Tranny Fluid Leak Near Cooler

[trap-alaska]

So my 4Runner is sitting on the side of the road with a transmission leak and I am looking for ideas before I head back out. All I could tell in the dark was that a lot of fluid was leaking and it appeared to be coming from the very front of the truck, near the cooler. As I was driving home it wouldn't shift above second. I was hoping to limp it home but after a stop, it wouldn't engage at all. I pushed it to the side and there it sits.

Is there a common failure point I should be looking for? I plan to check the hoses and connections, hopefully it is that easy. If that's what it is and I replace/repair it, do I just fill it up and drive away? How likely is it that driving it to the point it wouldn't shift at all did some serious damage (I'm sure it did some damage)?

I guess I'll know more when I see it in the daylight. Thanks in advance.

 

[thegipper]

Was the truck over heating at all? Check your coolant reservoir and see if the fluid looks like a pink milk shake. It is a somewhat common failure on these trucks where the radiator fails and allows coolant and transmission fluid to mix.

Lets hope that you just have a ruptured hose or something.

A pink milkshake generally ends in a destroyed transmission and maybe even a bad motor if it was overheated.

Been there, done that...

Regardless, do not drive it until you figure out whats going on. Like I said, hopefully its just a hose or something. You can easily destroy the tranny by running it out of fluid.

 

[trap-alaska]

Thanks for the reply - According to the gauge in the dash, it was not over heating but I didn't remove the radiator cap to check, that will be the first thing I look for when I go back.

 

[thegipper]

Yeah check the radiator and the reservoir, if it looks pink milk shakey, do not run that truck anymore.

Unless its something simple like a leaking hose that you can fix roadside and fill it back up, you'll probably need to have it towed.

Let us know what you find. A pink milk shaked tranny/engine can be possibly saved but lets worry about that if that's the case.

 

[trap-alaska]

So it looks like a new radiator at a minimum. The return line fitting was pulled out of the radiator. It is a threaded fitting and it wouldn't screw back in. It's like the female portion on the inside was pushed in, the threads wouldn't catch. I couldn't see any coolant in the radiator and the dipstick didn't show any transmission fluid so I am not sure if any coolant got in the transmission, but I am thinking not or just very little.

I guess I will swap in a new radiator and drop the transmission pan to clean it out and replace the filter. We'll see after that.

 

[WVhillbilly]

If you are not leaking coolant just get a stand alone trans cooler.
Better cooling and you won't have to worry about getting trans fluid in the radiator.

Like so
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...z5rYVowDEqLsECF1WM0dhdeHVMZFlf_BoCxpUQAvD_BwE

 

[Wedgy]

If you are not leaking coolant just get a stand alone trans cooler.
Better cooling and you won't have to worry about getting trans fluid in the radiator.

Like so
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...z5rYVowDEqLsECF1WM0dhdeHVMZFlf_BoCxpUQAvD_BwE

I think the radiator cools better than a stand alone air cooled unit, air cooled versus liquid cooled. Better to spend $100 on a radiator and remove any doubt of having it overheat, that goes for engine and tranny.

 

[thegipper]

I think the radiator cools better than a stand alone air cooled unit, air cooled versus liquid cooled. Better to spend $100 on a radiator and remove any doubt of having it overheat, that goes for engine and tranny.

:noidea:

 

[WVhillbilly]

I've used stand alone coolers for years on trucks and hot rods.
Usually to keep trans temps down when the cooler in the radiator wasn't keeping it cool enough.

 

[Wedgy]

:noidea:[/QUOT E]
LOL not really sure what you mean.
I think the radiator cools the trans fluid better than a stand alone remote tranny cooler because it is using liquid to cool. I prefer running it thru the radiator 1st, then to a remote cooler.