Car is leaking 2 or 3 drops a night

[Jonarin]

For the past few weeks, my car has been leaking. I can't make out the color, but my oil seems fine, and tranny fluid looks a little bit low. Any ideas? I know this is a shot in the dark. But it's not towards the front, more near the oil pan area

[theaceofspades]

Tape some white paper to a sheet of cardboard and throw it under the car for a night with some rocks so it don't blow away. You should be able to tell atf fluid by its scent tho

[Jonarin]

That's a good idea!!

[Fivefingerdeathpunch]

I'd just guess at oil pan gasket.

Might aswell just jack the front end up and slide your face under there and have a look.

[Jonarin]

I had my car up on the alignment rack to take a look underneath at work. Couldn't find anything.. the oil pan was dry, except one of the lines looked like it is starting to rot out.

Yesterday after work I went home and changed my tranny filter and gasket. Put about 6 quarts in, and I was driving and gave my car a little bit of gas and it started to shift hard again. I shut it off, and it stopped.

[BillBoost37]

Stick yer finger in the fluid. What color and smell does it have

Should have put a shift kit in and ... you might want to top off the trans fluid. I know from experience that 6 quarts isn't enough with a pan drop.

[Jonarin]

How many more quarts? 1?

[Scottydoggs]

I had my car up on the alignment rack to take a look underneath at work. Couldn't find anything.. the oil pan was dry, except one of the lines looked like it is starting to rot out.

Yesterday after work I went home and changed my tranny filter and gasket. Put about 6 quarts in, and I was driving and gave my car a little bit of gas and it started to shift hard again. I shut it off, and it stopped.

trans pan drop is 8 quarts. did you not check the level when you were done?

[BillBoost37]

How many more quarts? 1?

I would follow the correct procedure for filling and checking the level. This includes reading the dipstick.

[BillBoost37]

trans pan drop is 8 quarts. did you not check the level when you were done?

It is not 8 quarts. It is whatever the trans dipstick tells you ...you damn dipstick. If you leave the pan off for an hour..it'll take more than if you have it off for 15 minutes to do the service. If you leave it off all week waiting on a new diff, it'll take closer to 10 quarts.

[Jonarin]

When I let the car sit and off, it shows more than enough. Then when I drive it, and let it idle before I shut it off, it tells me it's low

[Scottydoggs]

ok step one, start the engine, step two, pull and wipe the dip stick off, put it back in, pull it out now read it, there is a hot and a cold line. aka hot fluid, or cold fluid.

best to check it when its hot, the trans fluid expands as you can guess by the two lines on the dip stick.

[Jonarin]

[Jonarin]

[Jonarin]

It's idling in park.

[Jonarin]

That's with the car shut off

[Jonarin]

[Scottydoggs]

it looks cold still engine temp, id add one quart and see where that gets you. bottom line is cold, top line is hot. some of you gp guys can see the trans temp in the dic. no idea how to do that tho as i drive a regal.

[Scottydoggs]

you only check the trans fluid car running. the fluid lowers when running as its pumping it through the tranny.

[BillBoost37]

Not to be a jerk... but the stick says, if it's below this level add 1pint or .5 of a liter. Add that.. wait long enough for the tube to not give you a false reading on the dipstick and then check it again. Repeat until you see that fluid level right at the max line. For these transmissions, that is the best place for the level to be.