1994 Dodge Dakota Tranny Seal Leak

KJOHNSTON

MEMBER
1994 DODGE DAKOTA
V8
4WD
AUTOMATIC
132 MILES

I just bought this 94 Dakota and the mechanic (after replacing the fluid and sealing the gasket) told me that the front pump seal needs replaced. The labor charge was ridiculous, and I just bought Lucas Stop Slip and Seal Leak Stopper. The fluid leaks more when hot, and it is fairly minimal when it is cold (one or two drops on the driveway overnight). The dipstick reads that the fluid itself is over the maximum level even before adding the stop leak. Is the front pump seal really the problem? And if is is, is there an alternate route to paying nearly 1K?!?!

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,916 POSTS

There are seal conditioner additives in transmission fluid. Those addiitves will wear out over time. Don't get too excited about a tiny leak yet until you see if it slows down with the new fluid.

If the fluid is severely overfilled, it will get whipped around by rotating parts. If foaming results, fluid can make it up to the vent which sits behind the torque converter. The fluid will drip from the same place as a leaking front pump seal as shown in the photo.

If the leak doesn't stop, a less expensive alternative is to look for an automotive program at your local community college. We were always looking for live work after we finished practicing on school-owned cars. The kids are well supervised and conscientious. The drawback is it can take a week or two to get your truck back and they might only do transmission work during certain times of the year. We never did brake work, for example, during our 8-week electrical class because that would put us in competition with the employers who might hire our graduates.

The advantage is labor rates are very low. At our school, you could expect to pay less than $100.00 for this repair.

Caradiodoc