E4OD Leaking fluid-Torque Converter??
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 224
Likes: 1
From: Northern IN
E4OD Leaking fluid-Torque Converter??
I pulled my 1996 E350 into the shop last night, and there was a trail of tranny flued on the concrete, and a puddle under the torque convertor area after I shut it off. I restarted the truck, and it was almost running out again-very fast drip. Now what?
The tranny is a Ford Reman'd unit, with app 30k on it, and I'm pretty sure the converter was also replaced. It doesn't have the drain plug on the convetor, bit I suspect the seal went out at the front of the tranny.
I guess I'm lucky it happened when it did, as I just got home after pulling a trailer weighing app 10k for about 45 miles, but I didn't pull it hard and fast, never over 55, and the last 2 miles about 35 due to rough roads. I had just unhooked the trailer, restarted the truck and put it in the shop when it started leaking. Not even a puddle at the spot I stopped at to unhook the trailer, but then a few hundred feet later a nice (NOT) trail of fluid. I checked the level, and it was just at the low end of the Full when hot level, so it hadn't leaked long.
What's the solution? Pull the tranny and replace the seal?
The tranny is a Ford Reman'd unit, with app 30k on it, and I'm pretty sure the converter was also replaced. It doesn't have the drain plug on the convetor, bit I suspect the seal went out at the front of the tranny.
I guess I'm lucky it happened when it did, as I just got home after pulling a trailer weighing app 10k for about 45 miles, but I didn't pull it hard and fast, never over 55, and the last 2 miles about 35 due to rough roads. I had just unhooked the trailer, restarted the truck and put it in the shop when it started leaking. Not even a puddle at the spot I stopped at to unhook the trailer, but then a few hundred feet later a nice (NOT) trail of fluid. I checked the level, and it was just at the low end of the Full when hot level, so it hadn't leaked long.
What's the solution? Pull the tranny and replace the seal?
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,903
Likes: 1
From: MICHIGAN
Believe it or not the solution is to wait till it's cooled off. It just may stop leaking but a new front seal might be in your future. Not to hard to replace except the tranny needs to come out 
There are a couple posts here that had the same leak under the same circumstances and the leak went away after it cooled down overnight. You likely got the tranny pretty hot. The last 2 miles might have done it, not enough air moving over the cooler? WHo knows. The extra heat softens the seal which creates a leak is the best explaination others have come up with. A better tranny cooler solved one IIRC.
There are a couple posts here that had the same leak under the same circumstances and the leak went away after it cooled down overnight. You likely got the tranny pretty hot. The last 2 miles might have done it, not enough air moving over the cooler? WHo knows. The extra heat softens the seal which creates a leak is the best explaination others have come up with. A better tranny cooler solved one IIRC.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 12,835
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From: Silver Lake Dunes, MI
I agree with Jim on the cause. that last 2 miles is what heated your tranny up. It time for a bigger tranny cooler and a tranny temp gauge. Then you will know what going on there. If it doesn't stop leaking then your looking at a new front seal. any chance the tranny is still under warrantee?
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 224
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From: Northern IN
Not likely under warranty. I think it only had a 12k, 12 month warranty. I didn't think it would heat up when going slow since I was only in 2nd at the time. But I guess it makes sense with low airflow across the cooler. Well, we will see what it's like tomorrow.
I don't pull a heavy trailer often, and this is the first time it's done this. I guess I thougt slow was better as less load, but who would have known.
I don't pull a heavy trailer often, and this is the first time it's done this. I guess I thougt slow was better as less load, but who would have known.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,903
Likes: 1
From: MICHIGAN
Oh yah, I forgot to mention about reverse. Backing-up your trailer will get the tranny hot too, especially if you were going up a slight incline. If backing the trailer for ~100 feet or jockying back and forth, the tranny gets hot really quick. Then shutting the engine off will heatsoak the oil. It usually pukes about this time. I leave the truck running (idled up) while disconnecting the trailer. If your trailer has surge brakes it even worse if you don't lock-out the master cylinder on the trailer. The brakes on the trailer are holding itself back.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 224
Likes: 1
From: Northern IN
Yeh, I backed up the trailer, but it was on level ground, and it was empty after I unloaded the TLB so that shouldn't have been an issue, but it may have been just enough to do it. Probably because I shut the engine off for the 5 min or so it took to unload the tractor before backing the trailer up to park it. Dang, now I know better 
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 254
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From: Youngstown,ohio
Man are hese transmissions really that flimsy?
