transmission problems
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transmission problems
i have had my truck for less then a year now and i drive it about once every week if not 3 times. Yesterday i was driving home from work and noticed a wining noise and i couldn't figure out were it was coming from.It would only do it on acceleration then go away when you let off the gas. so i kept driving and it started to feel like it didn't want to shift so i slowed down looked in my mirror to get over and saw smoke. so i pulled over and shut it off and looked under it and it was dumping transmission fluid all over the ground. it probably lost like 1 or 2 quarts then stopped. it was coming from the top somewhere and only down the passenger side. got it towed home and drove it like 5 feet to park it and it was fine. no noise or leaking. checked the fluid today cold and it's way over the do not fill mark then let it run and ran it through the gears and it is still reading in the same spot. i have no clue what it could be any ideas???????
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2005
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What year and model of truck, with what engine?
May be that a transmission fluid cooler pipe has failed. You would need to check the condition of the two pipes.
Check the fluid level with the engine running at idle and the trans in Park.
May be that a transmission fluid cooler pipe has failed. You would need to check the condition of the two pipes.
Check the fluid level with the engine running at idle and the trans in Park.
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It's an 01 f150 with the 5.4L v8. It Also has 185,000miles on it. I checked it while it was running and in park. Still reading way over full. I checked both lines no leaks or anything very clean. Maybe the cooler failed? The line goes from the tranny to the radiator then to a cooler and then back to the tranny. Could it be the smaller one?
Post Fiend
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Possible but there would be obvious signs of red transmission fluid in that area.
The fluid may have come out of the vent at the top of the trans but again there would be red fluid down the side of the trans.
Try this test. With engine off clean the trans dipstick, replace and withdraw and note the fluid level. Now do the same thing with the engine running, trans in Park. See if there is a difference in the dipstick level. With the engine running and trans in Park the level should be noticably lower than with engine off. If it is not you may have a front pump failure or the transmission filter has fallen into the pan. Although neither would explain the fluid loss.
The fluid may have come out of the vent at the top of the trans but again there would be red fluid down the side of the trans.
Try this test. With engine off clean the trans dipstick, replace and withdraw and note the fluid level. Now do the same thing with the engine running, trans in Park. See if there is a difference in the dipstick level. With the engine running and trans in Park the level should be noticably lower than with engine off. If it is not you may have a front pump failure or the transmission filter has fallen into the pan. Although neither would explain the fluid loss.
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Maybe i didn't write it right but there is red fluid down the passenger side of the trans. Im pretty sure it came from the vent on top. Also the fluid level has never change no matter how i check it it is always over full.
Frmr Ford Trans Engr
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: SE Florida
If it is overfilled it can force fluid out of the vent on top. That's normal for an overfilled transmission.
Are you checking the fluid with the trans warmed up, in park, and the engine idling?
Are you checking the fluid with the trans warmed up, in park, and the engine idling?
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Yes i am. Now i haven't touched the trans fluid since I've owned it. So wouldn't this of happened earlier?
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Frmr Ford Trans Engr
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: SE Florida
It's got to get hot enough for the fluid to expand to come out of the vent. It often won't happen in cool weather.
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Frmr Ford Trans Engr
Joined: Aug 1999
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I don't know.
You can test it. You need two containers, each at least one gallon, and a helper.
Warm up the transmission. Remove the cooler line where it attaches to the REAR of the transmission. Aim this line into one of the containers. Have a helper start the engine. Once the flow from the line is steady move the line to the second container for EXACTLY 15 seconds, then put it back in the first bucket and shut the engine off. If there is at least a quart in the second container it passes. A small amount of fluid coming out of the open connection in the trans where you removed the line is fine. If it is pumping out of there it fails the test.
If it fails there are three possibilities. One, a blocked cooler. Two, a restricted cooler line. Three, a failed/stuck bypass valve.
You can test it. You need two containers, each at least one gallon, and a helper.
Warm up the transmission. Remove the cooler line where it attaches to the REAR of the transmission. Aim this line into one of the containers. Have a helper start the engine. Once the flow from the line is steady move the line to the second container for EXACTLY 15 seconds, then put it back in the first bucket and shut the engine off. If there is at least a quart in the second container it passes. A small amount of fluid coming out of the open connection in the trans where you removed the line is fine. If it is pumping out of there it fails the test.
If it fails there are three possibilities. One, a blocked cooler. Two, a restricted cooler line. Three, a failed/stuck bypass valve.
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That's very helpful. So there are two lines that run to the trans they are cooler lines and they live on the passenger side of the trans and are just after the bell housing or maybe the middle of the trans but defiantly nothing in the rear of the trans. Should i open the return line?
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hey Mark! So i tried the trick and nothing came out of the return line so i took it off at the tranny and nothing came out. so i took it off at the cooler and fluid came out. so i went and cleaned the line out with parts washer fluid and blew air threw it and put it back on. It worked the fluid level is now showing were it needs to be but now when you go to drive it there is a squealing noise coming from underneath and it only does it when your in a gear. so do you think that my tranny is or went out or maybe the tourqe converter?
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