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Stop laughing!!! Help me out here...

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middletoneric

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OK, so I finally did it. Bought myself a '87 K5. Its got a 305(strange huh?) 700R4, NP208, 4"lift and 35"rubbers. Good nuff for now! Heres the problem though- Ive never owned an automatic and feel like a kid again. Right behind the oil pan is this...kind of a curved plate...that has a leak. What is this plate called - and who has a gasket for it? Thanks for your time, and for not laughing where I can hear you anyway!
/forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif -Eric
 
The Curved plate is just an inspection cover for the torque converter & flexplate. There is no gasket for it. Is it leaking engine oil or tranny fluid? If it's oil it could be the rear oil pan gasket or rear main. If it's tranny fluid, it could be the front pump seal from the tranny.. Need a little more info.
 
First off, Welcome. /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif Second I would guess that it is the transmission pan. No big deal, you can get a gasket at an auto parts store and there are 15-20 bolts that hold on the pan. While you are at it I would change the oil and filter, also an easy task.

If you are talking about the flexplate dust shield than it might be the front pump seal on the tranny or your rear main seal on the motor. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Oh and there is nothing weird about a 305 powered 87', a lot came with 305's.
 
The Curved plate is just an inspection cover for the torque converter & flexplate. There is no gasket for it. Is it leaking engine oil or tranny fluid? If it's oil it could be the rear oil pan gasket or rear main. If it's tranny fluid, it could be the front pump seal from the tranny.. Need a little more info.

OK, so from what you guys are saying along with a guy reading over my shoulder- the cover is for the Torque Converter. It has a hole that looks as it it was put there on purpose in the bottom of it just a bit on the passenger side, its not threaded though. And it is Tranny fluid thats coming out of it. So who makes a good "front pump seal" for the tranny since that seams like what its looking like it is...I guess. Heh. Thanks -Eric
 
I noticed you said you have a "built Th700R-4" Built as in how? Ive seen quite a few companies that have shift kits, booster pumps, and a bunch of other crap but since this whole automatic thing is new to me I dont really know what is for what. I read up on torque converters and realized that I DONT want that 3,500rpm that this one guy I know has in his truck. Why would you do that!? Unless you do nothing but mud bogs or somethign it seems to me as if crawling down a trail would be pretty much impossible! Also, could you or anyone out there tell me if my NP208 is even considered decent, can they take a beating? /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif
Thanks again -Eric
 
208 can be a good transfer case if you want to go to a little work to right the things GM did that off roaders don't like. First the slip yoke out put can be converted to a fixed yoke output. This is considered stronger and gives you the ability to pull the rear shaft without losing tranny fluid. Secondly You can clock them upwards away from the ground. This is a little more involved as it requires exhaust modification, stiffening rod modifications and shifter linkage adjustments. Depending on how much you clock it (rotate) you may have to open up some clearance in the floor.(cut a hole). Like I said though this is a larger modification and another benefit of it would be the ability to skid plate underneath the transfercase. This is probably one of the most important things to preserve the transfercase. Aluminum cases don't like rock rash. Benefits of keeping the 208 are a lower low range. Usually very smooth shifting and they are lighter weight. That is about all I can tell you on that subject.
 
I think a seal is a seal. I have no real preference on brand. You're right about the hole in the bottom of the cover. It's a drain hole to let out water that gets inside.

I don't know your mechanical adeptude, but I hate doing transmission work. I was in the same boat you were. thought my seal was just leaking. Turns out that the input shaft & bearing were all worn too. Front pump was shot. ended up dishing out $1500 for rebuilt tranny. PLus it was REAL cold the week I was going to do it. Didn't feel like lying on the ground outside seperating motor & tranny in -10 weather
 
Well before you decide what the leak is like it seems you have figure out where it's coming from. ANY leak on the back of the engine has the potential to have the oil make it to that point.

It would kind suck in a really big way to pull a transmission only to find the leak is the valve covers. /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif

Get you a flash light and start snooping around. Take that inspection cover off and see how wet it is in there and where it's wet in there. The seal for the converter usualy get tranny fluid slung all over. Front pump seal will drip there and usualy wet allong the transmssion pan. A rear main seal leak on the engine may or may not get on the flex plate. it will be all wet upo between the flex plate and the block.

Get a clean paper towel and touch it to the drips on the cover and see what color it is. red,pink,burgandy is Tranny. Oil is brown all though burnt tranny flud can be brown as well. If in doubt smell it and the yank your dipstick for the transmission and smell that. AT has a distinct stink. That will eliminate half the potential leaks your looking for once you figure out if it's ATF or Oil.

I think you going to find you have valvecover leaks. That's the most comon place for a leak and the easiest to take care of. DONT OVER TIGHTEN THE VALVE COVER BOLTS that's what cause most of the leaks.

Welcome to CK5.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I noticed you said you have a "built Th700R-4" Built as in how? Ive seen quite a few companies that have shift kits, booster pumps, and a bunch of other crap but since this whole automatic thing is new to me I dont really know what is for what. I read up on torque converters and realized that I DONT want that 3,500rpm that this one guy I know has in his truck. Why would you do that!? Unless you do nothing but mud bogs or somethign it seems to me as if crawling down a trail would be pretty much impossible! Also, could you or anyone out there tell me if my NP208 is even considered decent, can they take a beating? /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif
Thanks again -Eric

[/ QUOTE ]
I have a whole bunch of stuff in mine that beefs it up pretty well. If you are really interested pick up the latest issue of Fourwheeler mag with the greenish Avalanche on the cover. There is a th700 upgrade article in there and has basically the same stuff as mine.

It is a mix of 4l60, 4l80, late model th700, and aftermarket parts. If you are really interested than let me know and I will go into detail.

As for the 3,500RPM stall, that is great for a SBC that is running 600" of lift and 250 plus duration on the cam. Those hi performance motors don't make power below a certain RPM so with that hi of a stall it will launch at the designated RPM where the motor is making good power. The downside is that the converter slips up to that designated RPM and that causes heat, the higher the stall, the more heat that is generated making it harder for street duty the more radical it gets. Most cams that are good for 4x4's work well with a stock stall converter. /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif
 
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