Transaxle Leak

[Marcus Garvey]

I love my GA. It's my first new car, and it's long since paid off. However, w/ 108,000 miles and barely 5 years old, it's days are getting numbered. Case in point...

I let my girlfriend borrow the car last week and as she pulled out of the garage, I noticed a small puddle of tranny fluid (approx. 1-2 tsps). It was definitly tranny fluid too. Looking around the floor, I got the impression this has been going on for a few weeks. When I checked the dipstick, the level was okay. I jacked it up the next day to take a look. It "appears" to be seeping from the transaxle and onto the oil pan. I had it serviced at 75,000 miles. I also had the radiator replaced after an accident about 4 months ago and they initially didn't tighten the transmission hoses to the radiator correctly. My mechanic corrected this.

Now, my question is, do you think it's just a bad gasket? I was going to drain the fluid, drop the pan and replace the gasket this weekend and fill it up w/ new fluid. But, if any of you think this small leak is the signs of something more sinister, I don't want to waste my time. Any help would be much obliged!

[4kQuad]

From what I read, I think your ok for now. But I'm wondering about a Trany seal, not the trany pan. I would get a rag and wipe the trany pan clean all around. Then next time you park watch to see were the leak appears to be comming from. Get a paper towel or some thing and wipe around the pan to look for fresh fluid. I would hate for you to go all through changing gasket/fluids and still have a problem.

[chasm31]

I agree with the last post. Something cheap that you can do and that I'm bout to do to my own Pon-Yac is put some Lucas Transmission Fix. I would also try this with a new gasket if it still leaks. But wipe it down and do as the last reply says.