I have a early 1999 PSD 4 X 4 with about 83000 miles on it. I just hooked onto my 30' fifth wheel to tow it to northern Arizona. The place I towed it to had a fairly steep gravel drive that I did not use four wheel drive to get up, just slow and easy. I then had to back about 100 feet up a slight grade to park. Everything seemed to be ok until I got out to unhook. There was a one foot circle of trans oil and a 3" wide trail for about ten feet. I did not look at the trans temp gauge ( didn't think there was a need at the time). After parking the truck it had about ten drips on the concrete. Checked the fluid level and test ran the truck. It ran as usual. Whats up with the oil over flow? This has never happened before. Trans fluid was changed about 8000 miles ago.

 

I don't have an answer for you but something similar happened to me last weekend in my 2002 F350 PSD. Hauled 7000 lb for about 300 miles, got to the house and backed down the driveway 100ft.
When I got out of the truck I noticed a little trans fluid line down the driveway where I backed up. I did look at my temp gauge (temps normal ) because I had a problem 2 weeks with trans oil dumping after a long drive and I was not even pulling anything. I took it to Ford and they changed trans fluid and filter. They used synthetic fluid and said that would fix the overheating issue.

I am not sure my gauge even works properly because it never changes once I start driving.

I am also looking for answers.

 

For whatever it is worth I just read another thread here in the last day or so that reverse up a slight hill will raise the tranny temperture dramatically.

 

My "Drip line" started as soon as I start to back up so it had nothing to do with being in reverse too long. Also, my driveway is flat and straight.

 

ChuckG...My guess is that you got the fluid pretty hot in the tow up the hill (big load, slow speed, little air flow over the cooler), then it boiled when you backed up. Backing with a load on is real hard and builds heat very rapidly in the tranny. I have a 35' 5er and whenever I have to back up any distance, I put it in 4wd low-range with the front hubs locked out (so I am just in two wheel drive). This takes a lot of the load off the tranny, but I keep one eye on the tranny temp gauge irregardless. I'd change the tranny fluid, though it probably isn't needed...small cost for peace of mind. Neal

 

When the torque converter gets too hot the seal relaxes and fluid comes out. The best way to get the torque converter too hot is towing at very low speeds. Uphill works even better, and uphill in reverse is the best way of all to get a torque converter too hot.

Using 4x4 low will help a lot. Replacing the original seal with an aftermarket seal will almost always fix the problem for good, but the trans has to come out to do this.