over the trans pan, and the oil pan gasket also appeared to be leaking. I did not see any pink fluid on the trans pan...though I am not sure if that color would be there if it's truly seepage that has occurred over a period of months/years. So two leaks, maybe from trans and oil pans.. This all started when I saw a small patch of wet on the inside of the cover that has to be removed to do an oil change. He unbolted it on the driver's side and I saw a small patch of wet oil on the corner that was hanging down. He first said it was coming from the oil filter...that maybe someone didn't lube it before they put it on last time, then we saw the soaked trans and oil pans. From what I am reading, it sounds like I need to get the underside degreased, then look for the highest point of the leaks. It wouldn't hurt to have someone tighten any related bolts on the oil and trans pans. Where could I go other than the stealership to get the degreasing done? Car was up on the lift yesterday, and (quite by accident) I saw a thoroughly moistened trasmssion pan. Oil covering it...it's not dripping, but definitely seeping. My guess is it's been seeping for awhile now (year?). Question: I paid someone a better than fair wage to reseal that and it looks like hisi seal lasted two years, two and a half years at most. His shop warranties work for a year, so this repair will be on me. How long should a transmission pan seal repair last? The car hasn't been driven hard at ALL (or even very much) since the seal was done. Maybe 15K at most? We do have hot summers here in SoCal though. "...Oil covering it..." ATF, Automatic Transmission Fluid, should be pinkish. I am given to understand that there is KNOWN method for blowing the rear crankshaft seal and that is sometimes done by service personal in order to sell a $1200.00 job. What about forward of the transmission pan..? I have seen what you describe resulting from PS pump leakage, steering rack leakage, and even valve cover gasket leakage. It is not all unusual to have to retighten the sump bolts sometime after (months) installing a new "gasket". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prix Posted February 24, 2012 Author Share Posted February 24, 2012 So it sounds like, given all the possible causes, I should have a thorough checkup done? Do you agree that degreasing and tightening the bolts is the way to go ? Then have it checked again in a few weeks to look for leaks? Car was up on the lift yesterday, and (quite by accident) I saw a thoroughly moistened trasmssion pan. Oil covering it...it's not dripping, but definitely seeping. My guess is it's been seeping for awhile now (year?). Question: I paid someone a better than fair wage to reseal that and it looks like hisi seal lasted two years, two and a half years at most. His shop warranties work for a year, so this repair will be on me. How long should a transmission pan seal repair last? The car hasn't been driven hard at ALL (or even very much) since the seal was done. Maybe 15K at most? We do have hot summers here in SoCal though. "...Oil covering it..." ATF, Automatic Transmission Fluid, should be pinkish. I am given to understand that there is KNOWN method for blowing the rear crankshaft seal and that is sometimes done by service personal in order to sell a $1200.00 job. What about forward of the transmission pan..? I have seen what you describe resulting from PS pump leakage, steering rack leakage, and even valve cover gasket leakage. It is not all unusual to have to retighten the sump bolts sometime after (months) installing a new "gasket". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prix Posted February 24, 2012 Author Share Posted February 24, 2012 Also, just for the record, it made no sense to me when a second guy (a manager) told me the wet on that cover could have been coming from an oil pan gasket leak. Clearly both trans and oil pans are covered with seepage, but how would an oil pan gasket leak get all the way over to a corner of that cover? Seems far more likely that it WAS caused by a leaking oil filter...and since that same shop replaced the oil last time, they have a vested interest in finding another 'cause'.The mechanic was the one who first said it was the oil filter, and then he was 'corrected' after the managter looked at it (and saw the seepage all over the trans and oil pan gaskets). I think the mechanic got it right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landar Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Done properly, the transmission pan gasket should last forever (and ever, amen). Notice I said 'properly'. If the pan was removed for some reason, it is very easy to bend the lip and very easy for a leak to develop thereafter. The question as to whether the mechanic used a neoprene gasket or RTV-type gasket needs to be asked. The factory original is the RTV FIPG stuff. It is entirely possible that the pan bolts just need to be snugged down. And it is also possible that the 'leak' is simply tranny fluid that has run down the filler tube when the transmission fluid was drained and refilled. It is easy to spill. If you take a clean, white tissue/cloth and wipe the tranny pan, you may be able to see some red tint to the residue(tranny fluid) rather than the dark brown that engine oil usually leaves behind. Finally, what do you mean the car has not been driven hard at ALL? You just admitted to an 'Italian tuneup' in your recent smog thread. ^_^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prix Posted February 25, 2012 Author Share Posted February 25, 2012 I think I saw some reddish putty looking stuff in the seam of the trans pan. The invoice says something about 'cleaned the screen' so maybe he did have it apart. It's a bit disappointing to hear it should have lasted much much longer. You are right..in prepping for the smog test, I did drive it for stretches 'hard, though traffic got in my way m ore than I would have liked.. Other than those prep trips, the car has been used for around town driving -- low miles. II think I will clean things up on the underside, maybe have someone tighten the plugs or bolts and see if that helps. I want to sure of the diagnosis before replacing gaskets. Done properly, the transmission pan gasket should last forever (and ever, amen). Notice I said 'properly'. If the pan was removed for some reason, it is very easy to bend the lip and very easy for a leak to develop thereafter. The question as to whether the mechanic used a neoprene gasket or RTV-type gasket needs to be asked. The factory original is the RTV FIPG stuff. It is entirely possible that the pan bolts just need to be snugged down. And it is also possible that the 'leak' is simply tranny fluid that has run down the filler tube when the transmission fluid was drained and refilled. It is easy to spill. If you take a clean, white tissue/cloth and wipe the tranny pan, you may be able to see some red tint to the residue(tranny fluid) rather than the dark brown that engine oil usually leaves behind. Finally, what do you mean the car has not been driven hard at ALL? You just admitted to an 'Italian tuneup' in your recent smog thread. ^_^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990LS400 Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 How long should a transmission pan seal repair last? A transmission pan seal should last "forever". But a pan seal "repair"? You can repair a pan seal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prix Posted February 25, 2012 Author Share Posted February 25, 2012 Let me rephrase that. The transmission pan gasket was leaking. He replaced it. How long should a transmission pan seal repair last? A transmission pan seal should last "forever". But a pan seal "repair"? You can repair a pan seal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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