tvrds

So I've had what I thought was a leaking 5 speed transmission for a while now. It always has a drop just barely hanging that never falls and its wet all along the center bulge and even on the gear position switch. There is no axle shaft play on the driver side where there's a leak.

Today, I was changing my sway bar bushings and I found that my driver side tie rod rack and pinion steering boot is torn completely and there is some gooey mess in there. I'm pretty sure there isn't supposed to be any grease or anything inside that boot so before I change the boot and the inner tie rod I need to know if this sounds more like a power steering rack failure.

Do ATF and manual gear oil smell the same because the fluid on the transmission definitely smells like ATF.

99greddymax

iTrader: (7)

Both fluids have their smell, however atf has more of a sweeter smell? If your rack is leakin, then it's most likely ps fluid. Also change your rack too.

99zx2

iTrader: (3)

maxiama's use dexron as their ps fluid, i believe.

tvrds

I know there's atf in the power steering, I put it there when I changed it. My question is if the torn rack boot leak would drip all the way down to the transmission.

I just need to know if manual gear oil smells at all like ATF.

JtzMax

iTrader: (5)

Wash the spot off and wait, time will tell you exactly where it is coming from. Wipe it down with a rag and start the car. Turn the wheel back and forth several times, check for the 'spot'. If you see fluid, see if you can find the origin. We can't possibly tell you if it's PS fluid or gear oil by what you have described.

tvrds

I've already wiped it down once and it's wet all over the transmission in streaks, which is why I don't think it's a transmission leak. Seems more like it's coming from the top of the transmission on the driver side, maybe the gear selector switch, but there's also fluid on the passenger side of the transmission. Unless the top and main seal on the transmission between the main case and the clutch housing is leaking...

Also, I know for a fact that I have a power steering leak because my boot is torn and greasy inside all over the inner tie rod.

If someone could just tell me if there's a significant difference in smell between ATF and manual gear oil then I'd have a better idea because the fluid that's leaking most definitely smells exactly like what I put in the power steering reservoir.

99zx2

iTrader: (3)

did you try checking the level of the trans fluid?

asand1

iTrader: (1)

ATF and Gear oil each have their own smell. Gear oil is a strong sulfer smell that you would not mistake for anything else.
Your inner tie rod boot does have some grease for the joint. If its leaking PS fluid you have a bad seal, there should be no fluid in the boot.

tvrds

checked the ps fluid and it's fine, but there is a leak on the driver side and it's a bit messy around the swaybar below it. I'm going to go for a full autorx treatment to clean up and stop up any further leaks in the power steering, engine oil, and transmission as I get the parts ready for some parts replacement. I don't expect autorx to work miracles but we'll see. There is also some other fluid which I assume to be gear oil on the transmission. I'm going to go ahead and flush the fluid for some NAPA dino GL4 and go from there.

I also felt some back and forth play on the axle shaft today, which (i'm pretty sure but not completely positive) wasn't there before. It's just enough to make a slight clunk noise against the transmission, I assume this is my differential bearing but it could just be normal slight movement, it really isn't much. Bearing replacement rebuilds are around $1000 correct? I need to start looking for a tranny that's either been fixed or has low enough mileage...

There's junk all over the tranny and the undercarriage which is some sort of combination now of gear oil, atf from ps, and dirt but the majority of the smell is still more like atf than gear oil (no sulphur smell). I'll know when I do the flush this weekend.

tvrds

So i've got the car up on stands and i'm poking around.

first, there isn't any play on the axle up/down or side to side into the transmission but there's play going in and out of the transmission. is this normal?

also, the fill plug is completely rusted and stripped. what should i do?

JtzMax

iTrader: (5)

Play in and out? Like you can slide the axle (ds I am guessing - since you didn't say) - how far can you slide it? A little is normal, there's space for the joints (2 of them) so ... it has to have some wiggle room. As for the plug being rusted - it takes a 3/8" ratchet - no socket, how can you not get it off? If you need to, be creative. Anything is possible with enough effort.

tvrds

I'll get a picture of it when it's light out. But not only is it rusted, it's stripped. yes i know how can a 1/2" square socket be stripped? well, whoever topped off the tranny last time must've wrecked the bolt with an impact wrench and then came the rust. Worst case i'll have to weld a bolt into the hole but i dunno how well the thing'll hold up. I'm probably just going to take it to a shop and have them deal with the headache.

fill up with dino gl4 from napa and then do a flush for 3k with auto rx.

hopefully autorx will do something for the ps leak as well though I doubt it.