Transmission fluid leak

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Frank thomas

New Member
Posts
3
Location
Rye
I have a disco 2 automatic dec2003
It is going into limp mode with m and s lights flashing, cleaned the xyz switch no improvement then found transmission fluid low, so topped up still no difference.
We had to travel back from holiday 550 miles in limp mode, transmission fluid had to be topped up on several occasions.
Brought a second hand xyz( a guaranteed switch) fitted today still no difference, I suspected the transmission fluid was being pushed out of the breather hose due to pressure building up in the transmission box. I strapped a bottle to the hose drove 4 miles and yes the fluid is coming out of the breather hose. Any suggestions on a remedy
 
Hi Luke thanks for your reply
To check the Level I stand the vehicle on the level ground with the engine running, bring it up to temperature fill the gearbox until it runs out of the filler hole, go through the gears while stationary when the fluid drips 1 drip per second I put the filler bung back in.
on occasions we were putting in up to 1.5 litres
 
Leave it running and look carefully all over the underside of the vehicle for leaks.

This happened to me and it cost me, in the end, a new gearbox. But before that it was found that the bolts holding the gearbox to the bell housing had come slightly loose and I was losing transmission fluid that way.
But it may be leaking anywhere between the gearbox and the cooling system.
 
Frank thomas said:
Hi Luke thanks for your reply
To check the Level I stand the vehicle on the level ground with the engine running, bring it up to temperature fill the gearbox until it runs out of the filler hole, go through the gears while stationary when the fluid drips 1 drip per second I put the filler bung back in.
on occasions we were putting in up to 1.5 litres
Click to expand...
I wonder is it all coming out of the breather. I think its common(with old gearboxes like my series certainly)that oil can run from the gearbox to the transfer box when the seal separating them fails.I fill my series box every month and I let all the excess out of my transfer case. If i leave refilling it for too long a period it eventually leaks out the tranfer case and this needs topped up too (thats just living with a series I have changed the seal but it didnt last long) Could it be filling your transfer case?
 
Further update
With a bottle attached to the breather hose I drove 4 miles came back parked in the level, yes as before transmission fluid is coming out of the breather hose, while laying under the vehicle looking for drips I saw a drip from the bottom of the transfer case.
With the engine running I took the filler plug out of the gear box no fluid ran out, with the engine still running I took the filler plug out of the transfer box and 2 litres poured out.
I’m presuming the fluid is running from the gear box into the transfer box as Findo said, some is coming out of the breather hose but also it’s being forced out of the transfer box.
I’d welcome any thoughts and thank you all for your help 👍
 
That being the case the seal between the gearbox and transfer box will need changing, which isn't difficult in itself and is accessible once the units are separated.. I'm not an expert and have only once removed an r380 and lt230 together as one unit from a disco. I think it is possible just to separate the transfer box from the gearbox(almost positive) . Someone whos done this will know better. The gear linkages would need removed , and the prop shafts ,but after that it is only a series of bolts holding the gearbox and transfer case together. I bought a transmission jack for the job. Some people just use trolley jacks.
The good news is the unit does not need stripping down only removed, seal changed and replaced.
 
Last edited:
Frank thomas said:
Further update
With a bottle attached to the breather hose I drove 4 miles came back parked in the level, yes as before transmission fluid is coming out of the breather hose, while laying under the vehicle looking for drips I saw a drip from the bottom of the transfer case.
With the engine running I took the filler plug out of the gear box no fluid ran out, with the engine still running I took the filler plug out of the transfer box and 2 litres poured out.
I’m presuming the fluid is running from the gear box into the transfer box as Findo said, some is coming out of the breather hose but also it’s being forced out of the transfer box.
I’d welcome any thoughts and thank you all for your help 👍
Click to expand...
A quick youtube search brought me here. You can see the seal when he removes the transfer case. Also its american spec so will be auto gearbox.I presume
 
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