Expert: Robert Summers - 2/29/2008

Question
I have a 1983 Chevy Impala with what I believe to be a type of 350 auto transmission.I remember a manager of a quik change oil shop having to use filter from one package and pan gasket from another. Pan shape resembles texas. I recently avoided a rear end collision on my part by going up over the snow that was plowed up along the curb, across several yards and back down over same plowed snow to arrive back into the street. It was not soft snow as it had been there a while and partially frozen. my transmission now, (within a month of the incident), seems to have a problem of just dumping loads of fluid out of top of tranny towards the part of case just behind bell housing area. Drastically less comes out in drive. Prior to whole incident my mechanic friend had cut both lines and installed compression fittings after replacing flywheel 3 yrs ago. This particular time he checked out car and said line was leaking and installed a fuel type rated line in place of leaking fitting. After installing new rubber line he cleaned all he could get to with brake clean. Then we restarted car and the dump in reverse and not in drive thing occurred. The tranny lines were still clean at this point. I could not look myself but he says it just spews fluid from somewhere on top on tranny in reverse gear and not while in drive. Fluid level was not overfilled. Tranny lines still clean. When I drove car home there was a trail of fluid on the ground that was not occurring before he checked it out.In about thre or four miles it loses three to four quarts of fluid.

Answer
Hi Jerry. It sounds like fluid is comming out the vent... is the pan damaged from your romp thru the snow....if it is replace it... also remove the vent and see if the pressure check valve in it is stuck. if these don't help you may have cracked the case when you went over the snow bank. trans vent if it is th350 trans should be on top close to the bell housing ... hope this helps