VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 Powerglide leaks

Ok,here's the deal,I understand the concept of the PG unit "burping" fluid when it has sat for a while,but,in addition to the puddle left on the floor or driveway the dripping continues for a while,then stops.I'll accept that these units leak a bit,but did they ever NOT leak? Just curious as to wether I should have the unit rebuilt or not.It ran fine all summer,just kinda bugs me.any ideas?? Plus,I need to find a way to get the spots off my driveway.

When they were new and driven daily they did not leak. The leaking (not the burping) is caused by the fluid level raising way too high when the fluid in the top of the converter drains down. Just check the fluid level after the car has sat unused for two weeks (before starting the engine). The fluid it up above where it was not designed to be. The manual shift shaft and on the 1953 and up kick-down lever shaft have seals, and if they are not 100 percent you will get leakage at these points. If driven every day there will be no problem. In general fluid will also accumulate around various gaskets. This would be blown/washed away in normal driving. There is no practical way to eleminate the converter drain down. The seals used in this area are not 100% efficent. The converter would drain down when they were new-just not as quickly.
This is not common to just Power Glides. I have had Turbo-Hydramatic 350 and 400 transmissions that did the same thing, plus the Power Glide in my Corvair does it.
My 1950 does not burp but leaks a little in general. The '57 would burp if the incorrect starting proceedure is used and it leaks at the two shaft locations. I keep one of the big flat drip pans umder both cars. I maintain the fluid leve at the add mark.(when hot)....the lower the better. In fact ths year I ran the '57 all year with nothing showing on the stick and had zero leakage. When too low they will loose fluid on a hard right turn (like going into neutral) and you will know it. (don't necessarly suggest this)...just kept forgetting to add fluid all summer.
In the past years I pumped 3 qts out of the '57 before storage(through the filler) and that was a sure way to eleminate leaks. Didn't bother this year. Even with the 3 qts missing the fluid would fill up to the full mark after standing all winter.
Now none of my cars leak when just sitting on the driveway, such as after a long drive. If that is what yours is doing there is a problem. The most common leakage point is the front pump seal or the torque converter cover O ring. When these leak the fluid will drip out of the lower front of the transmission - note drain hole, or around the little tin inspection plate. Will be worse after a long drive. The PG fluid is always clean and I have found the the normal rain will wash it away without leaving a black staing. If your car is leaking in this area a transmission leak stop may help. It will soften and swell the seals. I have had good results with the Trans X brand. Floww the instruacyions and it will take a little time for it to work. Also new trans. fluid does contain a seal conditioner that will help to keep seals soft.

Gene has passed on some very true information not usually shared by Chevrolet. I had a 76 Surburban with fulltime 4wd and if you were low on fluid, it often sat for a month or two at a time, making the hard right turn from our lane to the Farm to Market road it would act like it was in neutral, I would put in a half a qt. of Dextron and go about my business till the next time it sat for a while. It had a hard life for the first 100,000 miles pulling a heavy cargo trailer to gun shows. I overhauled the 400 sb and HT400 at 175,000 put in new u joints including the double one and replaced the bearings and rebuilt the CV joints and it was still doing good at 240,000 miles when I traded it for a new 1995 1500 pickup. I have forgetten how many sets of Michelin 235 15" tires it wore out.

Just a quick follow up.The PG does not leak after driving for a half hour or so,it's just when I pull it out of the garage for a while and put it back in without driving anywhere.I think that's the problem.Got it out on the road and boy did it run great,seems to like the cooler weather- 52 degrees.I am going to miss driving it when I finally put it away for the winter......sigh.

Here's a further update,it is not the PG leaking,I caught oil coming out of the oil filter canister yesterday,quite a bit I might add and I guess the filter is clogged??? any ideas,this just started happening,sorry I blamed the PG for it!!

If the filter becomes hot after extensive driving the return is not clogged.ould take at least 1/2 hour of running to get hot.
If it were mine I would just remove the filter cover and see what kind of imprint is on the gasket. If necessary you could get a thick piece of gasket material and make a cover gasket.
Other possibility - is a line leaking?

