Z06Electron Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Ok so I got the pan replaced today and it had leaked so much oil in the last month that the tranny would no longer engage. Looks like there may have been two other locations of smaller leaks. The vacuum line was basically screwed so I'm sure some of my driving issues with not shifting may have been related to that, but there are also two coolant lines. One appears to have been cut and repaired with a rubber hose or was this factory? The hose was very very hard and I doubt was sealing very well at all. I am going to try and get a suitable replacement and fix it the same way. Also there is some sort of a cable going into the side of the tranny on the driver's side and it appears to be leaking fluid from here also. Is this possible? It appeared to have oil on the cable, but there was literally tranny oil covering everything down there. Also I have some sort of tube coming off the top of the passenger side of the transmission that appears to be hooked up to nothing. Is this supposed to be like this? Or is this another vaccum line that has been disconnected or broken? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stangeba Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Don't have a 400 BUT, on a 350, the vacuum line should be hooked to the rear of the intake (see picture link) and have a loop that rises above the carb level to (I think)keep gas out of it . By "screwed" if you mean there is a screw in it, then the trans won't shift till very high speed like it was at WOT (Wide Open Throttle) The rubber "Repair" hose in the cooler line is typical because it's faster to cut the line then remove it. This is NOT factory but should be OK once you replace the hose. The kick down cable can indeed leak. I think there is an O ring but I don't know for sure. Leaks are so much fun, mine turned out to be A CRACK IN THE WELD ON THE TORQUE CONVERTER after resealing it and replacing the pump didn't help. One of the tubes you mention may be the filler tube / dipstick? That should be secured by a trans to engine bolt at the rear of the engine. Good luck, I'm sure others will have some more suggestions. Bruce Vac tube or line on a 350/350 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monte70car Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 The trans line should be 5/16" I believe maybe 3/8" steel line. Must likely the org. line rusted in two and the owner did the rubber hose fix. The vacuum line can be picked up in the parts books or at a parts house. The plastic hose coming out of the top of the trans is to let heat out of the case. The cable on the drivers side if its towards the tailshaft that is the speedo cable and it does have trans fuild in the hole for the speedo gears. If the cable is towards the front of the trans that is the elec. kickdown for the 400 and it should not have fuild there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z06Electron Posted January 9, 2010 Author Share Posted January 9, 2010 "Screwed" As in I can't fix it it's screwed lol, so I replaced the vacuum line. it should be bolted somewhere but honestly all this is going to get ripped out anyway so I put it back in just hanging like it was before. It attached to the rear of the intake manifold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z06Electron Posted January 9, 2010 Author Share Posted January 9, 2010 Ok I thought the tube on the top might have been for heat, since there really wasn't anything to hook it to. It's the speedo cable then and it is most certainly leaking. I will check the Chilton's manual tonight, but it has been about as helpful as a one legged man in an [you said a naughty!] kicking contest. Any idea how to take it apart and replace the O-Ring? Looks like there is a metal retaining clip that bolts in, and the thing spins in and then the clip holds it from backing back out. FYI I have had an old car for a month and I REALLY, REALLY, hate oil leaks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z06Electron Posted January 9, 2010 Author Share Posted January 9, 2010 There was no loop in it, just came straight off the intake and down, however the fitting on the intake had two outputs and one has been capped. Most all non-essential stuff has been taken out of the car by a previous owner, so I'm guessing this was a vacuum line branch off to some other accessory that is now gone. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallaby Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 From the T-fitting, one vacuum line goes down to the transmission vacuum modulator. I think the other leg of the fitting hooks to a vacuum line running through the firewall to the heater/AC controls. I have installed trans coolers with rubber hose, but it always seems temporary. There is a fair bit of heat and pressure in those lines, and I don't know if rubber is designed to hold up against constant contact with trans fluid. If your lines are close together [like they made a single cut with a tube cutter], you can do a reliable repair with tube fittings from the hardware store. You would want a compression union. The only drawback to the brass fittings is that the section of tube you have needs to be clean, smooth, and round on the outside for the fittings to seal against. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z06Electron Posted January 9, 2010 Author Share Posted January 9, 2010 It was about a six inch section, I'm sure I could have re-bent the line to reduce this but not enough to matter. Not sure how long the old one was on there. Anyone know if auto parts stores like Autozone will carry replacement o-rings for the speedo cable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chevyss Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 NAPA "get the good stuff" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallaby Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 It should be something they have, but the question is whether they can look it up. If you could take the old one with you they can match it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 ok.. first off. TH400's don't have kickdown cables at all, they are electric. Switch at the pedal. wire on the driver's side near the back. If it's a th350, kickdown is on the PASSENGER side. the only 'cable' that would be coming off the driver's side would be the speedo drive cable, and is roughly 1/2" thick. easiest way to tell a TH400 from a TH350 is where the vac. line attaches. both are on the passenger side, but the TH350 sticks out the back, Th400 points out the side. and that really should be hooked up to manifold vac or it's gonna shift late and hard. be careful with the rubber hose and hose clamp fix.. there is a LOT of pressure in a trans cooler line (up to 300psi in some cases) use the compression union as mentioned above. Good luck with the oil leaks.. I don't even want to try and count how much time I've spent chasing mysterious oil leaks down.. my th350 used to leak like crazy.. the guy who built my 700r4 used a lot of RTV and it doesn't leak :> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z06Electron Posted January 10, 2010 Author Share Posted January 10, 2010 Yeah it is a TH400. It sticks straight out. It was the speedo. And finally it is hooked up to a manifold vac. line. Before the line was disconnected and it shifted very weird. Hoping this will fix the issue. If I got the oil leak to stop, I'm going to have to turn my attention to the whole front suspension and steering. It is FUBAR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 the quarter-wash DIY power washing bays are great for degreasing when my small block used to puke oil everwhere, I'd power wash the engine down every few days.. that's how I finally found the leak! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z06Electron Posted January 10, 2010 Author Share Posted January 10, 2010 GOOD CALL!!! Yeah that degreaser spray down at the local wash does pull everything off really nicely. Based on what I'm seeing on the engine it is most certainly the pan. The tranny was the pan, and the coolant lines, and the speedo cable, etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 turned out that my engine managed to blow the gasket out between the "plate" and the fuel pump... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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