Transmission blowing fluid everywhere

Jay P

Jay P

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 6, 2017
Messages
609
Location
West Jordan, UT
So my son took the TJ out, he was driving and all of a sudden there was smoke everywhere. Turned out to be transmission fluid and I found a line blown off from the radiator. I thought that was it so I filled it back up so he could limp it home but the fluid ran right through it. Emptied 3 qts on the ground!! It was everywhere and dark and we were far so I towed him home. What do you think?


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Jerry Bransford said:
Where's the ATF leaking from? The hose? Radiator?
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The hose was blown off but when I put it back on it still leaked when I tried to fill it. It’s hard to say because it was everywhere. It is all over the RMS but I don’t know if that helps. I thought maybe I just overfilled it but 2-3 qts on an empty dipstick shouldn’t cause overflowing right?
It’s all over the front diff from the hose and all over the engine and all underneath towards the rear also

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Clean the underside off thoroughly... very thoroughly. Put some more transmission fluid in it once it's all clean, and then get under it while it's running. It should be obvious at that point where it's leaking from, but I don't think you'll easily find it until you do some cleaning.
 
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Chris said:
Clean the underside off thoroughly... very thoroughly. Put some more transmission fluid in it once it's all clean, and then get under it while it's running. It should be obvious at that point where it's leaking from, but I don't think you'll easily find it until you do some cleaning.
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Ya I know.... I’d do it now but it’s dark. I’m way too tired to be posting anything. I’ll clean it up and try again with some pics if I need. I’m hoping it’s something cheap and easy. I can’t imagine the hose blowing because of a separate problem but I’m not a mechanic so who knows. Thanks for looking anyhow.


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I had the same thing happen, it was a blown hose. I spliced a new length of 3/8" i.d. hydraulic hose in using a brass hose splice like this. I actually carry a couple of these plus a length of hose. Just in case. Came in handy several years ago on the way out to a run.

07214_7b9f39e9-b5b4-4780-8312-32825f2615f9_large.jpg
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
I had the same thing happen, it was a blown hose. I spliced a new length of 3/8" i.d. hydraulic hose in using a brass hose splice like this. I actually carry a couple of these plus a length of hose. Just in case. Came in handy several years ago on the way out to a run.

View attachment 68690
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I’m pretty sure that’s what happened, I’ll definitely double check and if so snag one of those. I was just in shock over how much fluid that it spewed out all over the place.


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Jay P said:
I’m pretty sure that’s what happened, I’ll definitely double check and if so snag one of those. I was just in shock over how much fluid that it spewed out all over the place.
Click to expand...
Yep the transmission ATF pump puts a lot of volume out. Make sure you only add ATF+4, no other type of ATF is correct.
 
It was just the damn hose popped off. I overfilled it after I fixed it. Now I’m woot will pop again. Maybe an actual hose clamp would be better.


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That hose that plugs into the radiator " both sides " has a retainer clip that prevents it from blowing off.
Did you just try to push the hose back into the radiator ?
 
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Bird said:
That hose that plugs into the radiator " both sides " has a retainer clip that prevents it from blowing off.
Did you just try to push the hose back into the radiator ?
Click to expand...

From what I could tell, it was held on by a pinch clamp, maybe that’s the problem? I’ll have to research more and make sure it’s the correct one.


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75092dffbd01e3728e2e0c28e913b612.jpg

Like this
 
Our TJs used several connection ports through the years. If yours is threaded into the radiator, you can likely replace it with a barbed hose fitting you can get from Home Depot, hardware store, Lowe's etc. You wouldn't need a hose clamp with a barbed style though it wouldn't hurt. A constant tension hose clamp works better than the screw-drive hose clamps sold at auto parts stores but they're a little harder to find.

A barbed hose fitting like this one. That's what I used when I installed my aux trans cooler. It threads into some radiator cooler ports, not all.

barb.jpg
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
Our TJs used several connection ports through the years. If yours is threaded into the radiator, you can likely replace it with a barbed hose fitting you can get from Home Depot, hardware store, Lowe's etc. You wouldn't need a hose clamp with a barbed style though it wouldn't hurt. A constant tension hose clamp works better than the screw-drive hose clamps sold at auto parts stores but they're a little harder to find.

A barbed hose fitting like this one. That's what I used when I installed my aux trans cooler. It threads into some radiator cooler ports, not all.

View attachment 68786
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I might do that. Mine looks like that but no barbs, just smoothe. It also has the hose clamp above which I believe is the constant tension one.


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Jay P said:
I might do that. Mine looks like that but no barbs, just smoothe. It also has the hose clamp above which I believe is the constant tension one.
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The factory port is not barbed, I was only suggesting you replace what's there with a barbed fitting, if possible, as an easier way to securely attach the replacement hose. It's possible to do this on some model years, not all. Not all radiator cooler ports are threaded so this can be done like my '97 was, hopefully it is on yours.
 
Jerry Bransford said:
The factory port is not barbed, I was only suggesting you replace what's there with a barbed fitting, if possible, as an easier way to securely attach the replacement hose. It's possible to do this on some model years, not all. Not all radiator cooler ports are threaded so this can be done like my '97 was, hopefully it is on yours.
Click to expand...

Ahhh got it. I just don’t understand why it’s not secured better. Obviously this happens to more than just me. Nothing’s perfect I guess.


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I had the same thing happen to me the other day while driving...little scary to look up and see nothing but smoke behind you! I don't believe the previous owner had one of the lines on very well as you can see he didn't have the line over the lip on the fitting since it's so dirty.

Coincidently I was planning on replacing the transmission fluid anyway so luckily it didn't lose it all and it saved me some time pumping it out.

I had it towed home and replaced both hoses and fittings.

20181208_124951.jpg
 
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