1988 Chevy Silverado Leaking Fluid

1988 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
132,000 MILES • V8 • 2WD • AUTOMATIC
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CHERSHEY
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I recently bought this truck from a friend. Owned about a month. I went out to warm it up. The vehicle ran about ten minutes. I went back outside to get in and leave. Noticed a slight sound under the hood. When I looked under the hood, transmission fluid was literally running out of the fill/check spout. I have been around motors all my life and have never heard of this happening. When I cut the vehicle off, of course it stopped. I had checked the fluid about a week earlier and it was at the perfect level with the transmission hot and the auto running. Now about a week and a half later, the same thing has happened again. I asked some more experience people, one an actual mechanic, no luck. Any suggestions??
Feb 3, 2010 at 7:17 PM
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JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • ASE Certified Mechanic
  • 110,194 POSTS
  • ASE Certified Mechanic
THe only thing I can think of is a pressure bypass. On transmission, the ATF expands when it gets hot. That is why you check it hot and running. The bypass (in the valve body) allows additional pressure to build if the trans is cold because of the lack of expantion. If it doesn't release the pressure when a certain temp is reached, what you described can happen.

I have never personally had this happen, it was one of the things I remember from when I attended automotive school. However, that is the best answer I can give you.

Let me know if it helps. I hope it does.

Joe

Joe
Feb 7, 2010 at 6:55 PM
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