ATF leak at front of car

[KingSuper]

I was driving home yesterday and today when I noticed that after some stop signs it feels like the car is in neutral. I will try to accelerate and the car will just rev before finally starting to move. When I got home today I noticed the tranny fluid is very low and it looks to be leaking from the front of the car, most likely the radiator.

1) What is the likelyhood of a pink milkshake problem? What are the chances that this is just a leak and not a mixing of fluids?

2) My current plan is to ride my bike to autozone and pick up some ATF. About to head out now. I've read to pour it into where the dipstick goes, is this accurate?

Any other advice would be really helpful.
:moping:

 

[nissanh]

Check your coolant reservoir and if it is full and oily like, I'd say not so good. Pull the dip stick and inspect the oil. If you see the oil leak is not coming from the reservoir then locate the leak. It may be a cracked hose and luck! no pick milkshake.

Yes you pour through the dip stick. Check the fluid type embossed on the dipstick/drain plug head and buy that type. OEM toyota will be the best.

 

[kball]

Yes you fill it through the dipper tube. It helps to have a funnel with a long tube attached. Does the fluid that's leaking look like good ATF or does it look like a strawberry milkshake got spilled under your runner?

 

[Unner]

You may have gotten lucky and just the fitting or so is broke and leaking, if you aren't lucky then the two fluids mixed and you're gonna have issues with your tranny most likely. I wouldn't drive the 4Runner until you know exactly what is going on there.

 

[KingSuper]

Thanks everyone. I checked the spilled ATF and it didn't look like milkshake and the coolant didn't look contaminated. I decided to drive to my parents house (30 miles away) where I have more room to work on it and to get my Sentra to daily for the time being.

The leak is coming right from where the hose goes into the bottom of the radiator. I tried to tighten the brass fitting but it was already plenty tight. I also pushed the hose onto the fitting more and added a zip tie as well but no luck, its still leaking. Perhaps my radiator is cracked, but I couldn't tell as it was dark by the time I got there.

 

[maverickhawk]

You lucky, order a new radiator. Plan on complete trans fluid change, clutches probably got hot when in " neutral ". Chances are you will be OK. No trans cooler? If not get one now. You lucky!

 

[MStudt]

Thanks everyone. I checked the spilled ATF and it didn't look like milkshake and the coolant didn't look contaminated. I decided to drive to my parents house (30 miles away) where I have more room to work on it and to get my Sentra to daily for the time being.

The leak is coming right from where the hose goes into the bottom of the radiator. I tried to tighten the brass fitting but it was already plenty tight. I also pushed the hose onto the fitting more and added a zip tie as well but no luck, its still leaking. Perhaps my radiator is cracked, but I couldn't tell as it was dark by the time I got there.

Keep a close eye on it. Top off the fluid and see if that helps. The transmission will not function properly without the correct amount of fluid in it. Did you by chance have the AT Temp light on the dash come on? Check the fluid for the next couple days, and smell it. If it has a burnt clutch smell you should consider getting a flush done on it.

 

[KingSuper]

You lucky, order a new radiator. Plan on complete trans fluid change, clutches probably got hot when in " neutral ". Chances are you will be OK. No trans cooler? If not get one now. You lucky!

No trans cooler but now I want to order one and install. Since the leak seamed to be just ATF from the radiator fitting, all I would really need to do is to get the Trans Cooler, right? This way I would bypass the broken part of the radiator. My current plan is to keep the radiator and just get the transmission cooler, let me know if this could work based on what I have described.

 

[KingSuper]

Keep a close eye on it. Top off the fluid and see if that helps. The transmission will not function properly without the correct amount of fluid in it. Did you by chance have the AT Temp light on the dash come on? Check the fluid for the next couple days, and smell it. If it has a burnt clutch smell you should consider getting a flush done on it.

The light did not come on. Thanks for the tip on smelling the fluid, ill go ahead and do that tomorrow when I see her next. Do you think I could get away with JUST a trans cooler install? I ask because this would be bypassing the radiator and thats where the ATF leak seems to be coming from. Coolant seems ok so I dont see a need to replace the radiator just yet. Let me know.

Thanks everyone.

 

[MStudt]

The light did not come on. Thanks for the tip on smelling the fluid, ill go ahead and do that tomorrow when I see her next. Do you think I could get away with JUST a trans cooler install? I ask because this would be bypassing the radiator and thats where the ATF leak seems to be coming from. Coolant seems ok so I dont see a need to replace the radiator just yet. Let me know.

Thanks everyone.

Adding a cooler is a smart idea. I didn't add one soon enough to mine, and I had to replace the transmission over the last week. The cooler is an east install, and shouldn't take more than an hour or two.

