no the fluid doesn't have any oil in it and it's def transmission fluid. The engine is clean and did not make any noises nor did i have any problems with it after it happened.

 

while waiting for the tow truck, i started it up and right away it started leaking underneath in one spot pretty good in the way front of it. It's in front of the black piece. The leak was coming from the silver/gray looks like the resovouir/pineapple shape kind of thing. Taking it to ford in a little bit.

 

Up front as in behind the grill? Sounds like your tranny cooler perhaps. If so not an expensive fix. Hopefully you didn't run it too long with the leak.

 

Best of luck, but if you don't know a transmission from an oil pan then maybe a Lightning just isn't for you. Not trying to be cruel, but I am just trying to help you out in the future, because these performance trucks are not always just your average hop in and drive vehicles. Take care.

 

Well, I just heard back from good ol' ford and it's not good. Service guy said I blew some seals and I need a new "front pump" and a new torque convertor which was also leaking. Cost of the pump is $415.00, new torque convertor $325.00 plus labor 810.00 for a grand total out the door with taxes $1662.00. Said they have to drop the tranny and is about a 8 hour job and have to order the parts which will be in either monday or tuesday. I asked the guy has he had any like this with a 2003 lightning only 30,000 miles and he said lightnings yes he's seen it before but other trucks with only a limited amount of years and miles no. So bottom line have you guys heard of this happening so early and are the prices fair? Thanks for your help. Now I'm broke!

 

anyone have an opinion on it now??

 

If that is truely the defect the pricing does not look out of line. I thought you said the leak was in the front of the truck?

You mentioned that there is fluid all under the truck. Where does it start. Start from the front bumper working back where is the first place you notice the fluid?

 

Yes the leak starts in the front but it mainly was dripping bad right next to my oil wix oil filter and it was coming from the silver/gray metal thing. Is that the (tourque convertor)? And the ford guy said the "front pump" is also on the driveshaft which was also leaking. Can someone explain the "front pump". Is there a different term then just that?? So the price to get that all fixed and the parts isn't too bad then huh?? I should have just spent an extra 200 bucks and gotten a performance tourque convertor compared to the stock one.

 

Bro not everyone knows every part on their vehicle (or transmission), and thats ok fine, we're all not mechanics or mechanically inclined. However in this case your better off asking some questions than trying to explain, and YES you should have gone for better convertor.

Back of the motor sit's your flywheel (bolted to your crank shaft)
Your Torque Convertor is Bolted to your Flywheel
Your Transmission Front Shaft is inserted through the Torque Convertor
(transmission is bolted to the motor using bolt holes outside of the flywheel)
On the back side you have an output shaft, Drive Shaft connect to that.
In the middle is all kinds of schitt I dont understand, he he he ...

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/automa...nsmission6.htm

The Pump
Automatic transmissions have a neat pump, called a gear pump. The pump is usually located in the cover of the transmission. It draws fluid from a sump in the bottom of the transmission and feeds it to the hydraulic system. It also feeds the transmission cooler and the torque converter.


Gear pump from an automatic transmission

The Governor
The governor is a clever valve that tells the transmission how fast the car is going. It is connected to the output, so the faster the car moves, the faster the governor spins. Inside the governor is a spring-loaded valve that opens in proportion to how fast the governor is spinning -- the faster the governor spins, the more the valve opens. Fluid from the pump is fed to the governor through the output shaft.

The faster the car goes, the more the governor valve opens and the higher the pressure of the fluid it lets through.




Sooooooooooo to answer your question the bottom line is a Pump is a Pump, and it pumps a schitt load of fluid, and yes it could leak out the front or back.
I'd be more concerned on WHY ALL OF A SUDDEN you blew all your seals and are now leaking everywhere ??? (even the convertor ???)
Personally I would have rather seen it go to a GOOD transmission shop.
GOOD LUCK and do let us know how you make out...

 

A converter cannot leak unless is cracked or the drain plug has come out. There is a seal that the converter goes into that can leak. The front pump is what the converter fits in to. It has the above mentioned seal and also a gasket where it bolts to the tranny case. None of these can be seen without pulling the transmission out of the truck. Pretty bold diagnosis to say all these things are leaking. Did they pressure test the transmission? That will at least point them in the correct direction. If you have fluid up front near the grill it is likely that it is coming from the cooler of lines feeding the cooler. If your truck was moving forward at 50-90mph when it happened the fluid would be blown back to the rear from the point of the leak. If the leak was at the back of the trans it is not possible to blow it forward to the front. Make sense?

 

yeah I get it but now i'm second guessing myself for bringing it to ford. I should have just brought it to razors edge and have them take a look at it and fix it. I also should have bought the performance tourque convertor but oh well. They already ordered everything and I'm sure the truck is being worked on right now. I hope I'm not getting shaffted that's all.

 

 

Well you are getting shafted! Man I need to close up shop and go be a service manager at the dealer. ****, I have a hard time getting people to commit to a $1,700 rebuild on a 4R100. If I could get that for a pump and converter I would do them all day and every day.

Rob, you are showing pictures of an AOD, there is no governor in the 4R100. -Mat-

 

If you look at the radiator youll see two aluminum lines going into it.Follow those back to the tranny.If the fluid starts from the front and is splattered all the way back,then its more than likely leaking at the radiator.
If it starts at about the front of the door then its probably leaking from the line where it goes into the tranny..You can also pull the inspection plate off the front of the tranny and see if its pooled up in the bellhousing.If thats the case then its a blown front seal.
If the fluid starts near the rear of the truck then check the seal where the driveshaft goes in.

 

My recommendation:

Make friends with a "car guy", buy them dinner, beers, etc. Let them help out when you have these little "issues".

It'll pay for itself...