Towed 65 miles because of a retaining clip?

[bigburban383]

I went to the sand dunes today and my tranny decided to start pukin fluid like a sieve from the front. I was dragging another dead jeep when it happend (another story). Anyways, the first thing that came to mind was that front pump seal retainer clip on 700R4s. In the rush of things and my nubish being, I forgot to install the retainer clip when I got the whole truck assembled. I had hammered the dang thing in so I figured that it would be okay.

Is there enough pressure to blow that seal out under heavy load?

 

[big83chevy4x4]

i personally never heard of anyone blowing fluid past the seal because of the retaining clip.

i would check to see where it was leaking at. while towing you are heating the fluid up hot, could it have posibly come from the dipstick? if it did, your vent tube is pluged.

 

[Triaged]

I have had that seal go on my th350...took me 24 quarts of tranny fluid but no tow to get it home /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

The th350 doesn't have a retainer and I can't see a 700r4 using that much more pressure.

Did you replace the torque converter bushing behind that seal when you put the seal in? I have always been told to do those both at the same time.

 

[bigburban383]

I didn't replace any bushing behind the seal. The leak didn't come up through the dip stick, it was absolutly gushing from the front of the tranny, from under the dust shield like somebody was cut open a couple quarts of oil and dumped them. Also, if I start the engine for 2 seconds it starts leaking again so it can't be overheating. I guess either way, the tranny gong to have to come out, in a driveway /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/weld.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grind.gif

 

[Blue85]

That seal is a know weakness on 700's (and 4l60's, etc.). That's why that retainer clip was invented. I don't know if having one would have saved you or not. I guess it depends on whether the seal was unseated or it it broke. The fact that you were towing through the sand when it happened suggests that it was an overheating problem that caused the failure.

It's possible that all you need is a new seal and a retaining clip. Do you have the locking dipstick? Have you checked the vent line on the tranny? What kind of cooler do you have? Do you have a temp gauge?