urbex Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 So every once in a while my transmission would leak a little. Usually not too bad, but the past week or two it's been getting a lot worse. Just since last night there's a nice big stain on the floor under my car. Well, my problem is, for the life of me I can't find where it's leaking from! It appears to be on the drivers side, directly behind the front wheel. It looks to be up fairly high, and dripping down on everything, that's what makes it hard for me to find, since everything is wet under there. We have replaced the pan gasket on the bottom not long after I got my car, but I don't believe that's leaking. Of course there's some fluid on the screws, but I think it's from what's dripping down. Is there anything on the side right behind the drivers side tire that's prone to leaking? Or something there that I should look at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tornado_735 Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 I'm not sure if Lumina's came standard with transmission coolers (they probably did) but check your cooler lines. They lead from the driver side (somewhat close to the tire) to the right side of the radiator where the cooler is. Also check the pan gasket, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted June 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Hmm, I'll have to go check. Thanks! Oh, forgot to mention, it's the 4T60E transmission... I have the car jacked up out in the garage, but I have such little motivation to leave the air conditioned house today... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tornado_735 Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Hmm, I'll have to go check. Thanks! Oh, forgot to mention, it's the 4T60E transmission... I have the car jacked up out in the garage, but I have such little motivation to leave the air conditioned house today... Cooler lines are my best guess...mine rusted to shit and sprayed fluid everywhere. Free rustproofing though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted June 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Ha ha, yeah there isn't much rust in that area from all the leaks! I did get under it again, but I didn't see any leaking lines. It almost appears as if it might be coming from the part that goes from the transmission to the wheel? Is that possible? I don't even know what it is.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 yes, the axle can leak fluid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted June 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Hmm... Is it hard to replace the seals in there? I mean, if it's a lot of work, I probably won't bother. But my dad gets pissed if I stain the driveway, and the city gets pissed if I park in the street and stain the street up...so if I can fix it easily I might want to try. I'll have to look into it. But I'm 90% sure that's where it's coming from. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jssuper Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Its not that bad... Jack car, pull tire, undo lower strut mount, pull CV shaft, pull bad seal, install new seal, install CV shaft, connect and tighten lower strut mount, tighten CV Nut to spec, re-install tire, lower car, Miller time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tornado_735 Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Its not that bad... Jack car, pull tire, undo lower strut mount, pull CV shaft, pull bad seal, install new seal, install CV shaft, connect and tighten lower strut mount, tighten CV Nut to spec, re-install tire, lower car, Miller time. That's the best part! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted June 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Ha ha, sweet! Thanks guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfewtrail Posted June 9, 2011 Report Share Posted June 9, 2011 There's a side cover on the trans that could leak in that area also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pabz Posted June 9, 2011 Report Share Posted June 9, 2011 There's a side cover on the trans that could leak in that area also. I agree. Tightening the bolts on the side pan fixed my leak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted June 9, 2011 Report Share Posted June 9, 2011 Axle seals aren't terrible to replace, just time-consuming tear-down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted June 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 (edited) Hmm...well I got the car jacked up and removed the wheel to get a better look in there. It actually looks like the axle isn't what is leaking, because it's wet above it as well. Really I can't see ANYTHING dripping down onto it, so I have no idea. The only thing I can guess now is maybe the side pan? When under it you can see the bottom seal of the side pan is wet with fluid, so maybe if it's leaking near the top and just running down the side, that'd probably make it fly all over when I'm driving which is why everything is getting wet...? Who knows. How in the hell am I supposed to get in there though to tighten the bolts or take it out to replace the gasket? EDIT: Well now, actually after looking at the side pan a little bit more, I'm not so sure that that is actually where it's leaking.... I wiped the bottom lip of it off, but have yet to see any seep out from there. Also, the top and sides of it are pretty dry actually, so I don't think it's leaking up there. Ok....so I've got some tranny fluid on the axle, and the bottom of the side pan, and the actual pan itself on the bottom... I'm running out of ideas here! Edited June 17, 2011 by urbex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted June 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2011 Well, I let it run for a few minutes, ran it through all the gears, but it still hasn't dripped... I wonder if it has to be driving? Which kind of leads me back to the axle.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted June 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2011 Well I lowered the car back down overnight, and today there was a puddle under it. I'm going to go back with the axle because I had wiped it off, and there's fluid pooling up on the lip of it. The only way fluid to get in that spot would be if it leaked out of the axle...and it just happens to be running down the side pan which is where I got confused (happens easily). I'm actually relieved if it is the axle, as that doesn't seem too hard to replace.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted June 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 Where in the hell do I find a hub nut? It says that I MUST replace this if I remove that? Is that true? They used capital letters so I'm guessing they must mean it... But I tried looking up a part number on GM Parts direct with no luck... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AL Posted June 19, 2011 Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 I have never replaced one and never had any issues... Just torque it down to the proper setting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted June 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 Ok...yeah, I really don't see why you'd need to replace it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AL Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Because GM likes money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted June 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 True dat... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BXX Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Actually it should be replaced. reason being new one's have the threads cut in such a manner that it digs in (acts as a locking nut. like for struts) therfore it takes more torque to get the required clamp load. I would reuse it, but reduce the torque on the nut by 10-20 ftlb. And yes, torque the nut with a decent torque wrench, otherwise you may end up with premature bearing failure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted June 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Ok, thanks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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