46RE Need help identifying leak from pic
Happy new year all,
I've been trying to pinpoint the leak on my tranny for a while now, and finally shot some degreaser up there and cleaned it enough for a family photo
I don't know the history on this truck. Bought it, swapped out a motor, motor runs fine but now tranny leaks. Operation is fine though.
What is that? the shift shaft? and can I replace this seal without pulling the tranny out? Any details appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
I've been trying to pinpoint the leak on my tranny for a while now, and finally shot some degreaser up there and cleaned it enough for a family photo

I don't know the history on this truck. Bought it, swapped out a motor, motor runs fine but now tranny leaks. Operation is fine though.
What is that? the shift shaft? and can I replace this seal without pulling the tranny out? Any details appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
Last edited by sshawn09; Feb 23, 2013 at 07:53 AM. Reason: Wanted to attach the image instead of having it on a URL that may disappear.
Yep, thats the shaft for the shifter. Drop the pan, might have to drop the valve body..... replace a couple o-rings...... filter and fluid. If you are feeling really froggy, could adjust the bands while you are in there.
Somewhere around here are downloadable versions of the factory service manual, grab the 01 manual, and the procedure should be detailed in there.
Welcome to DF.
Somewhere around here are downloadable versions of the factory service manual, grab the 01 manual, and the procedure should be detailed in there.
Welcome to DF.
Just wanted to post an update....
Leak is fixed now, it was indeed a Shaft Seal, and it was less than 4 bucks. Robert from http://cascadetransmissionparts.com helped me out and talked me through some of my issues and in the end, I got in there and fixed it successfully.
While I was in there I also replaced a TCC solenoid b/c I kept getting a code p1740 which lead to that solenoid or a torque conv. But even without that the valve body needed to be dropped. So to just list the process and the 1 snag I hit....
Disconnect electrical connector
Disconnect the shifter linkage
Give it all a good washing, b/c once you open the pan and drop the valve body, guess where the crud on top falls to?
The next steps I will list the way I did it so you dont have a mass amount of tranny fluid on your driveway:
Drain the tranny fluid, do this by one of them vacuum suckers they sell for pulling the oil out of a jetski, that way there is no mess (bc no drain plug). Let it drip more overnight.
Drop the pan and dump the remaining fluid (a little remains).
Remove the filter and discard (warning, will have fluid inside and will be holding fluid above it.
Loosen the valve body screws and drop down an 1/8 of an inch, it will drop more, bolt up the pan with 2 screws and let it sit overnight. (to let more drip into the pan).
Now remove the pan again, you are ready to work on it without getting a ton of fluid dripping in your eye.
The next step was interesting for me, because I thought I was being smart by starting this job with the truck in neutral to allow no pressure against the gears and such. Doing this made it impossible to take out the park lever. I think if you start the job with it in park, you can get the park lever out. When I did it I had to disonnect the park lever at the valve body (e-clip). Its a b!tch to get it all back together like this. Not sure what is the best way.
Pull down the valve body, warning accumulator plunger is not secured by anything but the VB, remember to put that in the right way later (which a 2nd hand helps big time doing so).
Put the VB in a dust free location.
Use a tool with a lip to bang out this seal from the bottom side up. I carefully used a screwdriver.
Clean the area well.
Make a tool for the install, since the tranny is still in the truck, you cant tap it in evenly from the top, and if you got the 4x4 like me, you will have a driveshaft in the way too.
The tool... ~5 inch bolt, 2 big ole washers, and a nut. Get a socket that is the same size of your Shaft Seal and another socket to displace the nut on the bottom, so the setup looks like this: (From the topside of the tranny) Bolt, washer, socket, shaft seal, tranny, socket, washer, nut. There ya go, you just made a press
Tighten the bolt/nut to press in the seal ensuring the socket touching the shaft seal is aligned properly.
Clean the pan magnet of any deposits.
Reassemble with new filter and pan gasket.
Reconnect linkages and electrical connection.
Fill the tranny up with some tranny fluid while not started.
Start in neutral with e-brake on (this is the gear that will allow the pump to do its thing).
Check fluid level, add to proper warmed up level.
Warning... go short on the fluid. Overfilling is worse than underfilling, b/c it will overpressurize the tranny and blow out seals.
Enjoy your new non-red driveway
Shawn
Leak is fixed now, it was indeed a Shaft Seal, and it was less than 4 bucks. Robert from http://cascadetransmissionparts.com helped me out and talked me through some of my issues and in the end, I got in there and fixed it successfully.
While I was in there I also replaced a TCC solenoid b/c I kept getting a code p1740 which lead to that solenoid or a torque conv. But even without that the valve body needed to be dropped. So to just list the process and the 1 snag I hit....
Disconnect electrical connector
Disconnect the shifter linkage
Give it all a good washing, b/c once you open the pan and drop the valve body, guess where the crud on top falls to?
The next steps I will list the way I did it so you dont have a mass amount of tranny fluid on your driveway:
Drain the tranny fluid, do this by one of them vacuum suckers they sell for pulling the oil out of a jetski, that way there is no mess (bc no drain plug). Let it drip more overnight.
Drop the pan and dump the remaining fluid (a little remains).
Remove the filter and discard (warning, will have fluid inside and will be holding fluid above it.
Loosen the valve body screws and drop down an 1/8 of an inch, it will drop more, bolt up the pan with 2 screws and let it sit overnight. (to let more drip into the pan).
Now remove the pan again, you are ready to work on it without getting a ton of fluid dripping in your eye.
The next step was interesting for me, because I thought I was being smart by starting this job with the truck in neutral to allow no pressure against the gears and such. Doing this made it impossible to take out the park lever. I think if you start the job with it in park, you can get the park lever out. When I did it I had to disonnect the park lever at the valve body (e-clip). Its a b!tch to get it all back together like this. Not sure what is the best way.
Pull down the valve body, warning accumulator plunger is not secured by anything but the VB, remember to put that in the right way later (which a 2nd hand helps big time doing so).
Put the VB in a dust free location.
Use a tool with a lip to bang out this seal from the bottom side up. I carefully used a screwdriver.
Clean the area well.
Make a tool for the install, since the tranny is still in the truck, you cant tap it in evenly from the top, and if you got the 4x4 like me, you will have a driveshaft in the way too.
The tool... ~5 inch bolt, 2 big ole washers, and a nut. Get a socket that is the same size of your Shaft Seal and another socket to displace the nut on the bottom, so the setup looks like this: (From the topside of the tranny) Bolt, washer, socket, shaft seal, tranny, socket, washer, nut. There ya go, you just made a press
Tighten the bolt/nut to press in the seal ensuring the socket touching the shaft seal is aligned properly.Clean the pan magnet of any deposits.
Reassemble with new filter and pan gasket.
Reconnect linkages and electrical connection.
Fill the tranny up with some tranny fluid while not started.
Start in neutral with e-brake on (this is the gear that will allow the pump to do its thing).
Check fluid level, add to proper warmed up level.
Warning... go short on the fluid. Overfilling is worse than underfilling, b/c it will overpressurize the tranny and blow out seals.
Enjoy your new non-red driveway

Shawn
Last edited by sshawn09; Feb 23, 2013 at 07:55 AM.
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Overfilling will usually cause tranny to push fluid out of a small hole in the oil pump front plate above TC hole, dripping onto said TC, slinging it all over and onto hot exhaust pipe under truck, and smoke like a big dog! (don't ask how I know,,,,,)







