Best bear hunt ever!

[Jellymon]

Went out this morning for the first trip of the year, my plans were to get up in some high country where we've seen bears before. Well I get up there and cant see past 20yds because of fog. So I go down lower to find some berry patches by the river. Once I get down there I get out, do some hiking, call a little then go back to my truck. Start the truck, put it in gear and it won't go anywhere. look underneath and Im leaking transmission fluid! Wouldnt even show on the dipstick. Called my brother who towed me to the gate. Went and got some tranny fluid, filled up and it went into gear and shifted normally again. Didnt leak all the way home and still hasn't leaked sitting in the driveway. Any thoughts on what could have happened? Seems strange that it would leak while low, but not leak while full. Great way to start the season!

[oldschooltrucks]

I went deer hunting once and had tire a shot out.  When I looked around I saw another hunter glassing me and jumped in his rig and took off. 

 Hope its nothing too serious

[yorketransport]

Where was it leaking from? There could be a crack in the housing that only leaks when it gets warm.

If it makes you feel better, 4 years ago I was out with my father in law and the same thing happened to us. Got to our spot at 5:30 opening morning and could smell the fluid when we got out of his truck. There was a trail of fluid the whole way up the hill! The worst part was that we were about 20 miles up off of FR 52. We walked about 8 miles before somebody finally gave us a ride out.

Good luck!

Andrew

[BOWHUNTER45]

Man that's really stinks ..Glad your brother could help  My truck has been acting weird lately and it is hunting season So I best get it checked out ASAP !

[acnewman55]

If it makes you feel better, 4 years ago...

Sentences that start with "if it makes you feel better," never make anybody feel better 

Sorry to hear about the wrong kind of end to your hunt.  Still got a few days left in the season at least 

[Jellymon]

It was leaking from a round 2" rubber plug on the bottom of the tranny right in front of the pan. I thought about it only leaking while warm also, but it was a long drive home and had plenty of time to get warm.  Il just keep an eye on it, was gonna go out tomorrow but I think Il give it a few days of driving to make sure there isn't a bigger issue going on. Dont want to get stranded twice in one weekend.

[yorketransport]

You know, mis-adventures always make for the funniest stories.

Andrew

[hntrspud]

If its tranny fluid and its leaking from that plug then I might suspect your front input shaft seal may be leaking. Or torque converter 

[Jellymon]

That they do...
While I was waiting for my ride I hiked up the road a little ways and found a bee hive farm, had to been about 20 boxes there. Does it count as baiting if I had sat and watched that?

[Jellymon]

If its tranny fluid and its leaking from that plug then I might suspect your front input shaft seal may be leaking. Or torque converter 

That's what my neighbor said, gonna get it checked out soon, hope I don't need a new tranny. That will cost more than the trucks worth!

[Duffer]

You might have overheated is too and 'boiled' it out. Slow mountain driving and such. Usually pukes out the dipstick tube when that happens (or the vent on top of the tranny)

[Jellymon]

I think it was low in the first place. I went back to see where the leak started and it was only leaking for a quarter mile. It wasnt that much yet it was completely empty. I added 4 qts and it still won't show on the dipstick while warm. So Im thinking my issue was not having enough fluid in the first place.

[hntrspud]

Lesson learned I hope. Always check the fluids! Cheap and easy maintenance

[Bigshooter]

What kinda truck is it?  Fords are know to have overheating problems and when they over heat they have an overflow hole that transmission fluid will leak out of.  Happened to me in my ford twice in hot weather during hunting season before.

[Jellymon]

95 F150 straight 6, 2wd, FI

[Bigshooter]

I'm far from an expert but my guess is it overheated and puked out the fluid through the overflow hole.  I had to run mine in 1st gear when driving around in the hills during hot weather or it would overheat.  And even running it in 1st gear it would still start to overheat if it was really hot out. 

Both times it overheated on me I was on out of state hunts.  Talk about being worried.

[MagKarl]

Unfortunately this is a very common problem with automatics in Fords.  I've personally seen it in my brother's Explorer and wife's Excursion.  Your transmission is fine, it just needs a new input seal.  It's one of those jobs with a $12 part that takes you 12 hours to replace, that's what it took me anyway when I did the Excursion.   2WD makes it easier, pull the transmission and then the torque converter and swap out the seal.  An ATV jack is handy for this job. 

[coachcw]

sounds like it got hot . Ive seen fords blow fluid right past the front seal when the cook . It might be a good idea to make sure the cooler is free flowing and the filter isn't plugged.