2001 Subaru Forester.

I changed the engine. Because I was a stubborn idiot, I screwed up and pulled the torque converter with the engine (Yea, don't do that).

I do not have a garage, and I left the converter outside uncovered for a couple of weeks.

Got new to me $150.00 junkyard engine with 62K on it installed no problems. New oil, new plugs boom running.

100 miles in and my car start smoking heavily and catches on fire. I pull over, pop the hood, put out the fire. Oil is pouring out of the vent tube coming from the top of the tranny.

I tow it home, change tranny oil & filters. Fill it back up. Warm it - all is fine. Drive off and within 3 miles smoke starts pouring out again.

I've completely changed oil twice (thinking there is water trapped in the torque converter) and still this is happening.

I created a air/oil/water separator that lets me run it kinda ok, but I till have oil coming out that vent.

 

Anybody have any thoughts?

Bill J.

Ohio

Overfilled maybe.

Overfilled maybe.

that would be a welcome idea(easy to fix) - but it's actually easier to underfill - that's why you have to check that fluid with the engine idling or it will show a level 2" higher than required. It IS important to remember - you can only drain about 1/2 the total volume.

 

Might need to check the radiator - maybe coolant pressure pushing coolant backwards thru a hole in the trans cooling coil? It's theoretically possible I guess, just never read a confirmed failure like that.

 

Or, is it possible trans fluid is being put into the front diff and it is puking? Doesn't seem likely - maybe the trans pump got cracked - easy to do pulling the engine in that last 1/4" from what I have read. It must slide together - if you pull it together with the bolts, something will break inside....?

Edited October 14, 201510 yr by 1 Lucky Texan

Are you finding water in the fluid? If you're still finding water in the trans fluid there could be a crack in the ATF cooler in the radiator as Texan suggested.

 

All the fluid in the converter gets flushed through within a few minutes, so it will fill within about 30 seconds after starting. Then the fluid level in the trans has to be checked again after moving through all gears.

The trans vent, or the front diff vent?

that would be a welcome idea(easy to fix) - but it's actually easier to underfill - that's why you have to check that fluid with the engine idling or it will show a level 2" higher than required. It IS important to remember - you can only drain about 1/2 the total volume.

 

Might need to check the radiator - maybe coolant pressure pushing coolant backwards thru a hole in the trans cooling coil? It's theoretically possible I guess, just never read a confirmed failure like that.

 

Or, is it possible trans fluid is being put into the front diff and it is puking? Doesn't seem likely - maybe the trans pump got cracked - easy to do pulling the engine in that last 1/4" from what I have read. It must slide together - if you pull it together with the bolts, something will break inside....?

 

I Don't think it is going into front diff, no overflow from it's vent. I did check flow through tranny cooler, but not pressure. I don't believe the radiator and the tranny cooly physically connect, I think the tranny cooler is just a air cooled fin assembly, but I will check - I haven't looked at it that close.

 

All that being said, I have popped the front diff dipstick while running down the road since this happened - That tells me I am over pressuring it some how.

 

 

Are you finding water in the fluid? If you're still finding water in the trans fluid there could be a crack in the ATF cooler in the radiator as Texan suggested.

 

All the fluid in the converter gets flushed through within a few minutes, so it will fill within about 30 seconds after starting. Then the fluid level in the trans has to be checked again after moving through all gears.

 

I am still getting a little water - very little water in the oil. I am thinking that because the torque converter spins, and the oil sits on top of the water, I have a permanently trapped bit of water in there that is not coming out till he heats up. Then it boils, foams the oil, and makes it go out the vent.

 

The trans vent, or the front diff vent?

 

All of the oil is coming from the trans vent. The front diff vent is clear, breathes fine, and shows no oil.

 

Attached pic is how I am separating oil, water, and steam when parked. Pretty hillbilly, but is working.

so, no loss of coolant?

 

the trans is cooled by a coil in the radiator bottom 'cap'. (unless someone has modded the car)

 

if you let the car sit and pull the trans drain plug - is there water/coolant coming out first?

WAIT - Fair or others, suppose there WERE water in the system after it was assembled - now, suppose water were pumped into the trans filter? Is there a paper element in there that could block flow if it got water-soaked?

Edited October 14, 201510 yr by 1 Lucky Texan

so, no loss of coolant?

 

the trans is cooled by a coil in the radiator bottom 'cap'. (unless someone has modded the car)

 

if you let the car sit and pull the trans drain plug - is there water/coolant coming out first?

I've not noticed any water on the second or third oil changes I did, I din't think to look on the first one. There really isn't much to "Change", At this point, if I don't run my "separator" (which puts the overflow back into the transmission oil dipstick tube) I will lose 1 gallon of oil in less than 2.5 miles, nearly emptying the transmission pan.

 

When I pull the cooling lines from the bottom of the cooler, I get foamy oil with a discoloration that indicates the presence of water (which is what started me down the water path).

 

I'm going to pressure test the tranny cooler tonight.

Edited October 14, 201510 yr by bjjohns

does the car have a filter spun-on the side of the trans? or, is it remotely mounted like our 03 OBW?

 

anyway, you may need a new filter if it's waterlogged, it isn't an oil filter, built differently inside - that is, you need one from a dealer I think.

 

or, if the TC was stored outside, maybe the filter is now clogged and excess pressure is pushing the fluid out?(dunno if the trans filter has a bypass)

does the car have a filter spun-on the side of the trans? or, is it remotely mounted like our 03 OBW?

 

anyway, you may need a new filter if it's waterlogged, it isn't an oil filter, built differently inside - that is, you need one from a dealer I think.

 

or, if the TC was stored outside, maybe the filter is now clogged and excess pressure is pushing the fluid out?(dunno if the trans filter has a bypass)

 

It's a spin on, and I changed it after the first event. It also has a metal screen style inside (You can get them from any autoboxstore). I'll change the spin on again - thats cheap. Might work.