I have read several posts here and many elsewhere on the web described as: (leaking tansmission)--condition recurrs almost immediately after replacing the trani-pan seals (bummer!!)

Dealer has confirmed (3) suspect items; pan seal to be replaced with newly released 'rubber' not 'cork' seal, tighten trans-to-cooler clamps on hoses. The Clincher is a SOLENOID SEAL. (bargain job at $510). The total cost of seals is less than $15 and fluids less than $40. So there is some kind of message here; a lot of margin or not DIY stuff.

How does one begin to fix this one? I spotted two seals that sandwich a plate of the solenoid in an exploded view of the 40TE transmission but I can not figure out where the solenoid is locted (external or internal) and the process to replace / tighten the seals.

Is this a DIY job or a dealer must? Help is appreciated!

 

I guess what I don't understand is where is the $460 worth of labor. The whole job that has to be done only takes about 1.5 hours. The solenoid pack is on the front of the transmission, kind of under the air cleaner assembly (that would have to be removed). Its not hard to do, once the air cleaner is out you can access the trans oil cooler hoses (which also have to be disconnected to remove the solenoid pack), and the solenoid pack is under the oil cooler lines. Three bolts hold it down, the gasket(s) underneath are usually the culprit. Sometimes the solenoid pack itself leaks, but that is maybe 1 out of 50. Some solenoid packs have a black plastic cover over them, the ones that do have that plate you were mentioning and there are two gaskets, the ones that don't have the black plastic cover have only one gasket and it is not the same as the ones that have the black cover. You could do this yourself if have some mechanical skills, dropping the pan is easy, I don't know why they are telling you about the cork and plastic gasket for the pan as there has only been RTV sealing the pan. THe pickups used to have a cork gasket and now have a plastic one.