I think I have an ATF leak.

[abdeweese]

I just put in a new radiator. So it felt pretty loosey to see that the car was still wet under there a week later.

After crawling under there I found red fluid below the radiator, collecting under the radiator drip pan. ATF?

There is an ATF cooler between the A/C Condensor and the Radiator (1st pic). This cooler connects to two ATF lines at a junction beneath the radiator. Part of the assembly near the left hose is missing (pics 2 & 3).

I tried tightening the screw between the two hoses but it was already pretty snug.

I hope it is just that black plastic/rubber piece. I seams like a gasket or some sort of sealer.

Any body have any ideas?

Thanks All,
Ab

PS Trouble posting pics. They will come shortly.

[abdeweese]

Here are the pics.

[BillionPa]

first things first, top off the trans fluid before you fry the thing. second, usually leaks in that area come from the cooler itself, because i think thay is just to hold the pipes down.

[Tom Bombadil]

I have similar drips on my 95 525it. As there is no dip stick on my autobox, its hard to tell if it is low - it shifts fine.
Let us know what you find out if it is the cooler...

[abdeweese]

Same here. The tranny is a closed system - no dip stick. How can it be topped off?

Can it be overfilled like engine oil? What happens if too much ATF is added?

How difficult is it to replace that ATF cooler? There isn't anything in Bentley's.

[stilljester]

Same here. The tranny is a closed system - no dip stick. How can it be topped off?

Can it be overfilled like engine oil? What happens if too much ATF is added?


Just added fluid until its level with the filler plug hole. (ie it slowly starts trickle back out when filling.) If the car is level and your filling it correctly I'd say it would be difficult to overfill.

[abdeweese]

Just added fluid until its level with the filler plug hole. (ie it slowly starts trickle back out when filling.) If the car is level and your filling it correctly I'd say it would be difficult to overfill.

Bentley and elsewhere mentions having the car at correct tempuratures etc.

I used to work at an indy import shop. The guys there new a lot but they wouldn't fool with closed systems like mine. Then again they were probably just avioding helping me out (I ended up going to a transmition shop to service it).

Anyway, I have the impression that adding ATF is not a trivial task.

What happens when there is too much ATF? Assuming I can manage to overfill it. And I probably could ;)

What happens if there is too little ATF?

[stilljester]

What happens when there is too much ATF? Assuming I can manage to overfill it. And I probably could ;)

What happens if there is too little ATF?

Too much fluid: Lots of foaming, loss of fluid from splashing, transmission is going to operate at an increased temperature under load. Fluid will probably come out through the vent

Too little fluid: Transmission valve rattle, foaming, transmission will slip, hunting

Just fill it per the Bentley procedure and you shouldn't have an issue.