Tranny Question

[travj31]

I know a lot of you probably had high hopes when you saw the title of this post, but this is about an automatic, not a Liberty Ave. tranny...

So the other day I went to get one of my cars out of winter storage and to my delight, there was a few quarts of tranny fluid spewed on the ground (more than just a casual drip here and there). Lost enough fluid that it is definitely not mobile as-is.

My question is... I know running an auto - in this case a 700r low on fluid is really hard on it, but since this lost so much, can I even start the car to get it up to operating temperature to get an accurate reading? I'd like to add enough fluid to take it to my buddy's transmission shop, but I don't want to burn up the converter either. On a side note, the car ran/shifted great when I parked it last October so I think internally everything is OK.

[CobraII]

Definitely spewed a good quantity? Trans fluid, a capful seems to spread into a puddle quick, makes it deceiving. Did you pull the stick, does it read anything?

[travj31]

Yeah, it soaked completely through a large piece of cardboard and and still left a massive puddle. Im thinking it lost atleast 1-2 quarts at a minimum.

[Fast Gypsy]

I put a 700r4 in my 1991 GMC 1/2 ton pickup last year and had a slight drip from the tail shaft. Changed rear seal, still drip. Put truck in storage for the winter and get a call from my buddy whose garage I use. He tells me there tranny fluid all over the floor. He's right, what a mess! My old gearhead buddies tell me that since I have a deep pan that when the converter drains, it finds the weakest point and out comes the fluid. They say if you run it awhile, it will stop.I picked it up last week and had to add about a quart and a half and it's still driping. I hope someone has a solution.