Recent transmission fluid leak

E

EricG

New member
I noticed a few days ago that my rig was starting to leave drips on the garage floor, it is transmisison fluid I think. I finally got a chance to look underneath today. It is only a few drips, coming off of my metal skid plate. Best I can tell it's coming from this area:

DSC08454.jpg~original


It looks like there is a small black hose by the oil filter there and the lower radiadator hose??? Anyone familiar with this area and know what this is. Is there a line from the transmission that goes up into there? Is this common?

My transmission fluid IS NOT strawberry milk at all and my coolant is clean, both were dealer serviced about 18 months ago. Transmission still operates as normal, never had an issue and it still seems to be all the way full best I can tell from the dipstick.

Oh - and looking around underneath I saw that both of my rear axle seals are blown and shooting grease all over my Michelins!!! :) LOL

Thanks for any and all help!
 
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i'd remove the skid plates and see for sure. maybe the beginning of a milkshake? get a few quarts and drain some of that tranny fluid out to see what the rest of it looks like, besides what shows on the dip stick.
 
Is this a 5VZ? I didn't think there were any transmission or powersteering lines on the driver side of the block right there?

This isn't what a red coolant leak looks like is it?

Edit: Might want to check your coolant levels. I'm not positive but that might be you waterpump leaking. Surely someone more knowledgable then me will comment. Take a look at these diagrams
http://www.mr2.com/files/mr2/techinfo/Random FSM Data/3vzVS5vz.pdf
 
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HCurphy said:
Is this a 5VZ? I didn't think there were any transmission or powersteering lines on the driver side of the block right there?

This isn't what a red coolant leak looks like is it?

Edit: Might want to check your coolant levels. I'm not positive but that might be you waterpump leaking. Surely someone more knowledgable then me will comment. Take a look at these diagrams
http://www.mr2.com/files/mr2/techinfo/Random FSM Data/3vzVS5vz.pdf
Click to expand...

kball said:
You probably have Toyota red coolant. It's a coolant leak, not trans fluid.
Click to expand...

I agree. Looks like your water pump or t-stat is leaking (unless you have green coolant of course). Might try following the trail with an extendable mirror to locate the source.
 
The reason I was so sure it was transmission fluid was because of the consistency, it's very slimy. But if it's a very slow coolant leak and I'm just seeing residual ooze, then you would think the water is cooked off and it's coolant slime. While my coolant level is still normal, doesn't seem to have moved on the reservoir, I will have this whole area checked by my mechanic tomorrow.

Man...I suppose I should do the timing belt and all related service if it is the water pump. I think it's been almost 10 years and 70k miles since it's been dug into. Then I gotta do the rear axle seals, maybe it's time to trade in??? :ybrick:

Thanks for all the replies, what a great forum :hatsoff:
 
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I wouldn't trade it in, but I have a stubborn love for my 4runner.

Those are two pricey repairs to have someone else do for you, but those things needing to be done would likely really hurt your trade in value anyway. Right?

These two things are the only repairs i have ever encountered with my 4runner, I see them as very infrequent maintenance. I would get them both taken care of and take solace in the fact that they won't be of worry again for a very, very long time.

Your decision will be the right one, best of luck to you.
 
EricG said:
The reason I was so sure it was transmission fluid was because of the consistency, it's very slimy. But if it's a very slow coolant leak and I'm just seeing residual ooze, then you would think the water is cooked off and it's coolant slime. While my coolant level is still normal, doesn't seem to have moved on the reservoir, I will have this whole area checked by my mechanic tomorrow.

Man...I suppose I should do the timing belt and all related service if it is the water pump. I think it's been almost 10 years and 70k miles since it's been dug into. Then I gotta do the rear axle seals, maybe it's time to trade in??? :ybrick:

Thanks for all the replies, what a great forum :hatsoff:
Click to expand...


Nice to meet ya EricG my names Eric G aswell. I wouldn't trade it in. Timing belt and all that are super easy. Axle seals even easier! Just takes a day and a little patience. Good luck with figurin out your problem
 
Did you find out if this was coolant or tansmission fluid? I just found a leak from the same area
c2634a5c9b23c5ed1f75e19a8939d7ff.jpg



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odds are it's your water pump, thermostat neck, or oil cooler hose. run a pressure test and check on those areas. you can rent the tool from autozone or hilo and do it yourself.
 
stu87 said:
Did you find out if this was coolant or tansmission fluid? I just found a leak from the same area
c2634a5c9b23c5ed1f75e19a8939d7ff.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
That looks like a coolant leak to me. Possibly the oil cooler hose?


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I dropped it off at a local indie that I have used a few times. They told me its the water pump. $925 for a new water pump and timing belt installed. I would love to do it myself but I need it done asap
 
I don’t think the water pump has been done since 80,000. Timing belt was last done around 130,000 when I bought it


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How many miles are on your rig?

It's definitely possible the WP is leaking based on that picture. Mine was leaking on the other side of the WP than yours and it actually wasn't the WP itself but the grey rtv they used (no gasket). The kits now come with a rubber/metal gasket.
 
Well I got the water pump replaced and now I noticed a small puddle of coolant from another location around the oil pan and on the wiring loom beside it.

I can’t feel any fluid around hose above or near this area. Since the water pumps been replaced I’ve driven about 50 miles and the coolant level doesn’t seem to have changed.

Any ideas? I posted two pics, one is just closer up to show the coolant residue/drip.

44c750639e14e1bb1493f503aef0eecc.jpg


d7ac337024d16fd02ff535908a4138d4.jpg



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