Transmission leak

[Dram2500_br]

Hi, just joined. Sorry if you have had a question like this before.

So I had a small leak from the transmission for over a year, from the bolt on the passenger side that bolts the extension/overdrive to the transmission, but small. The other day the car was standing after being used and there was a big puddle of, I think, ATF only. On closer inspection the transmission oil pan was covered in red oil. I checked the transmission oil level with engine not running and it was very full. I then started the engine and let it run for a few minutes and then checked the oil level again, it was over full. When I checked before the problem the transmission oil level was correct. I cannot see evidence of any other fluid in the ATF. The coolant fluid is at the right level, although it obviously has been filled with water only in the cooling system. I will change that. The engine oil doesn't show any other fluid either. When I left the engine running for a while there were no leaks from the transmission, but the oil may not have got warm enough.

I can see no leaks from the oil cooler pipes, transmission cooler or the torque converter cooler.

Is there a problem with the pump? I have no leaks on the torque converter inspection plate.

Does anyone have any ideas what has suddenly broken?

Thanks in advance

2500 Quad cab, 4x4, 48RE

 

[bigdodge]

I'm a case like this your best to clean everything up and check it after each drive. Never check trans fluid without it running and it must be at operating temp. Probably a good 20 min of driving to get it there.

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[Dram2500_br]

I was hoping not drive it before I fix it. If I have no pump then the transmission will overheat potentially and I will have more trouble, more to fix. I have no gadgets to show the transmission oil temperature.

 

[bigdodge]

if it's bad enough you should be able to just start it in the driveway and shift slowly through gears and back to park and it will show where it's leaking.

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[Smokeybear01]

I may be wrong here, but if the pump isn't pumping, you won't have any pressure in the valve body and hence, you will not move. Plus, if that's the case, all the oil is just sitting in the bottom of the pan.
Watching

 

[Dram2500_br]

Thanks, for the pump information. So it has been standing for a week or more without being started. I started it up and then moved the column shift to D. Nothing happened. Didn't try to move forward. I then put it reverse and then it jolted and the car moved in reverse. I put it in D again and it moved forward. I tried this a few times. It moved as expected apart from once I put in reverse and nothing happened.

Is my pump dying?

 

[yoda]

Now that you have run it through the gears recheck the fluid level, engine running in neutral.
If the level is ok your torque converter drained back into the pan when the truck sat for a few weeks, really nothing to worry about. Your particular trans the pump will not pump in park to refill the converter, only in neutral or gear, thats why you had the delayed engagement, torque converter was empty. Next time start it up after extended sitting,put it in neutral for 30 seconds or so, this allows the pump to fill the converter then into gear.

 

[Dram2500_br]

OK thanks yoda, I will try again tomorrow and see what I can find with the fluid level. I always checked in Neutral with the engine running before this problem and the level was ok. I will check again tomorrow, but when this problem started I appeared to have too much oil?? Even with losing transmission fluid.

 

[Smokeybear01]

Now that you have run it through the gears recheck the fluid level, engine running in neutral.
If the level is ok your torque converter drained back into the pan when the truck sat for a few weeks, really nothing to worry about. Your particular trans the pump will not pump in park to refill the converter, only in neutral or gear, thats why you had the delayed engagement, torque converter was empty. Next time start it up after extended sitting,put it in neutral for 30 seconds or so, this allows the pump to fill the converter then into gear.

Couldn't agree more. Mine does the same thing when it's set for a few days. I start it, put it in nuetral and within 15 seconds it's all good. If I check it before starting it's always way up the stick.