TeamSpatula
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2005
- Location
- Hickory
Good evening. My wife's parents were driving their 2003 Ford Escape (V6 if it matters) back from the beach last week when we all stopped for lunch, and her mom said it didn't want to move. So we checked the transmission fluid - empty. Fortunately there was a Wally World next door, picked up a couple quarts and started to fill it up...only to find it pouring right out on the ground. Sigh.
Anyway, they had it towed to a mechanic who now wants to replace the transmission because he's afraid that if he replaces the seal it'll just blow again. I agree that you shouldn't just replace the seal without knowing why it blew, but it seems like he's just guessing, and the whole tranny isn't bad itself.
Final piece of the puzzle - when we were checking the fluid, father in law ran it from P-R-N-D and back a couple times, and it seemed like the engine was moving more than it ought to when he shifted gears....
So the point of all of this - I'm wondering what could have caused the seal to go and it to dump all the fluid. I imagine a flexing bad motor mount would do that, since it's happened before to a friend in a different car. Could it be something else? It's just at a general mechanic right now, and I wonder if he's just in over his head - should we take it to a transmission shop? Vehicle has ~115,000 miles, so I know it's tired, but I hate to think he's going to throw in a new transmission when it could be something a lot simpler & cheaper. I appreciate all tips, advice, guidance, etc. Thanks. He just called this afternoon, so they're supposed to make a decision by Monday.
Anyway, they had it towed to a mechanic who now wants to replace the transmission because he's afraid that if he replaces the seal it'll just blow again. I agree that you shouldn't just replace the seal without knowing why it blew, but it seems like he's just guessing, and the whole tranny isn't bad itself.
Final piece of the puzzle - when we were checking the fluid, father in law ran it from P-R-N-D and back a couple times, and it seemed like the engine was moving more than it ought to when he shifted gears....
So the point of all of this - I'm wondering what could have caused the seal to go and it to dump all the fluid. I imagine a flexing bad motor mount would do that, since it's happened before to a friend in a different car. Could it be something else? It's just at a general mechanic right now, and I wonder if he's just in over his head - should we take it to a transmission shop? Vehicle has ~115,000 miles, so I know it's tired, but I hate to think he's going to throw in a new transmission when it could be something a lot simpler & cheaper. I appreciate all tips, advice, guidance, etc. Thanks. He just called this afternoon, so they're supposed to make a decision by Monday.
