Hello,
It appears that my '86 GL is leaking ATF from the torque converter seal even though I recently replaced this seal when I had the engine out this past winter.
Saturday I was driving in some hilly areas here, in central Massachusetts, when we came up one long steep climb I noticed lots of smoke coming out the back as well as the side vents. I pulled right over and shutoff the engine and in the engine bay found what appeared to be oil all over the place and the smoke coming from the oil on the exhaust pipes. I checked the oil dip stick and all appeared well. It appears the oil was coming out through the openings at the torque converter. We let the engine cool down and wiped off all the oil spots and then drove to the nearest gas station and topped up the ATF fluid. Checked the oil and water levels and all appeared well, so I drove the 100+ miles back home without incident, gratefully!
When we got home, I checked the engine bay and fluid levels and all looked good.
Next morning I noticed a small puddle of ATF, on the cardboard I placed, on the ground under the engine, so I'm guessing it's the seal or could it be the torque converter itself?
Also, will I need to pull the engine again to replace the seal or can the transmission be pulled alone?
Thanks,
Bob Anderson
'86 GL
Wilmington, MA