Help w/ Leaky Transmission Pan...Nevermind New Prob now w/ Leaky Trans

[mudbog42]

what do you guys use when you put your transmission pan back up to keep it from leaking.

I had to replace it yesterday because the cork gasket lasted only about 6 months then started leaking.

Then yesterday I bought a new gasket from autozone and it was a rubber one but that leaked all over

should I use rtv on the gasket to seal it up

Thanks

Oh yeah its for my 86 K-5 with a 700r tranny and I have the pan off right now and cleaned up, just want some help before doing it again and it leaks again.

 

[ryan22re]

My guess is the pan isn't flat or you are overtightening the bolts.

I've never used anything other than a gasket.

Are you sure it's the pan and not the pump/front seal area leaking down onto the pan area?

 

[mudbog42]

Yeah its the pan, maybe I did overtorque then but didn't seam like it, the pan looks pretty straight. Should I try again with just the rubber gasket??

 

[ryan22re]

Couldn't hurt. I would try to avoid RTV at all costs.

 

[mudbog42]

Ok thanks I'm gonna try again right now, hopefully it works this time.

 

[tRustyK5]

The newer 700R-4 pans are a lot thicker/stronger and have a better gasket mount surface. I can't remember when GM started using them though. A friend of mine works at a large GM dealership here (tpi-boy here on CK5) and gave me one of the newer pans and what he called the 'good' gasket. It's not cork or rubber. It's a black gasket, seems like a thick coated paper gasket. He said he never has leak problems with the newer pan and that type of gasket.

Rene

 

[mudbog42]

My guess is the pan isn't flat or you are overtightening the bolts.

I've never used anything other than a gasket.

Are you sure it's the pan and not the pump/front seal area leaking down onto the pan area?

Yup you were right its not the pan, put the pan back on and started the truck and it was leaking just from the front, so I pulled off the bellhousing which was full of tranny fluid and the fluid was coming down from the top in there somewhere so I'm assuming its the seal up there

Any recommendations on what I should do about the transmission-rebuild, new one (TCI), I don't know

Thanks

 

[ryan22re]

You could just put a front seal and pump gasket in it. Pretty common occurance. I think there are some threads on here about it.

I wouldn't rebuild it just because it's leaking from the front seal. Unless it has other problems. Or you just want to do it for peace of mind.

I'd price out some local rebuilders before you drop the coin on a reman unit. Maybe see if they'll work with you, let you pull it and then just carry the transmission to them. I rebuilt my 700 myself, and spent about $500-600 in parts alone.

 

[thatK30guy]

Never use RTV sealant. Use Vaseline. Yep, smear it on the pan lip and then put the gasket on. Smear some on the gasket side and then button it on back up the tranny again.

Don't laugh about Vaseline. It has more uses than just sexual you know?

 

[mudbog42]

Well I've never had any problems with the tranny, but it has about 190,000 miles on it now and its never been rebuilt, so I guess I could just replace the seal, I've never done one, is it a difficult task??

 

[ryan22re]

Nope. It's just like every other seal. Maybe replace the pump gasket too while you are in there. Also make sure the sealing surface on the converter isn't scored and there isn't excessive play in the front pump that would cause the new seal to fail prematurely.

 

[Pvt. Maggot]

Don't mean to hijack, but does anyone know what the seal is called where the shift linkage bolts to? mine is leaking a good bit, and does anyone know why my transfer case would be leaking tranny fluid? God I hate leaks. hijack off.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

You are NEVER supposed to use RTV on an automatic transmission. Supposedly the RTV that gets squeezed on the interior side of the pan can break loose and clog the filter and then bye bye trans