The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Turbo 350 Question

How much fluid would normally be replaced after dropping the pan and changing the filter? Also, are there any good solutions to sealing the leaky dipstick tube?

I added 7 quarts to get the level up to the mark on the dipstick (after it was warmed up) and all seemed well, but after sitting for two days it started leaking puddles. It also appears to be leaking out of the speedometer port. It's currently open as it will not match up with the original speedo cable. Does someone sell a cap so I can just plug it for now?

This is not my doing, I'm just trying to patch up a hacked up job done by another many years ago.

John

First it generally takes about 5 quarts to refill it after dropping the pan. Your dipstick & tube don't match. There is a grommet in the trans. where the tube go in. It must need replaceing. It shoud have a bracket on the tube that attaches to the rear of the engine or trans mounting bolts. There is a tiny seal in the speedo cable outlet. It will need repaceing also. I dont understand why the speedo cable will not fit. They used the same trans. end for many years.

There is a very small lip seal around the speedometer drive gear shaft that should prevent leakage even if the cable isn't connected. They're bad about failing, however.

Another source of leakage that's often overlooked is a tiny weep hole in the center of the sliding yoke at the front of the driveshaft. It's there to keep air pressure from building up in the yoke, but if the fluid level gets above the centerline of the output shaft due to the torque converter leaking down, fluid can seep down the splines and find its way out the yoke vent hole. The simple fix is to braze up the hole in the yoke to keep the fluid from leaking out in case the converter leaks down.
Jerry

Engine and transmission is late 70's and the truck is a '59 Apache that (I believe) was probably a factory 6 cylinder 3 speed.

Thanks

John

Once again it looks like George was right. It appears that the cable (I mean a new one) will most likely work. The old one was apparently cobbled up many years ago.

I was able to siphon two quarts of tranny juice out of the dip stick tube. Tomorrow I will hopefully get those leaks fixed.

So far, all I see is an o-ring sealing the dip stick tube is that correct?

John, I've seen some after market stuff that use an O-ring but I think originally they had sort of a "sleeve/or sock" that went into the tranny then the dipstick housing pushed down into it....maybe someone can confirm or learn both of us something!!

Early model dipstick tubes used an O ring about 1/8" thick by about 3/4" diameter. Later, the shape of the tube was changed, and a rubber sleeve about 1 1/2" long was used as a seal. To switch from the O ring to the sleeve, you would need to change the dipstick and the tube to the later model items. The sleeve seal does a MUCH better job of preventing leaks!
Jerry

Also if you don't replace the seal in the speedometer gear or you will still have a leak even with the new cable connected.