A leaky problem with photos

[TrackDay]

Neilda,
No problem with the questions. First, I used an 'imperial' box wrench of 11/16ths if I remember correctly to remove the vent plug however metric will work. The area is very accessable by removing the air filter box first. It is a two minute job with two screws (one on each side, 10mm) and the screwdriver to loosen the hose clamp connecting the box from the rubber inlet hose. Don't forget to disconnect the sensor on top of the box (it is a quick disconnect plug). When the air box is out of the way, removal of the vent is easy.
Yes, I now believe the leak was from the threads. It is an interesting plug design. As far as the rubber withstanding the heat, only time will tell. In a pitch, some high temp gasket maker will work.

The trans ax is telling us it is overheating. If you do not allow the oil to expand out the vent then I suspect it will find another way out, past the seals, etc (causing even worse things). With that huge crazy muffler it's no wonder our trans ax is overheating. Installing the trans ax cooler should do just that (cool the trans ax / prevent it from overheating). Heck the trans ax is already plumbed up for the cooler. So IMHO it’s a no brainer.
A second though would be to install the Ida Automotive exhaust system and see if the lower under hood temperatures reduce the incidence of overheating the trans ax.
However, keep in mind we’ve spent perhaps 160~200k (or more) / car and FRPP offers a good performance part (perhaps even originally recommended by Ricardo) so as the commercial states “Just do it” (install those trans ax coolers). Just my thoughts.

 

[fjpikul]

Wrenches

Weren't British Imperial wrenches called "Whitworth?" They were somewhere in between metric and American sizes. Weren't they used on MG/Triumphs?

 

[Neilda]

Does anyone here have the transaxle cooler installed? If so, where does the radiator fit and does it solve this problem?

Trackday, you make a compelling point!

 

[ByeEnzo]

Neil,

Send me a PM with your email address and I will forward photos from AMER SPD. He was kind enough to send me photos of the cooler installed (passenger side on rail next to oil tank). Image size is too large to post as a thumbnail. Thanks, AC

 

[Neilda]

Hi.... by the power of email I already have your pictures.... do you want me to resize them and put them on this thread?

 

[AMER SPD]

Hi.... by the power of email I already have your pictures.... do you want me to resize them and put them on this thread?

Thanks Neil,
That would be great if you could. Just the Transaxle cooler to keep inline with this thread.

I believe Dave posted the 2 Borla pics to the Gallery. Thanks Dave!

Charles

 

[Neilda]

Charles, good to talk to you this afternoon - and thanks once more for your your help....

Here goes with the pictures:

 

[BlackICE]

Does anyone know if the trans cooler has a thermostat? I wouldn't want the oil to be cooled until it is warmed up, or the shifting will be poor.

Would a standard oil coolor work for the trasaxle, or because the oil is thicker one would need a special cooler with larger passages?

BlackICE

 

[AMER SPD]

Does anyone know if the trans cooler has a thermostat? I wouldn't want the oil to be cooled until it is warmed up, or the shifting will be poor.

Would a standard oil coolor work for the trasaxle, or because the oil is thicker one would need a special cooler with larger passages?

BlackICE

The Ford cooler I installed doesn't have one and I don't believe there's one in the Ricardo. The warm up period for shifting hasn't changed with or without the cooler.

I have no idea about the core's tube diameter.


Hope this helps.

 

[BlackICE]

Does anyone know the size of the cooler Ford uses and the thread sizes used for the hoses that connect to the transaxle?

I would like to add a cooler with a temp control.

Here is what I have in mind.

Cooler
http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=1210

Thermostat
http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=1226

Hoses
http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=3270

I would like to use the AN fittings.

The pluses of Ford solution is easier to install, no custom brackets hoses, etc. No problem with Ford claiming you damaged your transaxle with a non-Ford cooler.

The pluses of custom solution, thermostatic control, lower cost, larger or smaller cooler, your choice.

BlackICE

BlackICE

 

[Flyingflip]

I Totally Agree!!

Dave,

How come only a few of the two thousand+ GT's out there have this leak problem? There is something wrong. Please read my previous post.

Adding a trans cooler shouldn't be necessary for street use. I would be further reluctant to see anyone put one on their car because I'm not sure how well "proven" this accessory is. What happens in a year or two, if one of the fittings break (due to an unforseen design flaw) and you slowly pump all of your trans oil out onto the highway? I will install a temperature monitor on mine and give you guys the results in the next week or so. I want to be able to drive for at least 1 hour without stopping. This should be valuable info.

I am designing a pre-oiler for my GT, however it's going to take a while because of what I mentioned above. If this pre-oiler failed, it could cost me a motor, so I am going engineer the hell out of it!

