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major drivetrain fluid leak!

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spic21

10+ Year Contributor
240
0
May 14, 2010
albany, Louisiana
i have been doing a lot of work to my car in the last month or so. u may have seen other threads a have started. before i start keep in mind i have not been driving the car. last time on road was about a month or so ago and it was literally only for about 3 mins just to see how it would go do the road. with that said. when i pulled the car back in garage i notice a small leak around transfer case/ trans(5 speed). it wasn't a big deal(maybe 4 inch puddle ) just figure once car was running again i would go fix it before i got it on road. i did get under it and look but ready couldn't see where it was coming from, so i wipe it all down. thinking when it leaked again i could see it. but its not that little brass plug where drive shaft plugs in that i've read about on vfaq. well i started my car fri trying to get new ecmlink and all other new part setup. once i started it my buddy notice that fluid was pouring out my car in same area(a stream), a lot of fluid like a 3 to 4 foot round puddle. it is a yellowish fliud that looks like clutch fuild. so i clean up oil a got under the car. i still cant tell where it really coming from, kind of looks like where transfer case bolts to the trans, but up in there where i cant see. i dont really know what my first step to find this leak would be and im looking for advice. i can tell you that the fluid is no where near where the drive shaft goes in. i can also tell u that all fluid levels in motor are good. why the hell is it leaking if im not moving?

please give me your input, im getting very frustrated and aggravated with this thing.
 
you said yellow fluid!! soo thats either power steering or brake fluid!! my buddy had the same problem and it was his power steering like from the rack for the power steering right around the t-case trani area haha.. he just removed it all including the power steering pump :aha: check the resivor try just turning it on and crank the wheel left and right see if it hard to steer ya kno or like feel the brake pedal ya know :thumb:u might find it there instead of the t-case or trani fluid

and if u arnt moving it could be power steering because think about it the pump is turning fluid is flowing yah know i just thought about it LOL ROFL soo i think it might be a good chance that it is your power steering :aha:
 
I will look at ps in couple mins I'm about to get back under it. Pray to god that's it. I did just loop my ps line for FMIC. Makes since because it does pump when car running. Maybe I have broke line or something
 
Ps fluid is yellow? Really? Never heard of this before, perhaps if you look down from the firewall behind the intake you can see the PS Rack and lines. Did you say you did something with the loop in the front of the car?
 
Did you check your heater core hoses? They run right above the trans area.
 
I just degreaser everything so I can see better bout to roll it in garage. I looped the line that goes to in front of radiator, guess it's like a cooler line. I didn't check heater core but it water and this def isn't water. I tried to look at ps rack but it was nasty everywhere so I couldn't pinpoint anything. Hope I can once it dries a little. I'm gonna disconnect my fuel pump and turn it over and see if anything leaks. I fluid is yellowish not like dark yellow. Also when I looked I felt like where the wetest looking area, was more infront of ps rack. So I ready don't even think it's that. But I bout to see I hope
 
How much power steering fluid do you have in the resevoir? Thatll give you a hint as to if its that or not LOL.
 
I filled it before I started it but don't know how much it would have sucked up. It wS first time since I loop front line so I really don't know exactly. But I did add some earlier, but not as much as was on the ground. Another question I have is the air bleeder on top of transfer case extension housing must have blown off during pressure washing. I don't know when so is there any way I could have gotten water in there during wash. Do I need to do anything about it? And I still can't find the leak. I'm about to turn it over a few time now though and see what I get
 
I really feel like it's coming somewhere from trans or transfer case but I don't know what these fluid look like. I need to change then anyway I guess since car sat for so long. Anychance anyone think it could be one of those?
 
I really feel like it's coming somewhere from trans or transfer case but I don't know what these fluid look like. I need to change then anyway I guess since car sat for so long. Anychance anyone think it could be one of those?

The fluid color (if clean) is real close to what you are describing. Fell the fluid leak, gear oil "stinks" and is real thick. PS/Clutch/Brake fluid has a mild smell and is real thin.
 
It's thinner and not much smell at all. So guess I'm leaning back towards ps/clutch/brake. Clutch is about inch from fill line but I also think it matches this fluid the best out of the others. But my problem with it being that is the amount that was on the ground. Brake is full. I pumped the crap out the clutch and didn't see anything. Gonna try this turning over with gas off and I'll be back
 
I let it turn over a good bit without starting and I turned wheel back and forth still not fluid leak. What the hell. Why only when running? Is it out of whatever it was leaking? I made sure ps/clutch and brake was full.
 
Only way to check your tranny is to have the car level and take out the fill bolt, if fluid comes out barely your good to go if no fluid drips out add some untill it does.
 
I think I might just have to change both transfer and trans fluid. I don't what else to do. I'm gonna take a little brake from it and think, maybe I'll run to parts store and get some gear oil for them. If y'all think of something let me know. Also anyone know about that air bleeder on top transfer case?
 
If its a bleeder and you say you got water in it youll def need to drain out the fluid. Perhaps theres a chance that you were slinging out watery trans fluid? Dont quote me though.
 
Depends if its cracked anywhere but yes just where the axles go in. Unless you have it in gear proped up on some stands you wont see anything flying around.
 
I was wondering if maybe it was leaking from driver side axle. But it would do this unless moving right
 
I would check fluid level in the t-case and transmission. If you were closer I would come take a look. Have you put it up on a ramp or stands to locate the leak?

It only leaks bad when running?
If so I would lean towards the transmission and the power steering. It could be a drivers c-v seal or could be the output shaft seal for the t-case. The t-case dose not spin unless in gear and moving.

See if you can get it up in the air and get some pics from where it is leaking.
 
I do have it on jack stands. I'll try and get a pic when I get home of where it was at. It clean right now because I pressure washed and degrease everything.
 
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This is where the heaviest deposit of oil is found when leaking. Another question is what gear oils to use for trans and transfer case. I printed out vfaq info but and it says GL4 M90 and GL5 75W90. I can find either of these at the parts store
 
I always use (Sinkrow)mesh. Never had an issue with it. Your local parts store should carry it in a yellow bottle.

I have no input on the leak.
 
I always use (Sinkrow)mesh. Never had an issue with it. Your local parts store should carry it in a yellow bottle.

I have no input on the leak.

sorry it took so long to get back on here. personal probs at home, but im back on the car now. i bought this sinkrow mesh, can i us it in my trans and transfer case? im going to change both fluids and see if one leaks, thinking maybe what evers leaking is about out and thats why i cant find leak now. your thoughts?
 
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