Where's my ATF going?

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I just posted another thread yesterday to make sure I was ready my levels right. Thanks unDummy for the help. Long and short of it, I'm losing transmission fluid somewhere.

Backstory, I've had a progressively worse oil leak from my SAAB for the last maybe 8 months. Its not an uncommon occurance in 9-5s that were affected by the sludging issue b/c the poor PCV circulation causes excess pressure and typically blows a bead of sealant at the juncture of the block, head, and timing cover. Well, I replaced my PCV system with the updated kit and nothing happened. Typically folks posted that the leak would slow if not stop b/c of the lack of pressure pushing the oil through that juncture.

When I first got the car, I did what many do with a car with unknown history, I changed all the fluids. I used a mix of cheap dex III and Lubegard red. Never paid any attention to it until a year later when I had a bit of work done. As a courtesy, the mechanic checked the transmission fluid. he told me it was low so I let him top it off. Worried that he didn't know what he was doing, I checked it again a month or so later (I wasn't too worried). It was again low. well, I figured either he or I didn't know how to read it.

Flash forward about 6 months. My transmission was starting to act very odd. Every now and then there's a hesitation to actually engage a gear when switching from say reverse to drive. Long story short, I checked it again just now and found no fluid on the dipstick at all..... I added about 1.25 qts of fluid and it's still barely at the bottom of the dipstick. Yes, I'm sure I am checking it right.

SO WHERE is the fluid going? Nothing's leaking from the transmission. Is this stuff going thru the main seal and mixing with my oil or something? The oil on my garage floor might have a slight amber tint to it but certainly not red....There goes all my bragging about the bulletproof Aisin Warner 4 speed.
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If it truly is escaping - it'll be on the undercarraige at the very least. If it's leaking at the radiator, chances are the AT fluid would have coolant, not the other way around.

I'll bet it's the checking technique.
 
Well, like I said, I have an oil leak of some kind that I have assumed was engine oil. But lately it's lighter in color and there's more of it. I have oil all over my undercarriage but nothing immediately around the trans.
 
AT leaks should be easy to spot.
If you're sure that your antifreeze isn't contaminated, look at the axles seals and where the transmission bolts up to the engine for torque converter and input side sealing issues, and around the transmission pan gasket.

And, having engine oil leaks makes it a little more difficult.

My recommendation is to flush the AT with some Valvoline Maxlife or Pennzoil/QS high mileage ATF. Hopefully, all you might need is some fresh fluid to deal with tired seals.

You also need to check your ATF regularly and frequently. I suspect that some of your problems are from incorrect level checks.
 
Does your AT use vacuum-modulated controls? Some of the older ones would use engine vacuum to sense load and control shift points. If the daiphram tears, ATF can be slowly ingested and burned in the engine. don't know if it applies to your car or not, but I've been there before.

Mike
 
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I'd check the ATF for coolant, and the coolant for ATF.

You might also log on to saabnet dot com and poke around there.

88 Saab 9000T
96 Saab 900SE
96 Volvo 850GLT




Lol, you know better than to send me there, DIFC!
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No, I'll take help from whoever. I finally got the sludge thing under control so this is the last thing I need.


unDummy, I've only checked the AT level twice myself, each time using the proscribed owner's manual technique. You validated for me in that other thread that I was doing it right. I've had Lubegard red in it from the time I bought it so I thought I wouldn't have issues. But all I could scrounge up today was about 1/4 quart of Shell Dex III and a quart of Maxlife Dex III leftover from my Honda transmission fluid change (which has performed great). I'll grab some more after work before I hit the road back home. I was thinking of doing an arx flush. Should it be okay with the Maxlife?
 
if your the vacuum controls on your transmission are leaking (its usually called a vacuum diaphragm) atf into the intake manifold, you can remove the rubber hose from between the line from the transmission and the intake manifold. if its been leaking the hose will be wet and very soft from the atf.

any fluid that escapes is going to pick up dirt. it might not be clear red by the time its ready to drop onto the garage floor. try blotting the fluid with a business card.

the front seal on the transmission could leak, and i suppose this would look a bit leak a from the rear of the engine.
 
I was just looking at the intake manifold the other day. It looked fine inside to me. As for the transmission "problems" I was having, as I suspected, they cleared up after I topped off the fluid last night. If the front seal is leaking, it's going a long way before it's showing up. The rear engine oil leak I believe I have comes from the opposite side that the transmission is bolted on. I'm going to take a look at the drive shaft seals b/c wherever whatever fluid is leaking, it's being spun all around. But that could just be oil coming off the back of the block as well. But I've never looked to see if there was another source in that area. I suppose it could be trickling down the driveshaft before it's being noticed. Thanks for the insight so far, folks...Transmissions have never given me a problem on any of my cars, mainly b/c I've owned mostly manuals. My other auto car, which is a 4 speed honda, never gives a moment's trouble, even though it's running Maxlife and not Z1.
 
Would a 2001 SAAB really be vacuum modulated?? I highly doubt it...if it is..than no offense but that is pretty lame.
 
i had this problem. it was a busted radiator atf cooler. when the engine was running, atf was slowly pumped into the raidator. when i shut the engine off, the radiator pressure slowly puped coolant into the transmission.
 
Thanks, I'll take a look. I THINK I see atf on the ground now, though. As for coolant, not sure if I'd ever notice since the car runs Dex-Cool.
 
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