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Tranny leak/shifting issue


amsterdam84

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Ive looked through a lot of the topics but I didn't find anything closely matching my problem. I have a TH350 in my car and recently had both the engine and trans out to restore everything. After putting it back together, I had a bad rattle coming from between the engine and trans. I found that when my brother "Helped" me by putting the torque converter bolts in, he didnt tighten them and the came loose. Long story short, I tightened them and got the rattle fixed but I then started having a lot of leakage from the same area. Fluid pouring out the inspection cover between tranny and engine. Is it possible that the seal on the torque converter was nicked when reinstalled or could the looseness wore it out? All the seals in the transmission were replaced by a transmission mechanic.

 

After reinstallation, I've noticed randomly the transmission will shift through the gears to third even when I'm only going 20 MPH. Alternatively, sometimes under WOT it will still shift up and bog on me. The car originally came with a 2 bbl carb and I switched to a 4 bbl quadrajet and found that the throttle and kickdown cables wont fit from the stock location. I went to a carshow/swapmeet in Carlisle, PA and found a bracket that mounts to the rear carb studs and that fixed the cable problem, after a little bending to make it line up better.

Any ideas as to why its acting so strange?

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As far as the shifting problem, mine was doing the same thing under WOT, but I didnt have the kickdown hooked up,When I connected it, it was cured.Maybe yours just needs adjusted?

As for the leak, My guess would be the front seal in the tranny, the vibration probably wiped it out. This is just a guess on my part, Im sure someone else will chime in.

 

Welcome to the site by the way......Stick around!

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The loose converter can take out the front pump seal. Hopefully it didn't ruin the pump bushing also. Sounds like you will need to pull the trany. Make sure you check the bushing.

 

Do you have the kickdown cable adjusted properly? If not, that will throw your shifts off.

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I'm not sure if it is adjusted proberly. Does thes same cable work for 2bbl and 4bbl? Unfotunately the car is in storage right now so I won't be able to put anything to use right now. I figured I needed to pull the tranny out but hated the fact that I have to do it now that the hood and fenders are on.

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Fluid pouring out is not good! When does it leak- when it is running or after you've driven it? Make sure you aren't overfilling the trans. I chased a leak recently and found out that I was overfilling- the trans has to be really hot to properly measure the fluid level- drive it for a long while before you check it and top it off.

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It leaks both times. When I first noticed it leaking, I had backed it up in the driveway about 5 feet. It hadnt leaked prior to that. I went in the house and when I came back outside the next morning, there was a puddle about a foot in diameter under the tranny.

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It is coming fromt he dust cover. We replaced all the seals but the one in the converter. Is it possible to put a split in the seal so it leaks when the cracked part of the seal is down? I've noticed that some days it will leak faster than others.

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When mine leaked, they first replaced all seals since it was old and never apart. Second (still leaked) replaced the ft pump, still leaked. Third, replaced the converter cracked weld. Leak was gone for many years but it's back. I should just go to a 700 R4 this time.

Bruce

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heres a thought did you remove the kickdown cable ? if so you may want to see about replacing the o-rings on the dipstick tube and the kickdown cable at the trans. those will leak and look like they are coming from the from the front pump as well. just run you finger around the trans lines and then the kick down and dip stick tubes. the front pump seal is a possiblity as well just remove the inspection cover and see if there is trans fluid coming down the pump case.

 

how long was it runing with the bolts loose?

did you put some petroleum jelly/ vasaline on the seal and converter snout?

 

Alex

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I personally saw fluid coming out of a hole in the dust cover so I doubt it is the dipstick tube. I've been keeping an eye on it hoping it was that so I wouldn't have to pull the trans. And I didn't put the converter in so I don't know what was done. (I was at school, my brother's idea of 'help')

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  • 10 months later...

Ok, this was an old post but I thought I would just give an answer to the problem. Found out that it was the original torque converter leaking. I dropped the tranny off at a shop to have them put in a shift-kit and while it was in there, put in a slightly higher stall converter. Since then, no more leak! Maybe if I pull the old converter out of storage, I'll look at the seal to see if it was torn. Short of that, it may have been cracked.

 

On a side note, the bad shifting I think was caused by the vacuum line going to the valve body on the tranny had become disconnected. I'm guessing it could not "sense" the engine load. Now the only thing I have to look into is a new carb. Im at that point on the quadrajet that it would probably cost me more to get it tuned properly here than to get a carb that is more readily tuned with local parts. Will wait and see on that one.

 

I also took a look at the pics from the PA MEET. Not far from where I live. Too bad I couldnt come down. No better group of people to spend time with than car guys (and gals). Perhaps the next one in the area would be a possibility. Well, time for me to go, its 3:38 am here and I have to work in the morn so night all!

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Sounds good. Oh, by the way... what is bench racing? I read many of the previous meets and everyone says that the bench racing was great but I've been curious as to what it was.

 

A lot of BS and even a couple adult beverages to get the stories interesting!! lol

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Oh, by the way... what is bench racing? I read many of the previous meets and everyone says that the bench racing was great but I've been curious as to what it was.

 

Not until this year did I find out what people were talking about every time I heard the term "bench racing" as I did not know what it meant either.

 

I see it was answered for you but here are some actual pictures of bench racing in action at the 2008 Eastern Meet...

 

Bill

 

IMG_4804.JPG

 

IMG_4806.JPG

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Originally Posted By: amsterdam84
Oh, by the way... what is bench racing? I read many of the previous meets and everyone says that the bench racing was great but I've been curious as to what it was.

 

Not until this year did I find out what people were talking about every time I heard the term "bench racing" as I did not know what it meant either.

 

I see it was answered for you but here are some actual pictures of bench racing in action at the 2008 Eastern Meet...

 

Bill

 

IMG_4804.JPG

 

IMG_4806.JPG

 

 

Man, Does that bring back some good memories!! And some we can't speak of!! lol

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if only some of you had been there for Leo's first Meet'n'Greet.. *sigh*

 

that turned x-rated really fast.. we'll just say it involved a 'beer udder'

 

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