My 95 Max has a minor leak from the torque converter cover window. This happened about a year after my local dealer replaced the RMS. (I should mention I had not noticed any leak, but they said it was. Should have never trusted them. ). Anyway, I had it checked out by a couple of mechanics, and they thought it was the RMS again. Going through a couple of threads on this board, I am now wondering what are the chances that it is actually the upper oil pan. So my question is whether there is a way I can confirm which one is leaking.

Also, I would like to know whether there is any write up of how to lift up the engine for dropping the oil pan, if any one came accross one. I did my search, just did not find one covering a great details. I don't think I am ready to tackle this now, as the leak is minor to be worth for the trouble. But I would like to know the steps and work involved.

Thanks advance for any help.

[Edit]: Forgot the mention that the car has 113K on the clock.

 

No need to lift up the engine to drop the upper pan. Just drop the crossmember, lower pan, anything you see connected to the upper pan (including bellhousing bolts), then drop the upper pan.

The only way you can know for sure is to remove the flexplate and actually look at the RMS.

 

Thanks, pmohr. Do I remember wrong that you were in MD? Just curious.

Anyway, the FSM call for lifting the engine so as to loosening the motor mount. I thought I read that someone was able to do it without. Just try to find a bit details as I could not found the thread that I read before.

BTW, what is flexplace? Is that the thing attached to the RM? Are you saying checking or replacing the RMS taking about the same amount effort?

Thanks again.

 

Actually yea, hanging out in TN for now.

No need to do any securing to remove the crossmember, the side motor mounts will hold the drivetrain with no problem.

The flexplate is what the torque converter bolts to, just as the clutch bolts to the flywheel.

Replacing the RMS takes a lot more effort than the upper oil pan seal, as you'd have to remove the trans. The oil pan seal you can do with the trans in place.

More than likely the tech working on your car didn't drop the pan when they did the RMS, which is where most develop a leak afterwards. Problem is you have to kind of stuff the RMS and pan seal in there, hoping it is sitting correctly and won't leak. That's why the good way to do it is the proper way.

 

Hmmm. At this point, shall I just do the oil pan to see whether it fixes the leak, or there is a better way to check for oil pan leak without even droping it first?

 

It's only going to be weeping a very small amount, so unless you're really worried about it (or you want to take the time and learn and wrench on the car) I would just leave it, IMO.

No real way to check which it is without removing the flexplate as above, otherwise you're just kind of guessing. 90% chance it's the half-moon seal, though.

 

By half-moon seal, you meant the oil pan, right? I most likely will leave it as you suggested, unless I am going into the area for other things...