Sinking Creek 4WD Association

97JEEPTJ wrote:Got the Jeep back. The shop said that a breather hose slipped off, and caused the mess. This breather hose they speak of was not installed in the first place when they re-built the transmission. So they put one on that extends into under the hood with a one way valve on the end (just like axle breather tubes), and added some ATF.

thats odd ... i didnt think it would spit fluid without a breather ... i didnt even know they had a tranny breather on them from the factory :o

I hope that this fixed it but something dont sound right

jonesy wrote:

97JEEPTJ wrote:Got the Jeep back. The shop said that a breather hose slipped off, and caused the mess. This breather hose they speak of was not installed in the first place when they re-built the transmission. So they put one on that extends into under the hood with a one way valve on the end (just like axle breather tubes), and added some ATF.

thats odd ... i didnt think it would spit fluid without a breather ... i didnt even know they had a tranny breather on them from the factory :o

Well they don't. The stock breather is located in the bellhousing of the transmission just above the tailshaft(?). Being so low was what was the problem in the first place with water getting into it. When they rebuilt it, I had them relocate the breather location to the top of the transmission where a breather tube could extend it higher under the hood. They installed the barb fitting, but no breather tube.

Here's the write-up: http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=462033

With the installation of the auxiliary transmission cooler, and with some added ATF, could there have been an air bubble in the transmission just waiting to vent/burp?

Round Two......Good Afternoon Jeep

Jeep was in garage, hasn't been driven for 2 days since I picked it up from the transmission shop. I start the Jeep, put it in reverse, back out of my garage, put it in park, turn it off.

I close the garage door, go inside for a few min, and come out to a most wonderful pool of ATF under the Jeep.



I'm going to try and get it to the trans shop, and have them actually do something. (like drop the pan maybe). Then, hopefully I can figure out whether it's the transmission, or that fucking radiator. Since the transmission was fine before all of that, I'm thinking you guys are right with the radiator having a leak in the trans cooler.

Any suggestions of how to narrow that down? I can check the level of coolant in the radiator--if it's lower, and no visible leaks, then it lost fluid somewhere.

Should I disconnect the aux Trans cooler?

Disconnect an ATF line from the radiator and see what drains out?

Meanwhile, my mouth is numb from the dentist and I am a combination of and

Are you getting antifreeze in the ATF or vice versa?

TerryD wrote:Are you getting antifreeze in the ATF or vice versa?

Nice to see you back online Terry.

That is what some of the guys have suggested. Last time, as you can see in the pictures, there was a bit of green at the bottom of the bellhousing. This time, though, it was just straight ATF, no sign of anything else. The antifreeze level is the same as it was before.

I opened the cap to the radiator. It was nice and full of coolant. It was green, and looked like it had some cloudy residue suspended in some of the fluid. It was not red, could it be water particles starting to freeze, or crap from the radiator when it was manufactured?

The trans fluid seems to be coming from on top of the transmission, possibly the breather and even the dip stick. It was a larger amount of fluid though, I am not sure why I cannot re-create the problem.

Could this be caused by blockage in one of the transmission lines? So that when the Jeep is on and ATF is being pumped through the system, it's blocked up and has to purge atf? Could it be caused by overfilling the transmission with ATF?

Take the atf lines out of the radiator, make an adtpter to connect the 2 atf coolant lines together with an adapter. Start the motor and the antifrezze will most likely drip out the atf holes in the radiator.

Wasnt you missing some coolant a couple of weeks ago? Im pretty sure if you replace you radiator your problem will be solved.

Make sure you drain your tans fluid when you get the radiator.

Yeah I am going to see if I can return this radiator.

I agree about bypassing the internal cooler and seeing if the fittings leak antifreeze. If you are getting ATF out of the breather, then either they drilled the hole right overtop of something that's "pumping" the fluid out or its WAY over filled. Most factory case breathers are drilled into the case on a horizontal plane in the opposite direction that the internal parts close to it rotate to prevent it acting like a centrifugal pump. Start it, put it in gear, back it out of the garage and maybe idle it around the yard a little and then crawl under it to see if the parts rotating are possibly causing this problem. It would help explain why you only had the trouble after you moved.


Oh, and it's nice to be back! now if I can just get a job.

I talked to the shop and they think it might be their relocation of the breather/vent that could be causing the problem, not allowing the ATF to circulate.

The tech said that the first time I brought it in, the fluid level was fine when they checked it, so they didn't add any ATF. This time, he said the ATF level was low.

I'm undecided as to whether I should get a new (different) radiator or not.

97JEEPTJ wrote:I talked to the shop and they think it might be their relocation of the breather/vent that could be causing the problem, not allowing the ATF to circulate.

The tech said that the first time I brought it in, the fluid level was fine when they checked it, so they didn't add any ATF. This time, he said the ATF level was low.

I'm undecided as to whether I should get a new (different) radiator or not.

as long as the shop isnt charging you ... let them figure it out ... then go from there.