Many thanks as always,
Jay

Analogdesigner,
I Too Have The Exact same leak on my 06. I was Very reluctant to take it too my local dealer,because of their service reputation. so I took the pan & heat shield off myself (I have a car lift, Thank God!) Cleaned every thing up with brake clean, and drove the car without the pan. Still leaking and it looked like it was from the breather. So I took the Home Depot washer off, and made a copper washer to fit exact, But this part with a seal in it Should NOT need a washer at all. We also sell oilfield equipment and have what is called push-to-lock fittings, so I glued an 1/4" fitting into the top of the breather and installed a 12" piece of tubing into the top so no fluid could possibly puke out the top!
Remember the Transaxle is atomosphric so there is really No pressure to speak of. Drove the car again Deffinatly No Leak from the breather! But Still Leaking. Looked like from below, there are two Aprox. 3/8" Dia. Freeze plugs? Why freeze plugs in a Trany? They should be tapped with threaded plugs installed! Anyway I was tired of Screwing with it so I called Frod Customer Assistance. They tell me there are No Service bulltens on this problem and I need to take it to my local dealer. So I did Ya know what there fix was? Clean it up and Silicone the freeze plugs! Ha! Had the car for Two Days!
And guess what It still leaks! Have you ever got yours fixed??
Also I wanted to thank you for the pictures, I printed them for the dealer, But I am stumped! I can Not locate where the gear lube is coming from!
Sure would like som help!
" Thanks "
Flip Cooper

 

[BlackICE]

And guess what It still leaks! ...
But I am stumped! I can Not locate where the gear lube is coming from!
Sure would like som help!
" Thanks "
Flip Cooper

It could be a pourous transaxle case from a casting imperfection.

BlackICE

 

[analogdesigner]

Transaxle weeping fluid

Flip,

BlackICE may be correct.

I have designed and will be selling an extension adapter made from stainless steel by next week. Now, I cannot say if this will solve your problem, although it worked well on my car!

I drove at a high velocity last night for a quite a while and my transaxle vent was clean when I arrived home.

Installing the trans cooler is a "cop-out." Read my earlier posts. I just can't believe that normal street driving would overheat things. Automotive engineers are just not that stupid.

Make sure that your trans is NOT overfilled, otherwise you will be belching trans fluid!

If you want, I will send you a breather extension within the next two weeks and if it works, you can buy it from me. If it still leaks, just mail it back to me. This one is up to you. And remember, BlackICE could be correct about a porous casting!

Jay (949) 366-1211 anytime
www.gtsaver.com

 

[DanQ]

I don't have my car yet so I don't know if it will leak or not, but assuming the leak is between the breather and the case. See (L1000172.jpg) photo on the first page. can you replace the home depot washer with a alum stat-o-seal washer instead? Its aluminum with rubber in the center see:

http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=3245

or any of the other copper or dowdy washers available here?

http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/group.asp?GroupID=PLUMSEAL

Pegasus is a good place to get fittings and hoses too if you are going to fab your own solution.
Hope this helps,
Dan

 

[B O N Y]

Pegasus is a good place to get fittings and hoses too if you are going to fab your own solution.
Hope this helps,
Dan

Pegasus makes Summit and the others look like amatuers, they are the best. :biggrin

 

[MR2Race]

On a few of the Protype Ford GTs that were used for track development.
I relocated the vent to a higher position. And that helped but did not completely fix the oil spewing about. The elegant solution is a breather vent kit.

I have a problem understanding how a trans cooler will help this oil out the vent problem.For a street driven car.

Yes a cooler should be installed on a track driven car.
But for the street I am not convinced it is required.

There is a method to define if a car needs a cooler installed. Monitor the gear oil temptures. This is the only definitive way to know.
I can tell you in development testing. Extensive gearbox testing was performed
(most of it with my data systems on the cars). And there were never any trans over temp issues with street driving. Even in Death Valley where the air is hot. And the road is begging the driver to triple the speed limit.

The only reason Ford racing has a cooler to sell. Is based on temp data we collected in extended track testing.

 

[MR2Race]

Stock trans Vent W/ Oil stain

I just posted the best photo I have seen of a stock trans vent wet W/ gear oil.

To view search the photo Gallery for - Stock trans Vent W/ Oil stain

 

[dbtgt]

I have just installed this fix - I hope it works! :eek $2.29 from autoparts store which is 100 times more than the POS part it replaces. I'll let you know if it works.

 

[Neilda]

I shall be interested to know if this works - keep us posted!

I will install the transaxle cooler in the next couple of weeks, as I track my GT several times a year it would be a prudent thing to do - hopefully it will kill two birds with one stone....

 

[dbtgt]

I also installed the transaxle cooler and am hopeful that between the two that the problem is solved! I really think that most of the leak was at the washer IMHO.