Rock-a-Lex

iTrader: (4)

Well, I wanted to purposely post this up in this section (and not performance) because perhaps someone on these forums could indicate exactly what could have happened.

Today, while at work, I was running some errands coming back from lunch. I was about 1/2 mile away from the bank (my last errand) before I went back to the office. Some lady was driving slow as hell and braking without putting a blinker on to make her turn (on a 50mph 2-lane each direction) road. So, I pulled around her to the left lane and hit the passing gear; the car lurched forward, felt nice then all of a sudden I heard a slight clang noise (only once). I thought perhaps it was just something in my trunk that flew to the back when I accelerated hard. The car felt fine and shifted fine for the next 1/2 mile going to the bank parking lot. I get out and notice a stream of tranny fluid coming from my car! What's worse...I look under the car and notice it is POURING out of the car. It litterally emptied all the tranny fluid out of the car in that parking lot in the matter of 2 minutes; I probably ruined their parking lot.

Anyway, it was hard to tell but it looked like it was coming from the front of the tranny - where it meets the engine perhaps? What the hell could have caused this? Do you think my tranny mount could have broke making the tranny move during that acceleration and breaking a seal? Obviously, I got the car towed to the shop from that parking lot as the tranny would have been toast if I drove it without fluid. So, long story short...I had it towed to the shop (the shop is closed on Sunday and Mondays) and they will look at it tomorrow morning. Any ideas on what it could be and how expensive the fix could be? I am UPSET.

Alexus_300

iTrader: (4)

Is the fluid dripping between the engine block and the front transmission bell housing? If it is, it's more than likely your front oil pump seal on the transmission. I had this happen to me when I had a stock transmission on my supra after a few hard pulls on the dyno. I thought that I grenaded the transmission so I ordered all new parts for the re-build but come to find out that it was the front seal. Cheap part but lots of labor involved.

TLcoats

iTrader: (11)

Sorry to hear this rock! Most likely sounds like a seal. We'll keep our fingers crossed for ya!

YviE

iTrader: (3)

That's scary... so even if it is just a seal... is a seal supposed to break like this? I would guess a lot of oil pressure would have caused the seal to break. But what could be the cause of that??

Mr Jokster

iTrader: (8)

What sucks the is that most R&R for trannys is a nut and a leg! Mights as well do other work on it to get your monies worth...

Rock-a-Lex

iTrader: (4)

Great news!!! ...well, not great, but for the situation - good. I have a nice size hole in my transmission pan from something kicked up from the road. I am usually pretty good at my awareness of the road that I am driving on; I don't recall seeing anything...but I def heard something "clank" as stated in my original post.

Anyway, my shop has to order a new transmission pan from Lexus. How much do you think the bill is going to run me? Parts, fluids and labor. How much? Hopefully it is under $500 bucks.

Thanks for all the responses guys!

tinman

Wow. That's a first for me hearing something like that. I once ran over something (I don't know what) and put a hole in my drivers rear wheel rim. Stock rims. That's as close as I come to a hole in something from driving.

porn-adkt

iTrader: (37)

You beat me to it. for fluid to drain that quickly it would have to be the pan.

dealer is gonna rape you. let me know if you need a hand. i did mine 2 months ago since the previous owner liked his ride dropped and ****ed up the tranny pan, oil pan, frame rails..etc.

Alexus_300

iTrader: (4)

PM me if you need to source the parts. The pan is roughly $150. Than the entire case of T-IV fluid will run you around $70. And then $18 for the toyota transmission pan gasket sealer. It comes in a tube. All of this can be done by yourself in less than a hour. You'll need a 10 mm deep socket to remove the 19 bolt that hold the pan to the transmission and a screwdriver to pry the edge of the pan off. Then get a razor blade and scrape off the remaining gasket material and wipe it down clean. Then just reinstall everything back on.

Rock-a-Lex

iTrader: (4)

I would try to take this on myself but:

-I panic'd and the car is at my local mechanic shop - not drivable
-I am not going to pay for a tow just to bring it back to my house for me to work on it for a couple of hours after I source the parts (which could take days...sitting in front of my house not drivable)

Rock-a-Lex

iTrader: (4)

Thanks for the offer man! but I'll just leave it at my mechanic's shop. I wasn't going to go to the dealer at all...I know they would kill me with their prices.

vwynn

iTrader: (4)

what if something shot OUT of the tranny pan? :O

Alexus_300

iTrader: (4)

This is one of the reason why I'd recommend taking a look at the transmission pan after its removal. There is a possibility that one of the sprags broke loose.

Mr Jokster

iTrader: (8)

yea which way is the hole pointing? Does it look like something pushed out or entered? Pretty big coincidence if when you "stepped" on it that the sound happened. Hope it is the pan, cause thats being lucky!

Rock-a-Lex

iTrader: (4)

That's exactly what I was thinking. I asked my mechanice TWICE already and he assured me that it looks like something kicked up from the ground and hit the pan. How much more should I bother him? He is a very good mechanic; my family and I have been using him for over 10 years.