Is Your Transmission Leaking Fluid? Step inside!

[tbyrne]

It looks like alot of people have the dreaded transmission fluid leak. It's coming from the connector guide bushing on the passenger's side of the transmission. There is a technical service bulletin (TSB) for this but it usually isn't covered if the vehicle is outside the warranty period for time or mileage. The part # for the replacement part is 68021352AA. It lists for $8.95. I had to replace one of these over the weekend so I snapped a few pics so the "do it yourselfers" know what is involved. Please note, this was done on an SRT8 that didn't have the plastic belly pan installed.

New part -



Location on the transmission -



That little white tab in the 11:00 position rotates down to about 7:00. This will allow you to unplug the plug going into it. There is a 7mm bolt on the inside. Loosen that. It's part of the guide so it doesn't come out.



Gentally slide the connector guide bushing out of the transmission. Be prepared to catch the fluid that will come out when you do that. I didn't measure it but it's probably about a pint. Keeping track of how much you lose will allow you to replace it with the correct amount later. These cars don't have dipsticks. Put a little fluid on the two bushings on the new guide, slide it into the transmission. Your going to have to push it all the way down or the bolt inside won't bite. Tighten that, put the plug back in, lock it into place and your done underneith. You will need to head under the hood to take care of the fluid that you lost. All set after that!

Hope this helps!
Tom

[Motor]

beans for the write up.

Should be in the knowledge base

[Hemi31]

You might want to mention not to overtighten the screw since it breaks very easily.Then your really"screwed".

[tbyrne]

beans for the write up.

Should be in the knowledge base

Thanks! I was going to put it over there but didn't think it was written good enough for that.

You might want to mention not to overtighten the screw since it breaks very easily.Then your really"screwed".

Good advice! I didn't have the torque spec for that but it isn't much.

Tom

[Carfinish]

You might want to mention not to overtighten the screw since it breaks very easily.Then your really"screwed".

X500.... Use extreme caution on that nut.... mine started spinning the bolt with it and since the bolt is set in plastic and the plastic might have deteriorated... you'll have to replace the whole valve body contoller board...another $200....then the pan has to get dropped and valve body dropped... an $8 piece could end up running you into a $500 repair... ....stupid leak

[The Phantom]

Hye my dealer quoted me $230 dollars for this but say he may be able to do it for about $180. Man it seem that the labor on this should only be an hour + a $10 part. I really wan to do this myself and save the coin but am a little scared.

[JonzMgnm]

Hye my dealer quoted me $230 dollars for this but say he may be able to do it for about $180. Man it seem that the labor on this should only be an hour + a $10 part. I really wan to do this myself and save the coin but am a little scared.

Your dealer is a putz.....it should be done for free since there's been a TSB on this for years.....but it's easy enough to do yourself if you want to.

[MuscleMan305]

Just finished doing this and I have to say it was cake guys. I also strongly suggest u wear eye protection when doing this, i had the car on ramps and the plug is kinda hard to get to because of its close proximity to the cat. So i had to get pratically under the plug and a few drops of the pink tranny fluid landed on my eyebrow mm from my eye, close call. I also used 2 quarts of Mopar ATF4, from my estimates though it looks like i might of lost more like in the 2 1/2-3 range but I'll rather underfill than overfill at this point until I purchase the tranny dipstick sometime this week. I posted a question about a cheaper alternative on the general section, since the $70 they are asking for the miller 9336 is simply ridiculous.

[GhostR/T]

$8 part, $90 labor @ the steelership!

[pir8magnum]

It amazes me, this issue. When I got my car I specifically asked the dealer to do the TSB for it, and they said it didnt need it, and then a couple months later it started leaking. It was replaced for free under the TSB, but come on. When a customer knows about the issue and asks to have it done, and they don't do it, for an $8 (retail!) part, how much money did they really save?

What if I had never noticed it leaking and burned the damn tranny out driving it without fluid? Then what? Do I get a new Tranny under warranty? (probably not, but whos fault would it have been?).

They should have done a damn recall and just replaced all of them. I don't know anyone personally with an LX that has this transmission that hasnt had to replace that part.

</rant>

[Carfinish]

funny thing is that mine didn't start leaking until I had 78K on the tranny and with 3 fluid changes...the leak made it 4 fluid changes

[MuscleMan305]

funny thing is that mine didn't start leaking until I had 78K on the tranny and with 3 fluid changes...the leak made it 4 fluid changes

just curious why so many tranny fluid changes? i thought these things were sealed and didnt need one until way over 100k

[Hemi31]

just curious why so many tranny fluid changes? i thought these things were sealed and didnt need one until way over 100k

If you beat them hard(regular trips to the dragstrip)it's recommended that you do it every 25k miles.

[DodgeDude99]

so this is the infamous o-ring then that causes the leaking problem?

[Carfinish]

just curious why so many tranny fluid changes? i thought these things were sealed and didnt need one until way over 100k

If you beat them hard(regular trips to the dragstrip)it's recommended that you do it every 25k miles.

hey what are you suggesting that I beat mine hard....LOL....yes as Hemi31 mentioned...I take mine to drag strip on somewhat regular basis so I just wanted to make sure the fluid was always up to snuff....