Transmission fluid

The total capacity of the transmission is twelve quarts. How much you need to add depends on how much is already in the unit. Your best guide is the indicator on the dipstick. Level should be between the "add" and "full" marks on the stick with the engine idling in park and transmission warmed up to operating temperature.

Here is a guide to help you see how to do the job:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-service-an-automatic-transmission

Please let us know if you need anything else to get the problem fixed.

Cheers

Are you referring to where the transmission and transfer case bolt together? If so, check something for me. Remove the fill/check bolt (not the drain) on the transfer case to see if ATF comes running out.

Let me know what you find.

It is on the transmission.

Sounds as thought the transmission may be getting hot and blowing the fluid out of the vent tube. If there is an internal problem, it could get overheated on longer drives, then the fluid is pushed out of the vent tube.

Yes. It should be right at the end of the transmission's tail housing.

Let me know if you have other questions.

Joe

Check the fluid first. Beyond that, yes you may need a transmission.

Roy

Yes it can. Suspect a leaking vacuum modulator. It has a vacuum hose hooked to it, and the transmission fluid is getting sucked into it, then into the intake manifold. The vacuum changes according to load on the engine so it is used, along with road speed, to tell the transmission when to shift. When the unit is leaking, little vacuum can build up in that line, and low vacuum is what you get when you push hard on the accelerator to take off fast, pull a trailer, or go up a hill. Those conditions make the transmission wait longer to up-shift, and it is the vacuum modulator that is responsible for telling the transmission what the engine load is. Yours is incorrectly telling the transmission you are under hard acceleration. That is why it will not up-shift.

GM used a vacuum modulator on all of their vehicles for decades. Chrysler never used one. They used a simple mechanical linkage hooked to the throttle. Ford used half of each system, depending on year, model, and which transmission was used.

Rather than trying to describe what it looks like, buy a new one from any auto parts store, then look for that part near the rear of the transmission. A single bolt holds a forked metal bracket. Remove that, then the modulator pulls straight out.

Just replace the fluid and filter. Most commonly if there is not a noticeable problem now there will not be in the near future either. Half of the vehicles we do fluid and filter changes on have dark fluid. It is when the fluid smells burned that you have to worry. If you really want to be thorough, have the system flushed but that is a lot more expensive. Those flush systems really came about because of the finicky nature of the newer computer-controlled transmissions that are made as cheaply as possible. They need every ounce of help they can get.

Where is it coming from?

It could be one of several places but we need more information.

Roy