 

[KingSuper]

Adding a cooler is a smart idea. I didn't add one soon enough to mine, and I had to replace the transmission over the last week. The cooler is an east install, and shouldn't take more than an hour or two.

Thanks again.

I found a few coolers on Amazon. Any idea if this one will work?

http://www.amazon.com/70255-SuperCo...39483567&sr=1-13&keywords=transmission+cooler

They have three different coolers from B&M on Amazon, want to make sure I get the right one. I really want to take the 4R on a camping trip EOM.

 

[MStudt]

Thanks again.

I found a few coolers on Amazon. Any idea if this one will work?

http://www.amazon.com/70255-SuperCo...39483567&sr=1-13&keywords=transmission+cooler

They have three different coolers from B&M on Amazon, want to make sure I get the right one. I really want to take the 4R on a camping trip EOM.

I used the B&M 70268 cooler on mine.

 

[gamefreakgc]

No trans cooler but now I want to order one and install. Since the leak seamed to be just ATF from the radiator fitting, all I would really need to do is to get the Trans Cooler, right? This way I would bypass the broken part of the radiator. My current plan is to keep the radiator and just get the transmission cooler, let me know if this could work based on what I have described.

If you do end up bypassing the cooler, I'd still be concerned about that radiator. If it's cracked in one place, it might crack in others. At least be sure to seal off the ATF in/out fittings so if it does go, you don't lose all your coolant in 60 seconds while driving.

I went oversize on mine because of the supercharger, model is in my sig. Probably a bit much for a stock 4Runner though, almost double the size as the one mentioned in the writeup.

 

[KingSuper]

If you do end up bypassing the cooler, I'd still be concerned about that radiator. If it's cracked in one place, it might crack in others. At least be sure to seal off the ATF in/out fittings so if it does go, you don't lose all your coolant in 60 seconds while driving.

I went oversize on mine because of the supercharger, model is in my sig. Probably a bit much for a stock 4Runner though, almost double the size as the one mentioned in the writeup.

Yea youre right. Ive sort of flipped flopped on this subject and am now considering just getting a new radiator.

 

[MStudt]

Yea youre right. Ive sort of flipped flopped on this subject and am now considering just getting a new radiator.

Do both and never worry about it again. For an extra $70 it's well worth it. I should have done it sooner.

 

[huudoo]

I just did the timing belt, and a light fell off and broke the ATF fitting
on the radiator, snapped right off..i was going to do the bypass, but just replaced the rad.. $100.00. a transmission cooler would be a good investment.
remember Nissan frontires . pathfinders .and a few others have the
issue, of a tube in the rad that the trans fluid pass through the tube get a crack
or weld comes loose causging the contam or strawbweey milk shake delima

I would just replace the radiator

also u can order a vactaner to pull out the trans fluid from the dip stick
refill how ever many qt u pull out mint took like 3.5 to 4 qt to refill
run it a few days and suck out the fluid again and refill to the amount
u sucked out..cleaner that way .. unless u want to do a filter cleaning and a pan gasket.. cheers

I have one like this one
http://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-marine--manual-oil-changer-2-9-quart--11097714

 

[fblainen11]

It is a wonder so many people on here advise to do an external cooler when so much attention is given to use OEM parts and setups. I looked into doing it on mine, but at the end of the day I thought it was a waste of money. You can just put a new radiator and you should be fine for another 100k.

 

[MStudt]

It is a wonder so many people on here advise to do an external cooler when so much attention is given to use OEM parts and setups. I looked into doing it on mine, but at the end of the day I thought it was a waste of money. You can just put a new radiator and you should be fine for another 100k.

I thought the same thing until mine broke and I had to replace the transmission. I highlighted one word from your post that "should" sum it it up for you. I wouldn't want to bank on something that "should" be fine. Spend the extra $70 and never worry about it again.

 

[c0mmon]

I used the B&M 70268 cooler on mine.

same and i was gonna say time for a cooler as well

 

[gamefreakgc]

It is a wonder so many people on here advise to do an external cooler when so much attention is given to use OEM parts and setups. I looked into doing it on mine, but at the end of the day I thought it was a waste of money. You can just put a new radiator and you should be fine for another 100k.

It's because all of us that frequent forums for our 4Runners are paranoid that something might happen to our 4Runners. If someone told me that rain water on the vehicle could cause the engine to spontaneously explode I'd be driving mine around in a custom-fabbed waterproof enclosure.

In all seriousness though, a lot of us add coolers for towing and other strenuous things. It's not just for protection against cross-contamination. Although, my 4Runner does have a fairly new radiator and the previous owner did say he had to replace the transmission but didn't say why...