Hi Gene,

I think it is definetly the cover as I can see the oil just coming out from underneath the cover like a waterfall,then the oil travels down to the hose on the bottom of the canister and drips all over my steering linkage.I plan on replaceing the hoses,but,I'mm not sure what lengths I will need.Maybe I should look around for a NOS oikl filter canister assembly to replace this one,probably aren't many around by now.....thanks again for you help as always,Gene.BTW A belated happy birthday and Thanks for sharing the story of the Nomad in the Nov G&D!!

Cheers,

Dave

Take your old oil lines to your nearest parts house. They should be able to match the line.

If you have a NAPA parts house I would try them first.

Here's another follow up.Purolator makes a filter with the proper cover gasket P/N 20051. Just needed a fresh gasket to stop the leak.Thanks for all the posts!!

Thats good to know. I use Fram because they are readily available at Checkers and Tractor Supply for a reasonable price, but they do have the incorrect gasket. I have reused my gasket a few times. What parts store has the Puralator and how much?

Hi there,Gene!!

Here is a link to the filter,very reasonable,although I know they are not A/C and that's what should really go in there.Oh well.....the gasket is perfect though!

Cheers,

Dave

http://www.partsamerica.com/Product...Number=L20051&PartType=1&PTSet=A

They want $14.00, the AC, which isn't even made by AC is that much. I will stay with my $7.00 Fram....but thanks. I change my filter at about 5 to 6000 miles and never even see any dirt in the element. The long distance high speed driving dosen't produce much sludge.

Dave,

About the gasket and all....

Once - and JUST ONCE - I didn't get the gasket placed too well after placing the new AC filter in the cannister. Seemed "close enough" you might say. Fired it up (my 54 Bel Air hardtop) to drive around the block after the oil change and what seemed like a ton of oil was on the driveway before I got 50 feet - - to the street.

Damn!!! I sure learned my lesson. That dang gasket has got to be just so - just perfect. It took way longer to clean up the mess than it did to change the oil!!!

Other than that, I've never had a problem with the AC or finding the AC filters here in Portland. Last time I bought 12. Likely a life-time supply.

Bill.

Hi Bill,

Even though I live in suburbia,most of the auto parts stores we have around here-NAPA,Autozone,Pep Boys,etc have no
clue about older cars,so getting a hold of AC anything here is a
big inconvience for them to order.The one NAPA I used to frequent
gouged me $125.00 to rebuild an alternator,so I refuse to give them any business at all.Small motor,alternator and starter repair businesses are not easy to find either.So basically I use the internet to buy the parts I need.If you have the part number for the filter,I would appreciate it.I have 2 purolators with the proper gasket and since my car isn't worth being judged,I'll use what works for now.

:vcca:

Cheers,

Dave

Hi Dave,

I don't even have a parts book. And the filters are out in the garage. As I recall the AC part number for that filter is P-115. Nowdays they're just packaged in a plastic bag type of thing. No longer in red,white, blue boxes.

I'm sure there's a dozen guys in here who will correct me if my eyes or memory are faulty on that filter number.

Just a thought, whenever I'm looking for something Delco or AC or like that, I locate the "local" rep type guy. There's usually one here in Portland. For you, it might be the closest big city, Hartford? Or Springfield? Or ??? (Those reps have always been helpful when I give them a little 'story' about my nice old Chevy, etc.)

Forgot to add you're right about the brand. Really no big deal. Can't even see the filter. I just like the idea of using an AC.

Bill.

There is an article about pg leaks in the current Old Cars Weekly w/part number to install a vent in the tail housing of the transmission. This part comes from the dealer under 3 dollars.

The vent will not prevent the converter from draining down and over filling the sump. It will (may) only relieve the pressure after the engine is started and fluid is aerated from the rotating parts inside the PG. This is what causes the burping. Running the engine for a few minutes before shutting it off (after the car has been unused for a longer period of time) will acomplish the same thing.

I always go to the Chevrolet house parts department and then if they don't have it, and can't order it, they will tell me where in town there is a place that carrys the item.