Always hated automatics

[eagleman]

No offence taken, Its just this trans leak is really becoming a sore spot with me and at times I even have doubts on my ability even though I have been turning wrenches for forty five years. Thirty of those was to make a living. I have checked the trans for other possible leaks and have found none so I am totally convinced its leaking from the pan. I have read on here about a aftermarket heavier pan and was wondering where I might find one. Also thought about taking  the pan down to our local machine shop and see if they can make me a reinforcing ring that fits around the out side of the pan so as the pan does not distort when tighting the bolts. At this point I'm game for about anything.

[dakrisnit]

 I thought about putting a reinforcing ring on the factory pan too.

Today I looked under a Jeep Cherokee in my office parking lot to see its pan.  It does appear to be exactly the same bolt pattern, but I was hoping it would have a factory reinforcement ring or be a structural piece.  It didn't, but it wasn't leaking either.   Not that it would affect the gasket seal, but it did have a deeper sump than these.

I just don't want to put a flimsy steel flange pan back on my Eagle.  Next I think I'll check the Jeep marketer's for a pan.

[maddog]

summit racing offers some after market pans for our transmissions that should work well but i will add they are kind of pricey.

[eagleman]

Ya know I have looked and studied this pan for a rather long time now and I believe that once installed and refilled with the proper amount of fluid that the fluid level is sitting above the gasket line so when sitting for a period of time its just a matter of time before the fluid either soaks it way through or finds the path of least resistance and then leaks. Might explain why for the first couple of days or weeks before it starts the dreaded drip again. In all of my cases the eagles have never left the garage just sat there with there bellies full of trans fluid,Something to think about anyway. But its just a hunch and I may be grasping at straws. Never the less I would be really interested in finding a deeper pan thats made with heavier material. I know there pricy but trans fluid ain't cheap either and if I eliminate the mess on my garage floor I figure it would be worth it. I did stop at our local machine shop today and he said to bring him my trans pan and he felt sure he could make me a reinforcement ring either out of aluminum or steel. So after Thanksgiving I will pursue this futher also. Hey wishing you all a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving!!

[carnuck]

Get a '93 up Grand Cherokee 42RE (6 cyl) silicone permanent gasket and be done with it. My 727 pan doesn't leak, but the oring on the tube does (I think the tube and stick are wrong)

[eagleman]

Where did you find this gasket. I am having no luck.

[carnuck]

PM sent

[dakrisnit]

I got a TCI aluminum trans pan from Summit ($150).  I'm really impressed with the quality of it.  I would prefer to have gotten a standard depth pan, but the only thing available was the increased depth for 2 extra quarts capacity.  The extra depth required taking the trans mount loose and jacking up the tailshaft to get it past the exhaust crossover pipe, but that gave enough clearance.
It came with a new filter, oil pickup extension, new pan gasket (not rubber), and new stainless steel allen head bolts.  You really need the allen head bolts as a traditional hex head would not fit.  The bolts are all the same length and while they are probably not too long for the blind holes, I felt better using a couple extra washers to be sure they weren't bottoming out.  I also ran a tap through all of the holes.
So far overnight not a single drop leaking out, but I'm going to leave it in the garage to watch it for a few more days.  If this stops the leak, then it is definitely worth it.

[dakrisnit]

After a few days the leak has shown itself again.  I have not moved the Eagle out of the garage or even started the engine.  The TCI pan was a good bet, but apparently not the complete answer.  The left, right, and rear of the transmission appear to be sealed, but the front still leaks right in the center.  However, the rate of the leak appears to be only reduced by half.

Has anyone else narrowed the source of their leak to the transmission case parting line?
Is this a common leak point?

[mudkicker715]

Only had a leak at that point on one after the car sat for a few days. it was as if the torque convertor unloaded enough to find that place to dump out.

[dakrisnit]

This is right at the vertical casting parting line where it is machined for the transmission gasket surface.  It's as if the joint is porous or has developed a crack. 

There is a blind bolt hole on either side.  I checked the new bolts and they are not bottoming out in the holes, so it is not a clamping problem with the gasket. 

I was really hoping the structural pan would take care of this.  Just reinforces my hatred of automatics.

This problem is fast becoming the only thing I have left to fix before I can drive it.

[eagleman]

Think I may have finally fixed it. Fingers crossed! I took my original pan and placed it on a flat surface. Found that I could rock it side to side. Not a lot but never the less it rocked. So I took the pan and ran two rather heavy beads of the right stuff around the entire mounting surface and around all holes. I then took two pieces of wax paper and layed them on a flat surface and placed the pan mounting side down on top of the wax paper and placed a small brick on top of the pan.Waited about thirty minutes then took a round tooth pick and traced around the pan and all the holes and walked away. I let it sit for two days then went and removed the pan. What I ended up with was a perfectly formed gasket. I placed the pan back on the flat surface and no more rock and found the gasket was thicker on one side then the other so I felt confident that the pan was now flat. Took the pan and ran another bead around the surface and holes,took all the bolts and put a drop of blue thread sealer on them and installed the pan. Snugged all bolts then a quarter turn more in the proper order and got out from under the car.Refilled trans and fired that mother up.Went through all gears several times even engaged the four wheel drive several times. Let eagle run for a while both in neutral and in gear. Car is on jack stands. Rechecked level and added some then looked for that dreaded drip. Found none and now four weeks later still none! D--- I love this car

[eaglefreek]

Good news. An airplane mechanic told me they use Right Stuff on a lot of things and he uses it instead of gaskets on his car when possible.

[dakrisnit]

Right Stuff sounds like it might be the solution for the pan, great idea touse the wax paper and flat surface.

With mine I got the structural pan from TCI which has a thick, rigid, and machined flat surface, but it still did not seal.  The TCI pan came with a good dense cardboard gasket, new stainless bolts and tightened up great and it still leaked.  I went ahead and tried the rubber gasket and it did work better, but it still leaked.  I would try the Great Stuff trick next, but it appears I now have a bigger problem. 

In all the attempts to seal the transmission pan, I have left the car in the garage on the smooth concrete so I could get at it easily until I got it sealed.  Today after cleaning up the drippings yet again, I got in and started it up (I had finally got the throttle cable and AT kickdown fixed).  I ran the engine for about 30 seconds, shifting between Drive and Reverse a couple times, getting that satisfying bump that it was positively going into each gear and then shut it down.  I looked back under the car an ATF is pouring out from the bell housing so the trans will have to come out now anyway. 

Really hate automatics.  Anybody know where I can get all the pieces to convert it to a manual?

[carnuck]

Where are you?