TheSamba.com :: View topic - ATF leak with gear oil when going up hill

Mon Nov 30, 2015 3:31 pm

Hey guys,
So as I sit in the passenger seat of the tow truck getting my Westy to the shop I thought I'd throw my story out there for thoughts.

87 Westy with 223k total miles and a 2.5
Subaru conversion with AT rebuild at that time with AT cooler mod as well. 25k since that, all running great.

Over the last 2 days driving back from a climbing trip down near Vegas. Saturday drove from Vegas to Twin falls, ID (about 12hrs) and camped there. That night temps were hovering just below 0. Sunday morning got up and ran the van for about an hour to let her warm up and then started driving on some back roads for about an hour before getting to the interstate.

After about 2-3 hrs of freeway driving (even with suby I still drive 65mph or less usually) I was going up a hill when suddenly saw white smoke and pulled over and turned off the engine. Went back and saw Atf leak of approximately 20cc's (sorry I'm a paramedic and it's how I measure fluid : )). Level was fine and I slowly continued on. A buddy was behind me in his Westy and said for the first few miles he'd occasionally see a small puff of white smoke on the up hills but this went away after about 30 mins. At every stop fluid level was fine. And no change in performance, slipping of gears or sign of leak. Eventually it happened again and this time the ATF smelled of gear oil.
Just prior to the last time it happened my wife was driving and I was searching the Samba and trying to figure it out, so I have used the search.

So what I think is that maybe the cold may have caused the seal between the gear box and AT to leak with gear oil going into the ATF and the extra pressure causing the ATF to spurt out through the breather hole (maybe even out the dipstick tube) on the up hills under load, I have a scan gauge and both times HP were over 100. Does that sound about right? So I guess my ultimate question is am I screwed and looking at a full rebuild or is there a chance it might need to just be flushed and resealed. I know a diagnosis is damn near impossible from that story but would like to hear your guys opinions. Thanks for you comments in advance.

And thank god for a propex. I had to wait 18hrs in 10-20 weather for AAA to find me a tow.

Thanks,
Gabe

Mon Nov 30, 2015 3:49 pm

You probably over-reacted with calling a tow truck.

I just finished a 7,000 mile adventure with ATF leaking oil and the ATF/gear oil mixing.

I noticed the physical leak at Harbor Freight in Fargo North Dakota. I spent the night West of town.....Tower City? The next morning there was a WalMart that I walked to, got a small drain pan with a screw on lid, a roll of paper towels, many qts of ATF and changed the oil in the gravel parking lot that morning.

Thereafter......
Every morning I pulled the dipstick tube and drained the ATF out, about once every 2000 miles I Changed the gear oil by using a suction gun and pulling it out.

Eventually they stopped mixing and only the 2nd band piston cover is leaking profusely.

It was not always fun but I feel I saved my transmission from failure and I motored confidently along.

It is now parked with a drip pan under it until I fix it this Winter.

The white smoke? Just atf being blown back onto the hot exhaust, no worries.... Just a little messy.

Pull it when you can and seal the leak, it may be a simple seal, it may require disassembly.

Dave

Mon Nov 30, 2015 10:08 pm

Where is the smoke coming from?

You can rent a truck and a car trailer and be on the road for home in a few hours. This is probably both the cheapest and fastest way to go at it at this point.