Ok, this is not a typical front pump seal question. Although it could end up being the front pump seal.

So I just put a new remanufacturerd motor in my truck and did a complete rebuild on the trans too. New seals, fictions, steels, new convertor, I mean to the 9. So I put it all back in, start her up, and at idle in the driveway there were no leaks. Put it in reverse, taker her around the block, and come to find out, through a trail of Tranny fluid, when I put it in gear, it starts leaking out the bell housing.

I'm thinking a few things, either front pump seal, pump gaskets, or converter hub. Anyone have any other suggestions that may not be obvious to look for when I drop that beast of a trans back out?

I haven't tried starting it again due to travel, to see if its only leaking under pressure in gear, or if its still leaking just slower, when at idle.

 

Oh, and BTW, it seems to be a slow leak because I checked the stick when cold, and its still showing full.

 

Front pump seal...

 

Did you read? I realize it could be the front pump seal, like I said, I'm looking for anything that may not be obvious.

And the front pump seal is brand new, so unless the lip is cut, or it plain came out and falls off when I take the converter out, I'm not thinking that'll be my problem.

 

With that attitude towards projectSHO89 answer, I don't think you will get much help here. You already know what you have to do.

 

did you lube up the inner part of the seal when you slid the converter on? If not you may have burned it. Also did you put a thin layer of silicone on the outer edge of the seal when you put it on? If it not the seal may grab the converter and spin The seal around and around on the converter if you know what I mean.

 

Was the case clean when you put it back together. Also if you filled the converter on the ground some may spill out on the inside of the case when it was cold, then hen it warms up and thins out it will run out.

If it is still full on the stick clean it right up real good, idle up to temp, and drive around the block a few times then see if it is still leaking.

 

I lubed the converter with some trans fluid before sliding it into the seal, but I didn't put anything on the outside of the seal. Looking at my old converter from where the seal rode, it didn't seem like the body of the converter would hit or grab the outside of the seal, but it could be a possibility.

 

I did put 4 quarts in the converter before mating it to the trans. Some did leak when I mated it, but I wiped it up before mating the trans to the motor. Before starting the motor, I put 8 more quarts in through the dipstick. The trans, converter, and cooler should take 14 all together, but its reading full with only 12. I'm a little confused about that. Im definitely going to try and troubleshoot it in the truck before pulling it. I was going to remove the.flywheel cover / inspection cover to see if I could tell what side of the converter its coming from.

A side note about capacities though, the initial fill capacity for the coolant system is 20.7 quarts, and mine only took 16 even after purging the system of air. Confuses me just as much as the trans capacity.

 

So, I spent all day r&r'ing the trans. Pulled the converter, and it looked like the fluid was coming out from around the pump. I checked the torques on all the bolts and the checked out. There was no stream of trans fluid coming from the front seal down the face if the pump. It was dry, just fluid from around the pump. So I was like cool, new pump gasket, o ring, and since I had a new seal too, I might as well put it in. So I remove the pump, replace the seals and gaskets, install the pump, make sure its seated and aligned, torque the bolts to the proper torque, take the bolts out, apply thread locker, re torque the bolts, and install the trans. Started at about 7:30 this morning, finished up about 6:45 this evening and that's with running out to get the gaskets. So I start the truck, let it idle and no leaks.... Place it in reverse and hold it there for a sec, put it in drive hold it there for a sec, put it back in park, get out and look under the truck and IT'S FRIGGIN LEAKING. I'm in complete and utter disbelief. I now have no clue and am going to take it to a shop. Other than the leaking, the trans is perfect, shifts like I want, feels solid, but man, this leak is killing me!

 

Wow, it ended up being the converter hub. The weld around the hub wasn't sealing. No big issue, apparently it happens from what my buddy said, ended up putting a stocker converter back in it as I needed the truck ASAP and couldn't wait to ship this one back to Alan to be fixed. I should have pressure tested it last weekend when I had it out, but I ruled that out without even testing.... You live, you learn.