Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Question For auto transmission Guru's

[Traveler]

I have 136,000 miles on my 1996 auto transmission. Its beginning to leak. The leak seems to be around the "valve body manual lever shaft" I think that is what the shop manual is referring to. Its around the shaft that you shift from park,neutral reverse and so-on. My question is can the seal be replaced without tearing down the transmission? Would I have to remove the valve body to get to it?

What am I in for to try and fix the leak?



Thanks Ron

 

[Briar Hopper]

I've replaced one before without removing the transmission, but I did have to remove the valve body. There's no way to do it really well with the valve body in place. We put new ones in on all rebuilds. Only problem that one time, is the new seal was defective.

It's not hard to remove the valve body. Your "shop manual" should have good instructions in it. If the version you have isn't the Chrysler manual, you should get one.

 

[Stefan Kondolay]

Actually guys you can change it without removing the valve body.

Vinnie just did one in our shop today. He was using special tooling and according to Bill most transmission shops should have this tool. Briar call Bill, he will set you up with the tooling. It takes us about 1/2 hour to do the job start to finish, seal is about $2 bucks. Did take about 1/2 hour to find the tool in Bill's tool box though.

 

[krs]

We used to change that seal all the time with a small flat blade screwdriver with a notch ground in the blade like a hook. Just reach up in and push the blade under the seal to the metal part so you can pry it out. Some guys prefered to use a sheet metal screw but it risked damage to the shaft. To put the new seal in a 13/16" socket works good as an installer. I even cut the round part off of a small ballpeen hammer to use to tap the seal in. This was on DJ5 series AMC Jeeps (like CJ5 but enclosed cab) with a lot less clearance to work in than these trucks have. I've done well over 100 of them, maybe twice that in a ten year stint working on the darned jeeps. Piece of cake - took ten minutes max.



Also, if you overfill the trans much at all that seal will pour out fluid when parked, especially parked sloped down to the left.



Hi Stefan! Say Hi for me the THE OLD ONE, eh?

 

[Briar Hopper]

Cool ! More tools ! I'll call up and get one..... Wasn't a hassle to drop the valve body that time, though, it seemed a lot easier than running the risk of messing up. That tool would be a time saver, for sure.

 

[Stefan Kondolay]

Briar, Bill is lending him the tool, Briar he will send it to you after he is done with it. PM him where you want it sent when he is finished with it.

 

[Traveler]

Briar, The tool was sent out to you via priorty mail last Friday. I used it and it works great. Took more time to gather up the tools than it did to replace the seal. Less than 30 minutes total!



Thank you very much Bill!