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Was towing a load tonight and my transmission started leaking only my exhaust and smoked like crazy.
Transmission still shifts but is leaking around this thing.
I’m ignorant.
Many idea what this is and why it’d start leaking.
That is an access plug for servicing the torque converter (back when they all had plugs to drain them). You have likely overheated and started leaking out the front seal.
That is an access plug for servicing the torque converter (back when they all had plugs to drain them). You have likely overheated and started leaking out the front seal.
dammit
Would that typically by just a seal replace or worse?
It depends on what is found when the seal is removed. The bushing behind the seal could have failed and made the seal leak. It could have damaged the torque converter, too, and if so it needs to be replaced.
Just a couple of curiosity questions, how heavy and how long was the tow and over what type of terrain was the 5.4 pulling? And did the leak begin when traveling forward or in reverse? How many miles on the EX and did you happen to be monitoring the trans temp (not the dash gauge) when it leaked?
Just a couple of curiosity questions, how heavy and how long was the tow and over what type of terrain was the 5.4 pulling? And did the leak begin when traveling forward or in reverse? How many miles on the EX and did you happen to be monitoring the trans temp (not the dash gauge) when it leaked?
Alright
about 6000 pounds maybe a little less.
About 1/4 mile. Probably less.
182000 miles
Going forward
dirt road
no idea how to monitor trans temp
Any info or criticism is welcome. I’ve read on other threads that the seal gets hot, leaks, and usually goes back to normal non-leaking.
Is that correct?
Any way for me to know for sure other than pulling it out?
The most common seal leaks seem to be while reversing, especially up a grade after towing for a while and the trans is already hot, then reversing under higher load with no air flow through the cooler gets the fluid and seal hotter and then the seal gets soft enough to leak some. Many times after the seal cools back down it will return to normal and not leak, but like Mark said, if the sealing surfaces have been scored then that damage will need to be dealt with.
For any rigs that tow regularly with the 4R100 trans its recommended to monitor the trans temp via either an app like Torque on your phone or tablet with a dongle plugged into the OBDII port or with a stand alone gauge with the sensor installed in the trans test port. Getting too hot is very unhealthy for these otherwise good transmissions, that's why monitoring temps while towing is recommended.
Does your EX have the trans cooler circuit inside the radiator as well as the air to oil cooler in front of the radiator? Some early EXs didn't have that extra cooling loop.
Now that it's cooled back down to ambient temperature you can start it up and see if you still are leaking without the heat and towing load.
The most common seal leaks seem to be while reversing, especially up a grade after towing for a while and the trans is already hot, then reversing under higher load with no air flow through the cooler gets the fluid and seal hotter and then the seal gets soft enough to leak some. Many times after the seal cools back down it will return to normal and not leak, but like Mark said, if the sealing surfaces have been scored then that damage will need to be dealt with.
For any rigs that tow regularly with the 4R100 trans its recommended to monitor the trans temp via either an app like Torque on your phone or tablet with a dongle plugged into the OBDII port or with a stand alone gauge with the sensor installed in the trans test port. Getting too hot is very unhealthy for these otherwise good transmissions, that's why monitoring temps while towing is recommended.
Does your EX have the trans cooler circuit inside the radiator as well as the air to oil cooler in front of the radiator? Some early EXs didn't have that extra cooling loop.
Now that it's cooled back down to ambient temperature you can start it up and see if you still are leaking without the heat and towing load.
Thank you for your time.
I'm a very mechanically minded person, but I'm brand new to the eccentricities of the Excursion, so please assume that on those particulars that I am a complete ignoramus--- because I am. I've been driving those YukonXLs since about 2007 and the old Suburbans before that, while yarning for an Excursion until just a few weeks ago when I finally got one.
So, the cooler set-up for my Excursion is unknown to me right now, but it was a one-owner soccer mom truck. If the secondary cooler is an aftermarket installation then it's reasonable to assume that it isn't there. If it may have come from the factory, then how can I find out?
I'm 100% in favor of dealing with any damage. This truck is otherwise pretty pristine, so I want to keep it that way.
The moment it started showing smoke from the fluid burning on the exhaust, I shut the motor down.
We called my wife who came with my old 2004 YukonXL. By the time we got the trailer switched over (at least two hours) the Excursion wasn't dripping any more.
The Yukon pulled the load home without much issue. It was overloaded, but it handled it. (That fact is a little embarrassing!)
I cranked the Ex and drove it home without any apparent issue.
It shifted through all gears smoothly.
Can you tell me more about the phone app and all of that? I want to do whatever I can to preserve and protect my Excursion.
My bluetooth obdlink mx adapter doesn’t work with ios, afaik you need a wifi adapter to work with ios.
If you are going to buy one, might as well buy a good one that will last. My obdlink is going on 5yrs old now and is still supported and upgradable. Amazon could get you one tomorrow.....
as far as cooler, there is a lot of info about that upgrade. I almost did it, but dont tow enough now to justify it. My normal highway temps are like 145F last time I checked. Its a bit warmer now so should check again. I just have the stock 6.8 cooler which is like 1/2 the size of the 6.0 cooler.
Many of the various monitoring apps will list which dongles are know to work well with the app, most are bought online.
All EXs came with an air to oil trans cooler between the AC condenser and radiator, some early models did not have the additional cooling loop inside the radiator, for towing work you definitely want both. Take a look at you radiator tank on the passenger side to see if you have the trans fluid tubing going into and out of it, I think it was only '00 rigs that lacked the water to oil cooler. The 6.0 air to oil cooler is about twice as big as the factory cooler for the V-10 and what I would assume the 5.4 has from the factory.
I have the 6.0 cooler and the other day towing 400+ miles in 84* ambient temps the trans ran at a steady 167* or so towing at 70 MPH and 20,000lbs combined weight. The trans should be safe to operate as high as 220*-ish according to Mark K.
