hotrod351

well ive tried everything i know but i keep getting a leak from my transmission pan. even silicone it and let it try for hours before adding fluid, checked it against a sheet of glass and straightened it the best i could. any way i was thinking about one of those deep aluminum pans. question is do i have to get a special filter for it every time i change the filter or will a regular filter work.

hotrod351

no body has installed a aluminum, or steel, extra capacity transmission pan.

JoeMustang

Hotrod351, I am going to guess that it may not be leaking from the gasket. A rule I use for plumbing repairs as well as my car, always look up and above the leak!! These trannys are prone to leak from several places. One is a loose supply or return line to the radiator. They also can leak from the seal at the shift linkage and kick down. It CAN leak from the pan if you or the PO over tightened the bolts. But it is fairly easy to see by placing a ruler along each side. If you see little cups between the bolts, it warped. Us old guys would just use a block of wood and hammer to push it back the other way from the opposite side of the pan. Now, as far as a new deep pan. I believe you still use the stock filter. It just adds capacity to the system, which can help it run a little cooler. Good luck.

hotrod351

yeah id tried looking all over the place, above and to the front. and yes it was tweaked so i straightened the best i could, put it on a sheet of glass and it seemed fine. doesnt seem to be leaking now but im keeping an eye on it.

THUMPIN455

I have a method for pan gaskets that also works on valve cover gaskets. Clean the pan and case with brake clean. Apply a bead of blue or black RTV no larger than 1/4" around the flange of the pan. Place the gasket on the pan and stick some bolts through it to keep the holes line up, let it sit for about 5 to 10 minutes but no longer than 10. You have to make sure the gasket is seated all the way around before you let it sit. Do not put any RTV on the transmission case, let the gasket seal that part and it will do fine. Put the bolts back in the case and torque them, dont just crank them down. I think the spec is something like 14ftlbs, it isnt very much. Too much and it will bend the pan and create leaks.

If the pan is bent, tap gently around the holes moving inward a little bit each time around. Dont just whack them all down with a big hammer, take it gently so as not to screw up the pan or work harden the metal.

The shift quadrant leaking is often mistaken for a pan leaking, since they are very close.

Also if your pan doesnt have a drain plug, here is an easy way to drain it without a huge mess. Remove all the bolts from the sides of the pan, leaving the end bolts in place. Depending on the attitude of the car one end of the pan will be lower than the other. The low end is the one where you will drain the fluid. Leave two bolts in the high side, and only one in the bottom. Now loosen the bottom bolt about two full turns, and tap the pan with a deadblow or a rubber mallet to break the seal. It should start draining and you can then remove the lower bolt. Loosen one top one so it acts more like a pin to keep the pan from shifting around, and you can then loosen the other and get the pan to tip as you turn the last bolt out. Remove both uppers when the pan is hanging down and you have most of the fluid out of it, and be careful because there is still a couple pints in the pan. A pint of trans fluid makes a HUGE mess on the floor. Clean the pan and go back together like stated above.

hotrod351

believe me, ive done exactly what you said. my only thought is its coming from somewhere else and looking like the pan or its so badly warped it causing it but i did put it against a sheet of glass and it seemed flat.

paddy187

You want to see what 3-4 litres looks like on the garage floor. I was doing what thumpin said except the PO also seemed to silicon in the bolts and when i cracked open the pan the bolts let go......... On this point how much transmission fluid do I need to refill the c4, 8 litres?

hotrod351

yeah i know about the mess of dropping the pan. i bought one of those big plastic tubs from checker just for this. works great.