RE: [Chrysler300] 55 transmission leakage

Probably a seal is deformed from sitting/and or age . So it leaks a bit at converter ; or converter drains back and floods trans and pan, causing leaks at shift cable or throttle governor shaft…or gasket . Sometimes you get lucky. I do not know brands, but there was some kind of transmission seal “helper/softener” that was sold for this. I am generally almost violently opposed to magic little 7-15$ bottles sold to do magic things (VX-6,Stabil, “top oil” , drygas, STP, motor honey, “water wetter” etc etc), (aka snake oil) but synthetic rubber and plastics can loose plasticizer, stiffen up. Warming them and adding something that softens them, at least might make some technical sense. It will not fix it for good, I do not think, but sort of nothing to lose?

Drive and see what happens? If slow leak you can top off , it might get better..if it does not , nothing really lost. But you DO need to ID specifically where drip is..if throttle shaft seal, or cable end seal , --or converter/front seal------much different fix than pulling trans. Many of the TF or PF shift cable ends seem to do this….Serious? probably not ….

I have had it puke a quart in later cars over a winter, 67 dart, car was ok once driven. I Think converter drained back, overfilling trans , then fluid went out through trans shaft seal…Very slowly, drip, but ~ a quart over a winter.

While on seals, we have a hydro generator here; 200 RPM generator propeller, steps up to 3600 150kW generator via 200HP gearbox, output shaft maybe 2.5” , SKF seals (now) High speed shaft seals failed , I was upset--- but it was running for many years, at about 160 F. In checking this out, seals at 3600 on this diameter have a life of about 7000 hours(can figure out car miles) ,would be 420,000 miles at 60. If clean!! But on this one , there was a physical groove worn into the hard steel from abrasive material embedded in it , or in fluids , or from new? despite 5 micron oil filters/pumps . Changing trans fluid when hot etc, a torque flight pan with a drain, has many advantages we may not have appreciated, beyond ‘life” , is my take away . Seals are destroyed by abrasive materials in fluids. Seals also come in premium materials (the 7000 hours). Might be worth researching , via repro committee, as seal is probably a standard industrial item they used on TF. Our gearbox had been fixed for a while by premium speedi sleeves and premium seals (two qualities there, too) made by SKF , see web site. Had to re engineer whole thing ( later) to be able replace seal without disassembly of generator …went to boat drive type “packing” seal.

But find out where it is leaking from, is job #1.

Hope this helps…

John Grady, PE

From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of 'Terry and Andree' tehoema@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx [Chrysler300]
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2015 8:48 PM
To: chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [Chrysler300] 55 transmission leakage

Anyone have any words of wisdom about trannie on a 55 loosing fluid when sitting. Just had to replace around a quart of fluid in our 55 convert. Probably the torque converter draining? Had it happen in a number of 60’s over the years but this is my first 55. Sure less fluid than in the later ones.

At least I had a pan under it to collect the mess.___

Appreciate any guidance.