[Shotimes] Re: 1998 SHO Transmission Leak, continued

[Mark Pawlowski]

A couple of years ago heading to Vegas via Cajon Pass the seal on my torque
converter let go. Fluid was pouring out with the engine running and leaking
out with it off. Six miles up hill and no emergency lane or place to pull
over.

I was stuck in Victorville for 4 days while the car was being fixed. We left
the morning of the 5th day. It took one of the parts runners two days to drive
from Victorville to LA to a parts house to pick up a converter. I had a rental
car, I offered to pick the converter and seal up myself but they wouldn't give
me the secret password or wave the magic authorization wand over my head so I
could pick the part up. I paid $1300 plus hotels and eats for the wife and me.

Never did make it to Vegas.. Headed home to Oregon leaving our Vegas money
with Sunset/sunlight/ Sun something or other Ford. At least they got me on the
road.

Three days before while climbing the Grape Vine around Magic Mountain the
alternator went out. My SHO never saw 112 and 118 degrees before and it didn't
like it at all!
.

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Alan Fanning
  To: SHOtimes
  Cc: Tom Keim
  Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2005 9:36 PM
  Subject: [Shotimes] Re: 1998 SHO Transmission Leak, continued


  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