[Shotimes] Re: 1998 SHO Transmission Leak, continued

[Alan Fanning]

A while back I asked for help for my BaySHO friend with a '98 SHO having
tranny problems. Here is an update:

    Alan 

Tom wrote:

> Alan,
> 
> Well my car once again spewed tranny fluid all over
> the place last Saturday...no less when I was
> transporting my kitty back from the Vet.  This
> occurred under much less stressful driving conditions
> than on July 4th.  This time I had driven from home in
> South City to SF around Nob Hill, not detecting
> anything wrong.  Then the car sat parked for about an
> hour.  Then I headed home...stopping at the In and Out
> burger in Daly City...and sitting in the drivethru,
> there was smoke again....I got out, looked underneath
> and there was a single very steady stream flowing out.
> I managed to get thru the drivethru and parked it.  I
> had to deal with kitty before I could deal with the
> car....so that turned into another fiasco being thrown
> off the samtrans bus and having to walk home (idiots).
> 
> Anyways...got back to the car, checked the fluid level
> with the engine off first...and it was on the
> dipstick....started it up and there was no leaking at
> that point two hours after I'd parked it.  Checked the
> fluid again, still on the dipstick....so I drove it
> about 1 1/2 miles to Serramonte Ford.(I had purchased
> tranny fluid and had it along with me just in case)
> By the time I got there, with the engine at idle,
> there was no fluid on the dipstick which didn't
> surprise me, I hadn't added any.  I had to leave it
> and didn't get the verdict until yesterday.  Seems
> that there is a rubber seal of some sort on the front
> side of the tranny, which is worn and when the
> temperature of the tranny combined with outside
> temperature being just enough hotter than
> usual....causes this seal to leak.  So they tell me
> that the tranny needs to be removed to replace this
> seal.....and in the process they recommended replacing
> the axle seals as well.  It requires removing the
> subframe, which thus requires that they strap the
> engine so it does not stress the engine mounts.  All
> told, it's costing me $1400.00....and the transmission
> is working fine otherwise.
> 
> Any thoughts about the diagnosis and cost?  I still
> don't feel I can be too judgemental in that this car
> went 5 1/2 years with no issues other than my pinning
> the cams and it's been paid for more more than 3 years
> now.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Tom