Tranny Fluid EVERYWHERE!

[willn513]

Hello all,

Just wanted to share with you lovely folks how my day has been so far...

Driving to work this morning and about 15 minutes into my commute I notice tons of whitish/gray smoke in my rearview mirror. If you are old enough to remember the NES game SPY HUNTER the "smoke screen" is what I saw in real life today.

Luckily not much traffic around so I was able to safely pull off the road into an open parking lot at a local softball/baseball field. I immediately notice that I have ZERO ability to move the vehicle forward... engine revs normal, but no go. I coast into a parking spot and hop out, and much to my dismay I see reddish transmission fluid gushing out of my poor baby like a waterfall. Not wanting to do any damage I shut the truck off and peeled out the ever so trusty AAA card.

1 hour later I have the TB at my service station (run by a good/trusted friend- the only person that I let work on my ride). Anyway my quick analysis is that one of the trans. lines burst shooting fluid everywhere... Hopefully not too costly of a fix... I am thinking/hoping no MAJOR damage was done, but I'll keep you guys posted as the story unfolds so wish me luck please!

Luckily, my buddy has his old Acura Integra laying around at the shop in case of emergency, so at least I got wheels

Peace
Will

PS Here is what was left in my parking space after being loaded on the tow truck

View attachment 22909


ON the Truck
View attachment 22910

My Loaner, 1995 Acura Integra GS with 275,000 on the clock but still going strong
View attachment 22911

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Happens. The lines seem to corrode. Prolly better to do a full replacement than a patch job. Should not be bad if you know the guy. DIY fix is pretty cheap.

 

[willn513]

Thank you HARDTRAILZ I really needed SOMEONE to tell me it wasn't going to be a huge deal to make this right. I hope you are correct but I feel better already...

 

[fletch09]

i think your lucky that you noticed it right away and did the right thing by stopping.
my daughters 2002 saturn had been sitting for a few months (she was away @ school)
so i took it out just to move some fluids around etc. when i got it home i put into reverse to back in driveway,
and tranny fluid started spewing. luckily i was 1-1/2 blocks from a garage. i got it over there and the trans filter
had rusted thru. (it has an external filter like an oil filter).
new filter and fluid and it was good to go. no trans problems.
you should be ok.

 

[meerschm]

If the trans cooler lines went, I would think about the fuel pump.

mine went in the other order. fuel pump gone, now I am worried about trans cooler lines.

 

[RayVoy]

If the trans cooler lines went, I would think about the fuel pump.

mine went in the other order. fuel pump gone, now I am worried about trans cooler lines.

Your fear makes no logical sense

 

[meerschm]

makes sense since both are corrosion related, and as I see it, corrosion is a function of exposure and time and temp.

seems like both the fuel pump and the trans cooler lines are subject to corrode and leak fluid.

he has a 2002, mine is 2003.

( perhaps fear was too strong. watchful eye is a better expression.)

 

[RayVoy]

Fuel pumps fail, fuel lines corrode. I think I'd worry more about brake lines, ya need these to stop

 

[meerschm]

The brake lines seem to be coated so they do not rust away. looks like most of the fuel lines are not metallic. I have heard after a while they can get brittle. and i think the techs at the dealer said they have seen them blow off of a clogged filter.

my trans lines do look a bit iffy. but not leaking. yet.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

The brake lines seem to be coated so they do not rust away. looks like most of the fuel lines are not metallic. I have heard after a while they can get brittle. and i think the techs at the dealer said they have seen them blow off of a clogged filter.

my trans lines do look a bit iffy. but not leaking. yet.

Techs at dealer... trust not.



Trans line fail...I would worry about door locks now...

 

[meerschm]

Will,

just want to share that you should become familiar with the gas pump corrosion issues, there was a TSB which is not likely to help t this point, but if you or yours start to smell gas, it could be the pump starting to go. have to drop the gas tank to fix it. don't want that to happen on a road trip in a snowstorm.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Will,

just want to share that you should become familiar with the gas pump corrosion issues, there was a TSB which is not likely to help t this point, but if you or yours start to smell gas, it could be the pump starting to go. have to drop the gas tank to fix it. don't want that to happen on a road trip in a snowstorm.

