Transmission oil leak

[jd-stude]

Had my Avanti out on a 160 milege round trip today. On the way back home I notice that things looked a little hazy in the rear view mirrors. I relized it was smoke and it was coming form me. Stopping to check I found transmission oil dripping from the front of the transmission all the way back along the frame on the right hand side and it was a quart low. I added oil and when we got home I put it up in the air wiped the oil drips off, checked pan bolts, and started the car looking for a leak. I let it run for 15 min and no new drips appeared. I didn't have a leak before the trip or on the first half of the trip. Torque converter and bell housing didn't seem to be oil soaked so ideas on sudden oil leaks or test situations to verify where the leak is?

Ken

[StudeRich]

Check the Oil cooler flex hoses at the Radiator.

StudeRich

[long1776]

I had one of the oil cooler flex houses at the radiator burst, and by a combination of wind and speed I got the transmission fluid up on the windshield, passenger side. Avanti 63.

[HAWK64]

Ken,
The smoke from the rear may suggest oil leaking onto a exhaust pipe & burning. If the auto was a little overfull some oil may come out of the breather on the passenger side. If dripping on the driver side exhaust the oil could come from the speedo cable or control lever seals. Have a look if signs of burnt oil are on either exhaust intermediate pipe. My thoughts are based on you doing that relatively long trip.


"QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER"
MELBOURNE.

[Rerun]

Check the vent on the right side of the transmission, above the forward fitting for the cooling lines. Make sure that it is clear. Back to basics, check the fluid level with the trans hot, in drive.

Jim Bradley
Lewistown PA
'78 Avanti II

[jd-stude]

I checked the oil level this morning in drive and it needed 1.5 quarts to get it mid way between the oil lines on the dip stick. Add that to the quart I added when I stopped to check things out I lost alot of oil in a short peroid of time. There is oil from back of the right front wheel to the rear bumper and all over the back of the car. I had it running in gear on stands for 15 min and looked for leaks with no success. I removed shields around the torque converter looking for and areas with any signs of an oil problem and nothing I caught my eye. Took it for a 15 mile run and didn't see any immediate signs of an oil leak. I'm letting it sit and see if and where any oil may come from. If the vent isn't working would oil be pushed up the fill tube and out of the transmission? I don't have any oil in the engine compartment, but it have could run down the tube and then get sprayed over the bottom of the car.

[Rerun]

quote:If the vent isn't working would oil be pushed up the fill tube and out of the transmission?

Yep!

quote:I don't have any oil in the engine compartment, but it have could run down the tube and then get sprayed over the bottom of the car.

Yep!

Jim Bradley
Lewistown PA
'78 Avanti II

[jd-stude]

Thanks for the tip. Hopeing that is the case because it hasn't leaked any oil since. Also it would explain why the oil is splashed behind the front wheel and all over the right side bottom of the car. Even the hog trough got oiled. How to get to the vent is the next challenge. I'm going to see if it can be reached through the band adj hole. Access from above or below doesn't look good.

Ken