I thought they were supposed to be tough when I bought my van.
I mean I heard they werent the best thing later on but god thinking your babying it and it craps?
I thought they were supposed to be tough when I bought my van.
I mean I heard they werent the best thing later on but god thinking your babying it and it craps?
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 597
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From: West Palm Beach, Florida
How hard is it to change that front seal? Anybody got a good step-by-step? I am flying up to Philly today to go get that shuttle bus I bought last year and the tranny is leaking fluid out from the front. If I fill it up and drive it it shifts good and drives out nice so I want to fix the leak and head home to South Florida in it.
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Elder User
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Albuquerque
"Not likely under warranty. I think it only had a 12k, 12 month warranty. I didn't think it would heat up when going slow since I was only in 2nd at the time. But I guess it makes sense with low airflow across the cooler. Well, we will see what it's like tomorrow.
I don't pull a heavy trailer often, and this is the first time it's done this. I guess I thougt slow was better as less load, but who would have known."
I think that is incorrect. Ford is pretty proud of their Re-man E4ODs and I believe they have a 2 year warranty when bought at the Dealership. I would be dialing them up and rattling some cages if it were me. 30k on a re-man tranny should be dealt with by Ford IMO.
I don't pull a heavy trailer often, and this is the first time it's done this. I guess I thougt slow was better as less load, but who would have known.
"I think that is incorrect. Ford is pretty proud of their Re-man E4ODs and I believe they have a 2 year warranty when bought at the Dealership. I would be dialing them up and rattling some cages if it were me. 30k on a re-man tranny should be dealt with by Ford IMO.
Last edited by Suber; Jun 5, 2007 at 10:32 AM.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Northern IN
Originally Posted by Suber
I think that is incorrect. Ford is pretty proud of their Re-man E4ODs and I believe they have a 2 year warranty when bought at the Dealership. I would be dialing them up and rattling some cages if it were me. 30k on a re-man tranny should be dealt with by Ford IMO.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 254
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From: Youngstown,ohio
Originally Posted by Suber
I think that is incorrect. Ford is pretty proud of their Re-man E4ODs and I believe they have a 2 year warranty when bought at the Dealership. I would be dialing them up and rattling some cages if it were me. 30k on a re-man tranny should be dealt with by Ford IMO.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 597
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From: West Palm Beach, Florida
The Ford gray seal is the problem. Good call Cuda Jim
Gray seal was the culprit. I bought the Viton replacement. I just got it out and lowered down enough to pull the old seal and tap in the new one. I slid the torque converter back on and I'm going to lift the tranny back up into place tomorrow morning and see how she does. I'm pretty sure it was just leaking from the center seal from torque converter to pump. There didn't seem to be any leakage around the pump housing. I'm hoping that it goes back together and is done. Fluid looked good as it leaked out. If I get her back together and the leak is gone I will change the filter and fluid and head south 1,200 miles to home. I have a transmission temperature gauge I am going to install too with a little metal pod that I will mount alone up on the dash by the pillar. I'm pretty sure it was rebuilt. The torque converter has the following stamped on it: REMANUFACTURED XL 3Z DARM 01601P and there are spots of blue paint and some partially deteriorated painted numbers in different places like rebuilders use to ID their own personal rebuilds. Is there anything else I need to do before I put it back together? Thanks, Eric
You guys are the best!!!!!!!
You guys are the best!!!!!!!
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: West Palm Beach, Florida
Truck designed for somewhat easy TC removal
I was able to remove the TC and change the seal without actually completely removing the tranny. There is just enough travel in the slip joint and just enough room all the way around to undo everything on the front of the tranny and drop it straight down and slide off the TC and replace seal and slide it back in and jack the tranny back up into place without unhooking the driveshaft. Unhooked the cooling lines, dropped the crossmember, flexplate bolts removed, pulled the bolts out around the bell housing, removed center carrier bolts and Voila, slid her back a little and dropped it down. Jacked up the engine a little and had plenty of room to work.
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