Spectacular failure this afternoon Is my auto salvagable?

**Jedimastermat** · 27th November 2013, 07:52 PM

Hello All
Left Goulburn 1400 this afternoon bound for new place in Berridale about 230km away.

Flatbed just left a bit ago 2000 after dropping me home.

The contents of my automatic transmission (rank guess, its red stuff) appear to be along the Monaro Highway between Canberra and Michelago and a little beyond. The sway bars will never rust having a lovely red shiny sheen to them.

In all seriousness I need a little help. The back of the car and horse float are coated sticky red oil as is now the highway and it is pouring out of the bottom of the car under say gear selection lever. What have I done? There is no drive. Engine runs no problems well other than in 1,2,3,D it doesn't move. Auto is approx 12 months old (recond). I only drive once or twice a fortnight to Sydney now as we sold our house and are moving up here

Drove 90km/hr with horse float. Driven much heavier van and faster for much longer distances. This was maiden voyage for float. As said 90km/hr flat bits, coast above 100hm/hr down hill bits to save momentum, when uphill bits waited for kickback to 3rd and sat on 3000 rpm til top of hill sometimes that was 60km/hr, sometimes it was 89km/hr, waited til kicked back to 4th and sat on 90kh/hr.

Obviously it was coming out for a bit, no obvious signs in revision mirror as I spent most of the trip trying to say out of the way but no change in drive until no drive, went round bend put down foot to take off up hill and coasted until stopped and there she expired.

If i had driven like an idiot at 140 and tried to maintain 140 up the hills and was trying to pull 6 tonnes I kinda gather id do some damage. I'm too risk adverse for that. Sitting waiting for hours this arvo for help will only increase that. I'm not automotively inclined so if someone can say what they think happened (I get massive failure) and prospects for repair in little words I might be able to understand so I dont get told it needs amputation at the neck and a new body when i try to get it fixed. Do I get it fixed

she really has run like a dream for the last couple of years, always serviced, always replace old stuff with better ofter sales stuff, she really is a great machine. Id be devastated if this is a major (>$5K) job.

bit of a story but an amazing day, appreciate some sage ideas.

many thanks
Mat

**justinc** · 27th November 2013, 08:40 PM

Likely suspect is a blown trans cooler line, or the top pipe fitting has come loose on the pump housing and spat the O ring out, this is reasonably common because it is difficult to get at to tighten properly ( I have a spanner bent up especially for this task) so usually that is the one that comes loose.

I would say that if the trans is quite young, IE less than 150K old then you should be safe, BUT towing for a time with low line pressure can wear things pretty quickly

.

I would just repair the leak, change the trans filter and fill with fresh fluid and suck it and see.

It is worth a try IME.

JC

**PhilipA** · 27th November 2013, 08:43 PM

Usually with D2s the things that fail are the oil cooler pipes, but the rubber bit is at the front so the leak should be at the front.

Perhaps the mechanic who fitted the trans forgot to tighten the filler plug.

Regards Philip A

**Yorkie** · 27th November 2013, 09:14 PM

Bruce Davis is close to you at annangrove, $5k might get you a coffee.

Or try roving mechanical, Peter came to me in blacktown so may come that far.
Then there is klr in Windsor.

Good luck.

**winaje** · 28th November 2013, 07:46 AM

Exactly what Justin said above.

I was driving in Canberra when the D2 had about 120k on the clock, the flange nut on one of the cooler pipes came off and I lost a LOT of fluid. Tightened the nut, filled with fluid, no problem.

BTW, I've done a fair bit of heavy towing with mine, and have never had trouble.

Fill her up and see how you go, but make sure it's properly full too.

**Jedimastermat** · 28th November 2013, 08:30 AM

Originally Posted by winaje

Exactly what Justin said above.

I was driving in Canberra when the D2 had about 120k on the clock, the flange nut on one of the cooler pipes came off and I lost a LOT of fluid. Tightened the nut, filled with fluid, no problem.

BTW, I've done a fair bit of heavy towing with mine, and have never had trouble.

Fill her up and see how you go, but make sure it's properly full too.

Has been exclusively services by Bruce as he was just up the road. Am well versed in the value of coffee

Im in Berridale now so flatbed to Canberra might be the go now

**winaje** · 28th November 2013, 08:34 AM

If I were you I'd get a local mechanic to look underneath. If it's the pump flange nut it'll be obvious, and it'd likely cost you less to have it tightened and filled with oil than the flatbed run to Cooma, let alone Canberra (unless your Auto Club is paying for it)
Below link is to Google Search for Berridale Mechanic
https://www.google.com.au/search?num...13.LLEtcpxgdTQ

**trev** · 28th November 2013, 06:20 PM

You might be lucky! if the auto dumps its oil pretty quickly and you lose drive, many times just a repair of the hose/fitting and a refill of fluid will see it right.
The damaging thing is loosing oil slowly over a period of time rather than a major outpour rapidly.

Good luck! Trev.

**rover-56** · 28th November 2013, 07:17 PM

When my cooler hose spat off the fitting (which is at the front as said above), there was oil EVERYWHERE from the engine back to the rear bumper, so check those hoses first. If you lost all drive suddenly there is little chance of internal damage.

If it is a cooler hose replace the crimp fittings on both hoses at the same time.
Guess how I know to do that.....

Good Luck.
Terry

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