Fordomatic: fluid coming out of fill pipe

[ROKuberski]

This isn't about a transmission swap, but this looks like the best place for my question.

I recently bought a '57 Fairlane 500 2-door with a 292 & Fordomatic.  I have put perhaps 800 miles on the car in the past three weeks without a problem.

A couple of days ago I drove in stop and go traffic for about 40 minutes.  No sign of the engine overheating.  After the stop and go was over I drove about 15 miles at about 55/65 MPH, then a brief stop for about 5 minutes to get something and then another mile home.  When I got out of the car, I looked behind it and saw a trail of fluid, transmission fluid.  Under the car was a big pool of fluid too.  I cleaned up the mess then put in a couple of quarts and started the car to look for the leak.  I then had more fluid on the floor but could not find a leak.  I took off to the parts store and bought more fluid and then added another 4 quarts for a total of 6 added quarts.  Now, I started the car again and there was no leak that I could find.  The next morning I noticed that there was fluid on the right exhaust manifold and valve cover.  The only way that fluid could get that high is if it came out of the oil fill tube.  I now have no leak and I have driven the car about 10 miles without a problem.

So, what happened to my transmission?  Do I need to get something fixed?  Is it possible that it was a onetime problem, or a problem associated with the stop and go driving?  I'm lost here and a local shop that I deal with says to just drive it and keep an eye on everything.

Comments?

Rich

[canadian_ranchero]

how full was the trans before it pushed out fluid?it may have been over full,got hot and pushed out the fluid.also check your trans cooler and make sure it is working correctly

[ROKuberski]

The transmission was not over filled.  It was right up to the full mark.  I had checked a few days earlier.

As to the transmission cooler, that is just fluid going through part of the radiator.  I suppose that I could disconnect the coolant lines and blow air through that section of the radiator to confirm that it is not blocked.  Or perhaps disconnect just one line and start the engine briefly to see that there is flow through the radiator.  I don't know what else I could do to confirm it is working properly.

I put on 50 miles today, about 1/2 highway driving in 60 degree weather.  No stop & go driving and no problem at all.

Rich

[Frankenstein57]

Rich, your post had 42 views with one reply. So with that being said, I'll say that guys might be reluctant to respond as to not give out bad advice. I'm no expert on automatics, I prefer a stick shift in a hot rod or cruiser. Your comment about being plugged up is worth talking about, My brother sold a like new radiator to a guy for a case of beer, turns out mice had built a home in it-he never flushed it, cost the guy a motor. To this day my brother scraps loads of good parts, just doesn't want to deal with the people. The stuff we are working on is 54 years old, anything is possible.  Mark

[shopratwoody]

Is there a vent that could be plugged up? Never had a Fordo do that, but did have a hydro do it once long
ago. I think mine had been over filled.

[ROKuberski]

I don't believe that there is a vent.  If there is, I can't find it.

I now have about 250 miles on the car since that event with no problem.

Yesterday, I was trying to figure out what was wrong with my gas gage and I have discovered that I have low voltage from the voltage regulator that supplies power to the gas gage and engine temp. gage.  So, my comment about the engine not overheating may not be accurate.  I am only getting about 3 volts out of that unit.  But, that should still have had the temp gage in the middle of the range.

I am not worrying about this problem right now.  I don't know what caused the problem and no one seems to have ever heard of this problem.  So, there is nothing to do.

Thanks for your comments, I am on to other issues with the car.

Rich

[doc frazier]

The vent is on top of the trans case. If it is plugged it will case what you have described.