My Tranny is Smoking

[thumper_svx]

Well... not really.

OK, so I loaned my SVX to my girlfriend's brother for a few months. He drove it around, and after the transmission sprung a leak from the rear seal he replaced it just last week. I drove the car a bit over the weekend after getting it back from him and everything seemed in order.

This morning I drive to work and when I get out there's smoke coming from the passenger side of the car. I pop the hood and check it out... yup... from under the car. So I crawl underneath and see that there's transmission fluid smoking on my exhaust.

So given that he's replaced two rear seals, and according to him at least one of them had a nice tear in it (he's a mechanic BTW)... any other thoughts? I'm fearing a crack in the housing... which wouldn't be the end of the world but would be a bit annoying since I just sold my other car

Thoughts of things to look at?

[Cam]

IIRC, the breather hoses for the tranny are right above the exhaust manifold. With how easy it is to overkill our transmissions, i would double check fluid level first.

[Conn SVX]

I changed all my Power steering lines 4 months ago . The Mechanic must have got the tranny fluid on the headers . It smoked for 2 weeks. Finally stopped .

[Earthworm]

Is it transmission fluid, engine oil or gear oil? (or other)
If it's transmission fluid is it coming from the power steering or the transmission?
Is it worse after driving the car or after it sits overnight?

p.s. have you suggested the patch to help your transmission quit that nasty habit?

[shelfy]

Originally Posted by Earthworm

p.s. have you suggested the patch to help your transmission quit that nasty habit?

a good number of my coworkers are addicted to the gum. TH

[Conn SVX]

Did your tranny have SEX the night before . My wife always smokes after SEX <LOL> My BAD ... <LOL>

[processengr]

Is the driveshaft good? Out of balance driveshaft will cause the rear seal to leak. It is common to tear the seal when removing it.

[thumper_svx]

OK, quick update.

So I went to drive my car at lunchtime. Not a long drive... but enough time to get up to running temperature and back again, but not a lot of high-speed. I'm seeing no tranny fluid on the parking lot, so I suspect it's possible the smoke could be from the last of the fluid on the exhaust burning off (since it did throw quite a bit of fluid onto the exhaust which is what precipitated the repair).

Just in case it IS fresh, I am going to get a replacement driveshaft along with a differential I am already getting from a parted out car (I have a Forester diff on there now and want my limited slip back; open diffs annoy me). I'll keep driving in the meantime and checking the fluid levels just in case. Worst case, in a week or two I'll have it up to get the diff switched and I can just replace the driveshaft and the rear seal... again... then.

And yes, I'm sure it's tranny fluid. Smells like burning rubber and is definitely coming off the exhaust right under the rear seal.

[Marcus]

Originally Posted by thumper_svx

OK, quick update.

So I went to drive my car at lunchtime. Not a long drive... but enough time to get up to running temperature and back again, but not a lot of high-speed. I'm seeing no tranny fluid on the parking lot, so I suspect it's possible the smoke could be from the last of the fluid on the exhaust burning off (since it did throw quite a bit of fluid onto the exhaust which is what precipitated the repair).

Just in case it IS fresh, I am going to get a replacement driveshaft along with a differential I am already getting from a parted out car (I have a Forester diff on there now and want my limited slip back; open diffs annoy me). I'll keep driving in the meantime and checking the fluid levels just in case. Worst case, in a week or two I'll have it up to get the diff switched and I can just replace the driveshaft and the rear seal... again... then.

And yes, I'm sure it's tranny fluid. Smells like burning rubber and is definitely coming off the exhaust right under the rear seal.

My SVX had a leaking transmission oil pan seal causing the same issue at the same spot you describe. I first thought its the drive shaft, but you could tell the oil was not comming from there but from the pan.