So even wit the new pan and gasket and buying/using an inch lbs. torque wrench, the battle to quell the TF leak(s) ensues. I've used a fairly good borescope to check the lines and fittings which were homemade AN fittings I made to replace the rotted out hardlines that started this debacle to begin with.
Having checked everything else (I think), it seems like the lines might be a likely suspect. There's no fluid under the vehicle in front of where the lines connect leading one to believe that the fluid leaks must originate at or behind them but beyond that bit of evidence, there's nothing else conclusive that indicates where the leak originates from. There's ATF on the frame rails, more on the passenger side than the drivers side. There's ATF on the shift cable linkage bracket but only on the bottom half of it. Some surrounding the pain drain plug and it appears to have made its way on top of the muffler /exhaust.
Th problem is I can't tell how much of this is from it leaking and walking its way to these places as it travels. I pulled the two plugs on the bottom of the bell housing and inside is dry as a bone. I believe that I replaced the TC seal and front and back seals when I replaced the transmission about a year or so ago and do not see any leakage from the driveshaft / transfer case end of things.
So now I'm about crawl under and retighten the pan bolts to spec since I haven't retorqued them since installing the new pan and and I am also going to remove the transmission end of the AN lines and check the fittings to see if it could be leaking from one r both of those but as I mentioned I was able to get a very clear close-up, 360 degree view of them and they do not appear to be leaking. I'd imagine that if it were leaking at one of those fittings, the ATF would b following the line down and I'd see ATF on one of them, but i don't. They appear to be dry as a bone and clean so because I simply do not know what else to look at, I can't just lay here and stare at the underside of the vehicle, I guess I will pull them off and check them. This is my only vehicle and only way to work for the time being and so I'm really under pressure to get this fixed.
BTW. this isn't just a few drop under the vehicle in when I park it. Last tie I drove it after the pan install, when I pulled in and stopped the vehicle, a was surrounding by smoke that had apparently made it way to the exhaust and was burning off.
I've never had a problem with a vehicle that I couldn't eventually at least diagnose and I identify the problem or where something was leaking from but I've had the old pan off 3 times and then installed the new one, I've taken it and completely degreased the underside twice hoping to find the leak on a clean underside of the vehicle. I've used UV Dye and Light to try and find the source. I discovered this because on a 90 minute trip north to Connecticut, my back window got filthy. I pulled over to clean and that's when I discovered it was tranny fluid from under the car that was covering the window, if that gives you an sense of how much is leaking.
I'm sorry for ranting on. This is going to sound so lame, but this problem has ben hanging over my head for a couple of weeks now. Its actually brought on a case of depression because it is the only thing that could potentially lead to me losing my job. I commute about 55 miles each way. There's no public transportation to speak of. An Uber costs me almost $50 each way and I can't afford that so yes, the pressure is on and I'm at my wits end.
Admins, I'm sorry and I apologize for babbling on. Please feel free to delete this. SO many times over the years I've found that sometimes just explaining the problem on here will give me inspiration to try something I hadn't through to try previously. I didn't intend on droning on like a babbling idiot the way I have.
I actually just came to check and see if anyone uses locktite on Trans Oil Pan bolts. A basic google search had many suggest not to use it, Yea, I'm sorry but I can't think of a single reason why using it would be a bad thing, so I am going to also do that while I'm under there as well. So maybe the factory didn't use it when they built the car and so therefor it shouldn't be necessary, I get that, but I'm going to use my instincts and use some blue to make sure I can rule that out tonight when I see the next puddle of red puke under the car. My driveway looks like the aftermath of a nasty UFC fight.
Never really faced this before. I'm tired of feeling like the dumbest mofo in the room and I'm the only one here.