Replacing front seal on AT tranny

B2RonNM · #1 (**permalink**) 06-15-2009, 05:50 PM

Hi Guys. '84, 2.8l, AT. The tranny dip stick was lost, so a local mechanic thought he would do me a favour and replace it. Unfortunately, he put in a short one, and then preceded to fill the tranny to the "correct" level. A few days later the front seal blew out (I assume, as it is leaking from where the bell housing attaches to the tranny), and the fluid sprayed out. Luckily, I wasn't driving it at the time, and it was just sitting in park.

Do I need to remove the whole tranny, bell housing, and transfer case; or can I just drop the front and remove the bell housing/torque converter to replace it?

Tedybear · #2 (**permalink**) 06-16-2009, 03:01 PM

Ughhhh... (going through something along the same lines ourselves)

Front seal:

Drop transmission.

Remove torque converter.

Pull what's left of the old seal (if it's badly blown? It might come off with the torque converter.

The only real way to do this? Is to drop the entire thing.

Now if this is an A4LD? (we've done this a few times on ours) Putting in a new seal can be a royal pain. We used two even 2x4's wrapped in shop rags. We seated the seal so it was centered..and my wife held down against one side of the seal with the wrapped 2x4. I used the other 2x4 with a small hammer and knocked it into place. If you do not have something or someone holding the other side of the seal in place? It'll pop out as soon as you try and seat it. Goes in just like a rotor/hub grease seal really...

Once it's all the way in? Using a smaller punch, seat it all the way into it's little recess. You'll then have to use a small chisel and "Stake" the edge (the edge: The seal is now 'inset' just about 1/32". There will be a small edge/lip sticking up. You'll need to stake it in about 3 places evenly spaced. This actually 'folds' over just a whisker of the lip over the seal, and helps hold it into place.

Now if this is ANYTHING other then a A4LD? Staking it into place MAY NOT BE NEEDED!!!

I would STRONGLY ADVISE!! (again..for an A4LD) checking the pilot bushing that supports the end of the torque converter into the flexplate. Ours was found to be slightly out of round---and it did some damage. Looking at seal, torque converter...and it nailed the bushing in in the pump hard.

S-

Eddiec1564 · #3 (**permalink**) 06-17-2009, 03:38 PM

Best to check the torque converter hub for any deep wear lines, that usually means the bushing is gone too! It is a common failure of the A4LD tranny. Also get the biggest tranny cooler you can find as that will help in the heat problems these trannys have, they get hot and puke fluid from the front seal even with a new TC/seal and bushing. Also if there are more than 6 stake's holding the seal, better look for another bellhousing as that one may be warped from too many seal replacement.

Like Tedybear said, those seals are PITA to replace, the bushing is even worse! Have to take the pump apart to replace bushing.

kernel-panic · #4 (**permalink**) 06-18-2009, 08:09 AM

84 BII with an A4LD? Didn't think that was possible:

Ford Ranger Automatic Transmission Identification

Tedybear · #5 (**permalink**) 06-18-2009, 05:11 PM

Kernel: That's why I prefaced the remarks with a whole bunch of "If"'s it's the A4LD.

Heck, lately I'm starting to wonder if anything left on the road from the 80's is even close to stock LOL.

In theory getting the seal installed should work, regardless of the type...The staking part I know is required for the A4LD. But I'm not sure of other types. Should be able to tell by just looking at it.

S-

kernel-panic · #6 (**permalink**) 06-23-2009, 08:39 AM

Actually, the only non-stock parts on my BII are the wheels, tires, springs, exhaust from the cat back, an MSD 6 off-road box, and a cold air intake. Not sure how much else will wind up being non-stock by the time I'm done, though!

He should have the C5, which is like the C4... but it's been forever since I've seen one torn apart or helped tear into one....