Coolant leaking on flywheel/clutch?? (long, lots-o-pics)
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Got my car back about a month ago from having a forged shortblock put together by Speed Inc and a new, McLeod Rev-Lok II installed.
Been breaking it in over the past month (~ 1000 miles); during that time, I'd had several problems with the transmission/clutch (slipping, engagement, etc), but I thought it'd been due to a missing vent tube on top of the T-56 that was leaking ATF. I replaced the tube, topped off the tranny, and it seemed to shift better.
However, I took it to the track last week, and it gave me all kinds of problems; transmission would stick in second gear, slip, and by the time I left (~ 4-6 passes (most were aborted)), it was popping out of 4th gear.
Drained the fluid, dropped the tranny, and pulled the clutch and found coolant in the flywheel bolt holes and the groove between the bolt holes and the pilot bushing. Took a closer look at the bellhousing, and saw an orange stain at the bottom (presumably coolant). Also saw liquid stains on both sides of the flywheel, and an orangish stain on the flywheel side of the clutch. Check out the pics below:
![](http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-6/39141/Flywheel-Back.jpg)
![](http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-6/39141/Flywheel-Front.jpg)
Where could this coolant be coming from?? I don't see any obvious trails coming from the plugs at the back of the manifold??
How else could coolant be making it into the bellhousing??
Anyone??
Been breaking it in over the past month (~ 1000 miles); during that time, I'd had several problems with the transmission/clutch (slipping, engagement, etc), but I thought it'd been due to a missing vent tube on top of the T-56 that was leaking ATF. I replaced the tube, topped off the tranny, and it seemed to shift better.
However, I took it to the track last week, and it gave me all kinds of problems; transmission would stick in second gear, slip, and by the time I left (~ 4-6 passes (most were aborted)), it was popping out of 4th gear.
Drained the fluid, dropped the tranny, and pulled the clutch and found coolant in the flywheel bolt holes and the groove between the bolt holes and the pilot bushing. Took a closer look at the bellhousing, and saw an orange stain at the bottom (presumably coolant). Also saw liquid stains on both sides of the flywheel, and an orangish stain on the flywheel side of the clutch. Check out the pics below:
![](http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-6/39141/452151-R1-24.jpg)
![](http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-6/39141/BellHousing1.jpg)
![](http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-6/39141/BellHousing2.jpg)
![](http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-6/39141/Flywheel-Back.jpg)
![](http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-6/39141/Flywheel-Front.jpg)
Where could this coolant be coming from?? I don't see any obvious trails coming from the plugs at the back of the manifold??
How else could coolant be making it into the bellhousing??
Anyone??
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Are you sure what is on the FW is not grease/oil?
I really do not like the way the crank plug looks. See bearing picture. It looks like the extra grease is now on the FW.
It is my experience dexcool and distilled water eventually dry with little or no residue.
I really do not like the way the crank plug looks. See bearing picture. It looks like the extra grease is now on the FW.
It is my experience dexcool and distilled water eventually dry with little or no residue.
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Thanks for the reply!
It sure looked orange when I wiped it down yesterday.
Would I hurt anything if I fired the motor up in it's current state (ie, sans transmission) and tried to see if I could get a better sampling of the fluid??
It sure looked orange when I wiped it down yesterday.
Would I hurt anything if I fired the motor up in it's current state (ie, sans transmission) and tried to see if I could get a better sampling of the fluid??
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Thanks for the reply!
It sure looked orange when I wiped it down yesterday.
Would I hurt anything if I fired the motor up in it's current state (ie, sans transmission) and tried to see if I could get a better sampling of the fluid??
It sure looked orange when I wiped it down yesterday.
Would I hurt anything if I fired the motor up in it's current state (ie, sans transmission) and tried to see if I could get a better sampling of the fluid??
If I were to attempt to start it, I would find means of supporting the rear of the engine. The effort would be to level it, and assist in assembling the intake system. Good luck.
Are there 3 or 4 electrical connectors on the tranny? Speed, CAGS, reverse lock out, and... You may set a code by not connecting them.
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Rather than starting the engine, I've found a buddy who's got a pressure tester but I'm wondering, would I need to remove the thermostat to pressure test the system (since it won't be up to temp)??