Didn't your other thread kind of show you that there is not much corrosion other that body panels? It seems you have an agenda and want something to be or go wrong.

 

[meerschm]

Didn't your other thread kind of show you that there is not much corrosion other that body panels? It seems you have an agenda and want something to be or go wrong.

I have no agenda. all I suggest is awareness. of most interest to folks who drive in salt-wash (rust belt or on an ocean beach) with a 2002 or 2003.

you might have a few more years before your fuel pump or transmission lines leak. (if they ever would)

I had wished someone pointed out to me about the fuel pump. I smelled gas for a while before mine went. (of course I was busy learning about and dealing with fan clutch, shocks/struts, tie rods and brakes) anyone with any rust at all should be aware of the possibility and keep an eye on it. a week later, and I would have been on a vacation trip loaded with stuff a long way from home.

What I got from the other thread is no one in the limited audience had metal brake lines or gas lines go, but one person looking at corrosion on gas line/fittings (most of which are not metal).

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

I had wished someone pointed out to me about the fuel pump. I smelled gas for a while before mine went.

So the real issue was you decided not to address the issue when you first became aware of it. Why would you not think that a fuel smell is an issue which needs addressed right away? Most people would. I sure as hell would not be driving around with gas fumes permeating my vehicle.

What did you need pointed out? Why do you think others need the fuel pump pointed out? A typical fuel pump failure will not have a fuel smell. The vehicle will just quit running or not start. No real way to test ahead of time.

 

[meerschm]

So the real issue was you decided not to address the issue when you first became aware of it. Why would you not think that a fuel smell is an issue which needs addressed right away? Most people would. I sure as hell would not be driving around with gas fumes permeating my vehicle.

What did you need pointed out? Why do you think others need the fuel pump pointed out? A typical fuel pump failure will not have a fuel smell. The vehicle will just quit running or not start. No real way to test ahead of time.

http://gmtnation.com/f24/fuel-leak-top-tank-4063/

Sometimes you get a little gas smell if it overfills a tad, or backs up a bit when the fill valve shuts off. this goes away. I would agree that any gas smell should be understood, at least. not a case of gas fumes permeating the vehicle, can't smell when the HVAC works and you are moving, even when it is spraying gas all over the road.

the corrosion failure mode is stream of gas from the top of the tank. not a quit running kind of thing. more of a your car can go up in flames kind of thing. as I suggest, just something to be aware of if you own an older TB (as they all are getting) and drive where corrosion is an issue. so I thought it could have been overfilled or just a vapor leak. did not realize there was a common failure mode which would spray gas all over the place. The guys at the metal recycling place i was dropping off my old Brake disks would have been much happier if the failure had stopped me before I drove in, and spewed gas while I waited in line. (and first realized there was a real issue here) a little motivated web research identified the letters sent to TB owners in the rust belt which provided a heads up to them, but not to me.

I stand by the observation that if transmission lines corroded to the point of leaking, the owner/driver should be aware of the fuel pump corrosion issue. and visa versa. seems like these two items are possible/likely first failure items from corrosion which can leak fluids and stop the truck. I am not too worried about rusty doors and the like. I expect these to go after a while. I am impressed GM included good corrosion protection in the brake lines. I have had to change those out (or patch around the leaky parts) in previous vehicles.

I thought this site was a place to learn and share. Why are you trying to beat me up for pointing out something? is there some kind of secret protocol I missed?

 

[RayVoy]

I thought this site was a place to learn and share. Why are you trying to beat me up for pointing out something? is there some kind of secret protocol I missed?

Not to worry, no one is trying to beat you up, your terminology is what is causing the trouble.

the corrosion failure mode is stream of gas from the top of the tank.

to you, this was a corroded fuel pump; but to us, this is a fuel line, and yes, you must change the fuel pump to fix it, but it is part of the line.

