1995 Toyota Previa S/C Automatic - Leaking at bellhousing

[GreenLantern]

Hi TVT members,

I am getting a slow leak at the transmission bell housing joint. I thought it was coming from the screw and/or lowermost area so I applied some FIPG sealant (as you can see) but after a 30 mile drive the leak is still present.

Any ideas as to where to look and if this is a DIY repair or will require a mechanic to fix?

Thanks :)

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3805/11790890194_fe1980df95_b.jpg

[timsrv]

Unfortunately you have a leaky input shaft seal on your transmission. In order to replace it the transmission and the torque converter need to be removed. Once you have access, replacing the seal isn't difficult..........it's just a pain to getting the access.

They make a product to dump in your transmission that's supposed to make these type leaks stop (don't remember what it's called), but I've never used it and don't trust it. It works by attacking the rubber seals and making them soft. From what I understand it actually works sometimes but it can also destroy the leaky seal and other seals that are not yet leaking. My advice would be to let it leak and add fluid when necessary............until you can afford to have it fixed properly. Tim

[GreenLantern]

I appreciate the info. Do you think I can degrease the entire joint and just add gasket sealant around most of the connection? I know this is a crude approach but if I can add seal past the fluid level, theoretically it shouldn't leak anymore. I'm not a fan of stop-leak type of products as I feel they can cause more harm than good.

I'll keep monitoring the fluid level in the meantime. It's probably dripping a teaspoon a day if that.

[GreenLantern]

I just came across this product by Permatex :dance2:

Wonder how well it works for my application.

http://www.permatex.com/images/stories/virtuemart/product/82099.jpg
A sprayable sealer that forms a durable rubber barrier that stop leaks in minutes. The wicking action seals hard-to-reach leaks without the need for disassembling or removing parts. Designed specifically to target low pressure leaks in hoses, oil pans, differentials, transmission pans, fluid reservoirs as well as plastic, PVC and metal pipes, their connections and much more!. Eliminates the need for liquid additive sealers that can swell and foul internal seals. Resists common shop fluids. Note: In many cases, more than one coat will be needed to solve the problem. Level 3

[timsrv]

There's nothing you can do short of pulling the transmission. The place you see the fluid is not where it's leaking, that's just where it ends up due to gravity. Even if you were somehow able to seal the bell housing all you would be doing is trapping the fluid and it would find another place to leak. The product I was talking about gets added to the transmission fluid and IMO is a bit risky. I did a search and here's a link to it: http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1452131. There's lots of other brand names but it's all basically the same stuff. The volume you're leaking isn't much. Just throw some cardboard or a cookie sheet under the van to keep the ATF off the concrete. It will probably go for a long time before it's an issue. Tim

[GreenLantern]

Tim, appreciate the knowledge and wisdom. I'll take your advice and just top it off as needed.