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Remove the air filter box and you will have easy access to the cap. There are 3 bolts in the air filter box under the air filter. I bought a car to teach my teenagers how to drive. When I am done fixing a couple of things I will take the cap off and go to Ace Hardware and see if they have a gasket for the cap.
Any updates? Bought a 2012 today with 90k miles. On the way home I put the accelerator to the floor to see what it could do and when I got home I had slight smoke from the engine bay. Also had a spray pattern up and back toward the windshield direction under the hood. Noticed similar buildup around this plug as pictured in earlier posts with some fluid above the plug but absolutely nothing below it. Trying to figure out how to get this thing fixed myself
I haven't been able to do anything with the transmission plug. Did you figure out where the oil was spraying from? Obviously be careful cleaning up the sprayed oil if you use engine degreaser and a hose. Definitely cover the plug with something so water doesn't seep into the transmission.
Any updates? Bought a 2012 today with 90k miles. On the way home I put the accelerator to the floor to see what it could do and when I got home I had slight smoke from the engine bay. Also had a spray pattern up and back toward the windshield direction under the hood. Noticed similar buildup around this plug as pictured in earlier posts with some fluid above the plug but absolutely nothing below it. Trying to figure out how to get this thing fixed myself
You may have a CV joint spewing oil/grease. Would be identifiable in a pre-purchase inspection.
I was under the car and noticed what appears to be a large leak on the bottom of the transmission. I touched it and it felt like the texture of muddy dirt. I also looked from the engine bay and that speed hole cover was also covered in grime which you can barely see. The cover assembly looks to be part # 33403-35230 and just the o-ring I found it as part # 96711-24030.
I’m wondering if that small hole is the sole cause of this large seepage. I will probably take it in to get checked out since there is not much working room. COVER SUB-ASSEMBLY
Mine has looked like that for some 100K miles. It has never leaked on the floor. I just clean up the mess when I change the oil. It may not be worth fixing it at this point.
+1 to micosan for correctly identifying the source of the leak
+1 to AA2016 for the replacement part numbers
This cover is a plug used to seal an old design opening for a speedometer cable that was later removed. An eBay search of used U660E transmissions shows a great detailed view of the cover in question.
The hose is technically part of the differential case, that's bolted to the transaxle case assembly.
My recommendation would be to remove the intake hose and air box assembly to get better access. Then thoroughly clean the affected area with brake cleaner and compressed air before opening the plug.
Thanks for the tips @Hayk . I ended up buying the o-ring and payed my mechanic to take care of it. They also added a little bit of WS fluid to account for the loss. The gasket was surprisingly in stock at the dealer which means this issue is probably common. I recommend anyone in the lower mileage range to replace this gasket as a preventative measure. Lesson learned is that it’s always a good idea to visually inspect your car while you are under there doing some work. I’m not sure when the leak started, but it was probably a good amount of time before I noticed it.
how long of a job is this for a mechsnic ? Don’t trust myself with it. My car has 240k miles I wonder how much fluid has been lost if this is the same issue
It shouldn’t take more than 25 minutes for someone who knows what they are doing. The labor is mainly removing a few things out of the way to have access to the speedometer cover assembly. I think as far as properly adjusting for the transmission fluid loss ( if that is indeed your issue), you probably have to do a fluid change and get the level right that way. I didn't want to go that route.
I found a helpful video that talks about this issue
Fantastic thread. I discovered oil in the driveway and after further investigation I saw tranny fluid leaking from the case. This thread allowed me to find the issue and sure enough the, the plug on the top right below the air filter box was covered in fluid.
I ordered the O-ring today and will replace myself. My arms are skinny enough to reach down without having to remove the air filter box. I was able to reach it with no issues.
I ordered the O-ring today and will replace myself. My arms are skinny enough to reach down without having to remove the air filter box. I was able to reach it with no issues.
Your drain fill plug leak is uncommon. It was likely not tightened after a previous service. As long as you are removing the plug to replace the gasket, it might be a good time to do a drain and fill on your tranny fluid. There's lots of good DIY info on doing this job on both CL and YouTube.
12-02-20, 12:36 AM