No harm, we're just having a little fun

 

[willn513]

She's back! Was just the lines... Ended up doing rotors and a wheel bearing while I had it in the shop. New tires too!!

 

[Wahugg]

Glad to hear everything worked out!
Luckily I caught mine before anything bad happened. It was seeping a little were the rust started to eat away at one of the joints.

Ended up being around $170 in parts and an afternoons worth of work.

-Wahugg

 

[meerschm]

Will, glad no other damage was done.

I ordered a set from Rock Auto, should come in a few days.

I am considering painting before installation. I have some black rustoleum, but perhaps should pick up some silver or white, at least for the rear tubes. it does look like the front and rear are different metals.

probably overkill since the originals lasted me nine years and 140k miles.

- - - Updated - - -

Glad to hear everything worked out!
Luckily I caught mine before anything bad happened. It was seeping a little were the rust started to eat away at one of the joints.

Ended up being around $170 in parts and an afternoons worth of work.

-Wahugg

How much fluid did you have to replace?

 

[BigD 1479]

Hi Ya'll, This is my first post and I figured that this would be the best place to vent! First off my wife ownes an 02 TB, and I have an 02 Blazer, I have always loved her SUV so that prompted me to get one also. so a couple of months ago I found a really good deal on a low mileage 03 ! OK now that is out of the way, About 2 months ago after driving my wife's TB, when I got out of it I though I noticed the smell of gas, so I was looking around and couldnt find anything and just chalked it up to the neighbor that was mowing his grass. About a week later the MIL came on and it was the Evap code for "small leak detected". so I pulled it up front first on ramps to look under it, as soon as I did this gas began to pour out from above the tank. Did a little research and found out that this is a MAJOR problem due to the salt corrosion and design flaw of this tank. Well did my best to remain calm while calling GM/Chevy and try to get some help. So I had to take it up to our closest dealer in Hazleton PA, he called me and said the Module was all rotted and needed to be replaced, after telling him well this is a recall and should be done for free, he acted like he didnt know what I was talking about, and said the tank was down one way or another WE already had a bill, so while it was already down I said to just fix it, (big mistake) after calling Chevy back, they informed me that "so sorry but your SUV is 120 yes 120 miles over the already extended warranty and you'll have to pay for it"! Gee thanks ok so $777.14 later, as we get the TB back home my wife tells me that the MIL light is back on so I check it out and its still a small leak, So i look under the back of it, and I can see the top of the fuel filler neck is leaking, After a call back to the dealer, where i just was they said, "thats not out fault its leaking" Whatever, ordered one from Rock Auto, installed it. started it back up to see the famous MIL on again but this time saying "fan speed high" so I check the internet and see the service bullitions for the stupid fan clutch being bad, WTF anything else? YES there is while checking the relays & fuses for the fan, I notice what appears to be "oil"? drops starting to roll out from under it, shut the engin off and see lots now shooting out. Put the TB up to find the leak and yes its the Transmission Cooler Lines right below the oil filter just pumping out Tranny fluid. You can tell that this was dripping for a while because of all the road grime stuck to the botton of the oil door and bottom of the engine, So I am so mad because you mean to tell me that The dealer had TB up on a lift, droped the tank, didnt notice the fuel neck or ANY drops of fluid, the whole time it was up? I tell you what if her Tranny would have blown on the way home Id be fumming even more. So I have another call into GM and they said to take it back to the dealer and they will "see what they can do for us" so I have to get it towed and will problally be seeing another huge bill for these stupid lines that They know are a bad design. Thanks for letting me vent but I am so Pissed that CHEVY knows of these problems and finds EVERY way to not help us AFTER they get BILLIONS of dollars from Mr. Obama, and the dealership that "didnt even notice" dripping tranny fluid, I would love to see if they would have given me a new one because of their negelance??? HAHAHA that's funny!