I have pulled my transmission to replace the front seal but while i have it out i wondered if there is a gasket behind the plate the front seal goes in im afraid to take it out cause i do not know what will pop out at me i do not want to re install the tranny just to find another leak i can't fix with out pulling it all again any ideas
That would be your front pump. Not sure about the tf's but I know the gm's require removal of the valve body prior to the pump. It would be a can of worms if you aren't ready to do that job, and could cause more harm than good, I'd recommend leaving it alone, for now anyways.
how common would it be for that to leak just making sure there is no other leaks the front seal looked ugly
Thats not common to leak at all. I would concern myself with what is wrong with the seal. And what broke it.
aren't these known for torque converter issues? I would take a close look at the converter for any signs of cracking or other carnage.
The lock up convertors more so than non lockup.
There is an O-ring in there, but you have to tear down the transmission and use the front band to retain the front clutch so it doesn't pop out, according to the TSM. There's a special note about it.
the tranny was a used 1 i bought it sat for many many years in a shop and in a shed i installed it and did not change it the fist time so i gotta pull it all over again to change a 3 $ seal when we removed it the torque converter looks like brand new i think its just a dried up seal the rubber just fell apart when we were attempting to remove it still have to get a slide hammer to try and get it out. my first attempt was a fail.
Slide hammer for the win. When I overhauled mine I had a flathead screwdriver to gently guide the bottom of the front plate outward but on the front I used a bolt that threaded into a specific section and got the cover off with the slider hammer. Definitely easy. Oh and if you're going to take out the valve body, please check it for wear. It's one thing to overlook seals but if you have a bad pressure tube like I did, well...It's not going to be fun tearing the transmission back out.
I'm going to be rebuilding my spare Torqueflite pretty soon. I need more to do. :/
I have a seal tool that looks like a pick hammer with a curved head. Perfect to trans front seals. Careful not to gouge the front bushing and inspect the converter neck for groove or discoloration. First step before they snap!