I've got a small (drip on the floor) leak that appears to be coming out of the shift linkage lever on the driver side of my C6 tranny. It kinda puddles around on the tranny pan etc, but I can see what makes me think its coming out of the lever assembly. I'm not sure what to call it. Its the lever that the shifter cable moves when one changes gears. Otherwise the tranny--not too long since rebuild-works fine, and I don't think it was dripping last week. I think it just started. It may have been leaking all along, but is now getting worse. I don't know for sure. Can someone tell me--can I drop the tranny pan and fix that somehow? Is there some sort of damaged bushing like thing? Will it get worse or stay the same? Do I have to remove the tranny to fix? I'm lost on this one. Any help appreciated.

Tomget

 

You can replace the seal by dropping the pan and removing the shaft.
The kick down lever comes through from the inside and must come out also. Remove the nut on the outside and it slides out to the inside when the shaft comes out. Nut on the inside holds the shaft in. Remove one valve body bolt and the detent spring to make it easier. The park actuator is also involved but you can see how it all works when the pan is off.
Seal in the case and O-ring for the kick down.
Hope this helps.
It isn't all that complicated if you are somewhat mechanically inclined.

 

Just to add to 52 F3's post, the trans can stay in the truck. And IIRC, the filter will be in the way also.

 

Thanks for your responses. That's a big load off my mind. I can't afford any "expensive" repairs at the moment. This definitely sounds like a can do for me. I have, on someone else's car, changed tranny filters etc, but only a couple times etc. And on this truck before I got it running-I swapped out the OEM tranny pan for a cast aluminum unit with more cooling and fluid capacity etc. And I installed this tranny and the torque converter too. So I know what they look like inside---a little. I just don't know what I'm looking at. You know what I mean? This is the first automatic that I've ever owned!! Call me sheltered. But I'm sure I understand your directions in general and I should be fine. I'll sleep better tonight.

Tomget

 

I'm just now getting to this and I'm stuck for the moment. I don't have the above mentioned "nut on the outside". And I don't have a kickdown either. This tranny has been around. I don't know what it is but I do have a flat piece of 1/8metal about 3inches in diameter that looks like it is the remnant of maybe a kickdown?, because I can see it was chopped off something. It must be holding the shaft in place. There's nothing else there. Do you think I can somehow hold the 7/8 nut on the end of the shaft inside the case and "somehow whack" this thing and it will unscrew? I can't see any threads. Does this really come off?

I know nothing about these C6trannies but I'm sure they vary. I should get a photo. Its not the linkage for shift cable etc--I already removed that no problem. So now I'm just trying to remove the shaft and replace seal o ring and or whatever.

Any help appreciated.

Good luck Tom

 

All the c-6's i've seen have the same or very similar arangement for the shift linkage and kick down levers at the trans.

Maybe the one you have has had something changed. A pic would help a lot.
Does it have anything for the kick down rod to connect to.

 

I hope this photo helps.

Tom

 

You don't have enough parts there.
Their should be a shaft sticling out through the center of that with an arm held onto it by a nut. Evidently this has been left out and the hole plugged with something. You have no provision for a kick down. Also the arm has been cut odd that the shift linkage hooks to.
You need to find the whole works to replace what you have.
If you take the nut off from the inside that should slip out and you can see the seal in the case.




If the pic works it is from the Ford shop manual.
It shows the linkage from the inside with the valve body removed. You can see the end of both levers on the outside.
Sorry not the best illus. but all I could come up with right quick. Maybe it will help a little.

 

Thanks for the input. That really helps, but in spite of missing the kick down linkage etc that's not a problem for me. It all works fine the way it
is if I could just get the leak stopped. That's the only issue that concerns me.

I'm not sure I've got enough room to wrench on that 7/8 bolt inside the transmission. I'd need a short 7/8 wrench to clear a nearby crossmember etc, but I can get on it. I just don't think I can move it. But I'll mess with it.

Appreciate yur help thanks a lot
Tomget

 

As a followup-I got some info and I see now what has happened. The OEM Ford kickdown lever "would be" a shaft coming through the center of the photograhed shaft appearing in the previous photo post. If you look closely you can see that someone cut off the shaft and its nut and filled the remaining void with something like JB weld etc. And also I've discovered that the pictured "cut off looking piece of metal" is the OEM shift linkage that would connect to the OEM column shift lever assembly etc..

This was done by a previous owner of the transmission who was 1. not using the kickdown feature because he'd modified/swapped motors trucks etc and didn't want or didn't know how to configure the OEM kickdown linkage to what he had now created and 2. the cut off OEM shift linkage is common when people add a aftermarket floor shifter type device that comes with its own linkage that is attached to the transmissions shifter shaft and the OEM is no longer used and in fact might now be in the way etc so it often gets removed.

So I hope I've explained what I have and why its this way. I didn't understand this when I began.

So now 1. the JB Weld or whatever could be leaking--but i doubt it and I think I'll grind that out and see if a portion of the OEM kickdown shaft still exists inside that now filled area and if applicable I'll replace the o ring or o rings that are required and then refill the void with JB or something, and then 2. I'll attempt to replace the shifter shaft seal from the inside of the case by removing the 7/8 nut from inside the case and sliding shaft in and exposing seal. But I may wait to get a Tranny book etc to guide me a little. To me, it looks like I might screw it up, and I don't want that.

Good luck Tomget

 

Everything you say makes sense but you have to remove the shift lever shaft completely to replace the seal. The seal is driven from the outside and seats against a shoulder in the case. No way to put it in from the inside.

 

here's an exploded diagram:

 

Thanks 52F3 and Thanks Havi for the diagram. That makes it much clearer. I may eventually learn something. Yes I saw the drawing in the earlier post that showed the mechanic driving the seal in place from the outside of the case with a hammer and some specific tool etc. That's kinda troubling. I was hoping the seal would go from the inside of the case.

I'll study the diagram and learn, hopefully.

Thanks
Tomget

 

Don't worry about the special tool too much. The right size socket works great.

If you get the 7/8 nut off the shaft slides out no problen. Pop the old seal out new seal in and put the shaft back in.
Check for burs on the end of the shaft before you slide it back through the new seal.

 

OK I follow you. So you're saying if I can get that 7/8 nut off the inside then the outside of the case where I need to install the seal will be available.

And I guess the old seal will pop off etc and I'll use the socket to set the replacement. I understand that. And you don't think that the "goofy" treatment of how the kickdown was eliminated and covered over etc will cause me any problem?
I was concerned now that as I've learned more maybe that would goof up the whole deal etc. But not so?

If I take the old seal into NAPA, could they get me a replacement or would I need a part number or special place to buy etc? Got any ideas about that?

Thanks
Tomget