I found a tranny leak at the passenger side rear corner of the 5 spd NV 2500/A535 tranny in my 87 dakota with 3.9 engine. It just suddenly started a steady drip when running, started on a 10 degree temp morning. Upon inspection at the right rear upper corner of the case there is an open hole where the oil is coming out of. It looks like a factory drilled or machined access hole. Drilled on an angle to the case. Is that the vent location? Is there supposed to be a plug of some kind pressed in there? Did a vital part fall out? The tranny still works just great.

The picture is from underside of the passenger side of the case , the shift tower plate is visible above, and the regular vent is out of sight, directly above the hole and is intact. The subject hole is easy to see. It's 3/8" diameter and I slid a 1-1/2' long bolt into it without obstruction.

last night I Jacked up the dakota to have a looksee at putting a self tapping plug in there. Is I was fumbling around something fell from the crossmember, thought it was a rock or something, Any way I installed a 1/8" self tapping pipe plug in the suject hole. Rolled out from under her and was picking up tools when I saw this cylindrical black thingy. yep a rubber plug that had stiffened up and must have shrunk in the unusual coold spell we had. It's on disply now in my whatsit drawer. The dodge dealer parts man could not find it anywher. I finally found an 88 dakota A535 and sure enough there is a black rubber plug goes in the hole.

Mystery solved. back on the road like nuttin ever happened, Sure glad it didn't happen on the freeway somewhere between two no places.

Thanks for the help.

 

Welcome to DodgeForum! This should be in the 1st generation dakota subforum... hopefully a moderator will move it there.]

Can we get a picture of the leak? I'm personally not familiar with the a535, so a picture would help.

 

I will move it.

 

Sounds like dodge installed a breather tube, or a plug. They usually use plastics, or hard rubbers for this task. They constrict with age, and further with cold temps. I would guess you could simply plug, or if necessary one way vent this hole and be perfectly fine. Since it is a steady drip, I would say it was probably a plug.

 

Sorry about the misplaced post. i thought I got it in the right place

I got a picture of the place where the leak is emitting. It looks like it is probably an oil recirculation gallery. It does appear there is a plug has come out. I guess the next question; is there any necessary parts behind the plug that could have fallen out?

 

Yeah thats definately a missing plug. Looks to be an access for the shift forks?

Try these guys to find a new one:
http://www.drivetrain.com/parts_cata...rhaul_kit.html

I think I see that part in the diagram, but you'll have to follow their instructions for a special order part like that. I think it might be what I circled, but I've never seen that particular transmission in person so don't hold me to it!

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