Auto Trans Leak Through Dipstick

[kelman81]

So, I've had this problem for a few months now. I noticed one day that the transmission in my 88 325i was slipping while accelerating. It also started shifting hard. I thought it was odd because I had recently checked the trans fluid level and cleanliness and it was fine. I opened the hood and discovered red trans fluid all over my brake booster, firewall, and backside of the engine. It was coming out of the dipstick! The transmission had lost enough fluid to start with the shifting problems.

So I refilled it about 1.5 pints and it felt much smoother. Happened again. Took it to my mechanic. I told him to check the vent, might be clogged. He also changed the output guide on the transmission and the input bearing on the differential since they needed it. Blew out the vent and added more fluid. Everything seemed fine and worked for 200 miles or so and now it's doing it again. Next step is a new filter for the transmission. Fluid looks clean though. 130k miles on the car. Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

Yes, I don't like automatic transmissions in sports cars either, but it's not in the cards at the moment to do a 5 speed swap.

[bmwstephen]

are you sure its the dipstick? usually it comes out of the kick down cable and thats a result of a faulty seal

[kelman81]

are you sure its the dipstick? usually it comes out of the kick down cable and thats a result of a faulty seal

Thanks, hadn't thought about the kick down cable, I will check it. But it seems like the mess and spray line it makes on the firewall is right in line with the dipstick angle.

[kelman81]

The leaks have been getting a bit worse lately. Now I have leaks on the cooler line fittings going into the radiator, the front of the transmission, and the output shaft. Pretty much leaking everywhere now except the pan gasket which looks to be in good shape. Maybe something has clogged the vent line and the cooler lines, but it would be near impossible for the cooler to be clogged up cause it's too big right?

New filter and blowing out the lines are in order now. If it keeps happening, I've got a few 5 speed donor cars lined up.

[whodwho]

Curious are you checking the fluid level while it is running or stopped?

[kelman81]

Curious are you checking the fluid level while it is running or stopped?

Yeah, while it's running and warm. I've added to it a few times and my mechanic as well. The leaks just keep coming. I tried tightening the cooler inlet and outlet lines into the radiator and they felt fine. Entire underside of the engine is covered in a clean film of ATF.

[kelman81]

Found a good donor car, but someone found me with a better trade offer, so I took it. I told him what the transmission was doing and he didn't seem to mind, so whatever.

I'll get another e30 again, but it will have to be a manual. Too many other things on these cars to spend money on than converting an auto to a manual.

[bmwstephen]

Op ever figure out what was wrong with the unit itself?

[kelman81]

Op ever figure out what was wrong with the unit itself?

Overheat or something clogged, I couldn't tell. It started leaking out the tail shaft, out the front, at the dipstick, and heavily at the cooler inlet and outlet lines on the radiator. Pan gasket and kickdown cable were fine, not leaking.

I asked everyone I knew if the transmission portion of the radiator could be clogged and they said they didn't think so. Maybe the clutch packs were burned up, but the thing ran great and shifted smooth as long as you could keep fluid in it, stay ahead of the leaks.

I'm still trying to do some research in case he calls me back and says the transmission is toast now. I cut him $400 off the price because it was leaking so bad. Told him to take that money and have a my mechanic look at it some more. This kid has gone AWOL though and he's not mechanically inclined. I just discovered the truck he traded me was leaking gas out the front because he tubed in the dinky oil pressure gauge into the pressure side of the fuel pump (on the front side of the engine, brand new Ford 302 crate engine)! So hopefully he'll pay attention to the transmission on the E30 and not do some of the stupid crap he did on his trade in.

[bmwstephen]

So just to be clear, your mechanic cleared the breather valve on the rear top of the transmission?

-Blame my typos on my fat fingers & Droid Charge

[kelman81]

So just to be clear, your mechanic cleared the breather valve on the rear top of the transmission?

-Blame my typos on my fat fingers & Droid Charge

Yeah, my mechanic said he cleared it out with a shot of air while he was replacing the guibo. That was 500 miles ago, and it seemed to only work for about 50 miles or so then it started leaking again. So maybe it was clogged, maybe it wasn't, or maybe it's clogged again.