Transmission Heartaches.....HELP!!!

[ashx2]

When driving in from work Monday, I noticed that something just didn't sound/feel right. It felt like I was driving w/the emergency brake on.....it would run/drive but there was some resistance. I also noticed that while it would shift from park into reverse, neut, and drive.......it wouldn't shift into L2 or L1.

I got home and noticed transmission fluid coming out from underneath the truck. I raised the hood and t-fluid was everywhere! All over the wheel wells, underside of the hood, on the battery, all over the motor.......and then it started to drain onto the floor of the garage.

I haven't had time to get up underneath yet and do any soul searching, but I'm not expecting good things to come. So what do you folks think???

Blown seals? I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to mechanic work, much less a transmission.....but I'm willing to get down and dirty and learn.

Thanks guys.....
Greg

[Palf70Step]

Sounds like a broke line to the cooler/radiator maybe. Bad thing though is running the tranny that low on fluid because of whatever caused the leak means things have gone bad (or will very soon) inside the tranny.

[ashx2]

I've got another truck that I purchased recently....maybe a good idea to pull the tranny from it and put it in place of the one in question.

How hard is it to remove/install an automatic tranny?

Greg

[jakeshoe]

What trans do you have and what truck?

If it's a 67-72 truck with a Th350 or Th400 trans it's not too difficult to change out but you MUSTR be sure you properly install the converter before you install the trans.

Could be several problems with your trans but I would first look at the cooler lines.

It could have vented out the dipstick from overheating due to any number of things.

I don't sign in here everyday but if you need any trans help or advice email me.
jakeshoe@yahoo.com

[mr48chev]

It isn't hard to swap transmissions in one of these trucks. the bigg trest pain is unbolting the center crossmember from the frame.

I'd get under it first and figure out where it was loosing the fluid. Once you have that figured out and repaired you can decide if the trans does indeed need to be replaced. You can usually tell by looking at and smelling the fluid if the trans has been fried and needs replacing.

I've swapped out my trans a couple of times using a 2-1/2 ton floor jack because I don't have a trans jack. It isn't for the faint of heart or the weak of arm though. Outside of the usual steps that are in any manual I would suggest getting two long (4 inch or longer) 3/8 nc bolts and when you get the trans up close put them through the bottom two bolt holes in the bellhousing part of trans and then thread them into the corresponding holes in the back of the block. With them threaded in you can then slide the trans up to the block easily and install the other five bolts before removing the long ones and installing the correct bolts. This step has helped me many times.

You can also use a pair of 10 or 12 inch long 3/8 bolts to slide the trans back far enough with a floor jack to replace a front seal, torque converter or flexplate and then slide the trans right back in place without a big fight. I've even used that trick to replace a back of the block freeze plug on my 71.