4R70W leaking issues

Richter12x2 · Aug 8, 2003

Bought a new house with a garage, and started noticing puddles of oil under my '97 Thunderbird. Looking underneath it at where it came from I thought "uh-oh, my rear main seal is out, at least it's not a front-wheel drive" (I had a Chevrolet Beretta do it, and rather than mess with all that, I just kept feeding it oil.) Closer inspection revealed that the fluid was red, not brown, but it's coming from the same area, and there appears to be a big fold in a rubber seal that goes around the bell-housing. Looking at this thread (http://forums.tccoa.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20414) it looks like I have a TC seal out. I assume that the TC means "Torque Converter" ? Autozone doesn't list a part for a Torque Converter seal, though. Is it possible that this is called something different? I don't mind the labor if I can get the right part because money's a little tight right now. Luckily I have a second car now so I can run and get parts even once it's apart, but what's the rough procedure for this? I presume I'll have to disconnect the drive shaft and drop the transmission, probably to get to it.
Any insight and part numbers from Autozone or O-Reilly or Napa would be wonderful.

GregFL · Aug 8, 2003

If the red tranny fluid is coming form the bellhousing, then either your front seal is gone, the converter has a leak, or the pump housing O-ring has gone south.

All the factory converters have a drain plug, it could be loose. Remove the round rubber plug from the botton of the bellhousing and rotate the engine IN IT'S NORMAL DIRECTION OF ROTATION, until you see it. If the tranny has an aftermarket or rebuilt TC, it MAY NOT have a drain plug. If the TC drain is not lose, and the housing is full of fluid, you will haved to pull the transmisssion for further inspection.

The front (stator shaft) seal is commonly available, it's about $5.00. Check with your local APD or Transtar dealer, or Ford. The pump flange gasket and O-Ring are available from the same locations, and should cost about $6.00. The front of the trans will have to come apart to replace the latter.

If I have misuderstood your question, and you actually need a tailshaft housing seal (more common), same places, equivalant prices. Remove driveshaft, pry out seal, CHECK BUSHING, replace seal, wipe grease on the lips of seal, replace driveshaft. If the bushing is worn, no amount of new seals will stop it permanently. Remove housing and take to machine shop to have new bushing pressed in.

FWIW

Richter12x2 · Aug 11, 2003

Nope, you're right, it's the front by the bellhousing. I'd never seen anything but oil from the rear main seal come from that area, but it's tranny fluid. I'll have to collect those parts and do it all at the same time. The torque converter from a Mark VIII fits fine and it's an upgrade? I'll probably just do it all at the same time

4R70W leaking issues

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