hi, I have a bad leak on my newly rebuilt 350 turbo. It's on the passenger side front corner of the pan. I made sure the lines aren't leaking and the detent cable or modulator don't leak either. Not to mention I sat there and watched fluid come out between the pan and trans case. It did this when I got it back from being rebuilt so I put a new chrome pan with drain plug from speedway motors on it. I installed this meticulously with the tranny out of the car. I put a flat rubber gasket on it with no silicone whatsoever and tightened all the bolts to 12 ft-lbs. It was about a month before the tranny was installed in the car. It did fine for a couple days, but now, a week later, it leaks just as bad as it did when I first got it back. It only leaks out that one corner and the rest of it's fine. I'm all out of ideas. Is there anybody who had this same prob? Ideas?

 

Are you sure it's leaking at the pan an not leaking at the dip stick tube ?
My 1940 chevy leaks at the dip stick tube. It has a 350 turbo auto trans.

 

thats what i was thinking too. isnt there an o ring that sits at the bottom of the dipstick? ive installed one with out it and it too leaked.

 

Yeah, it's the dipstick. Sorry guys. And thanks a lot for trying to help me out. Funny story, I saw the puddle under my car after going through pure hell the last year fixing it up(engine/trans swap, etc), so of course, I freaked plumb out and started the usual rant(I'm gonna sell it for 500 bucks, I hate this POS and so on). So my wife, being the calm and rational out of the two of us, walks up to me about 15 minutes later holding my tranny dipstick in one hand and the broken o-ring in the other. She then says to me, "go get the o-ring and I'll put it back in for ya". Funny huh. Thanks again, all!

 

Glad you found your leak..

 

First, glad to hear you found the leak. That can drive you crazy especially after a fresh rebuild.

second, try to stay away from chrome oil and trans pans. They don't dissipate heat very well, so the fluid just sits and bakes inside them. Also they tend to be the thin stamped units, which the rails love to warp and leak on. I always have liked the cast units that are not chromed. They hold more fluid, run cooler, and are thicker at the rails so you don't have warping and sealing problems. Yes they cost more but it saves everytime you gotta drop the pan to reseal a cheap unit.

 

Glad you and your wife got it fixed. Sometimes this car hobby can drive you nuts for sure.