Help. Auto Transmission Fluid Blowing out of top of dipstick tube

[DeLorean937]

I don't know what happened I was working the A/C vents trying to get them to turn properly so I was running the car then shut it off. Then I heard fluid dropping/running. I looked in the engine bay and fluid was pouring out of the top of the dip stick tube .. alot of it now all over the garage floor. Any ideas whats going on?

[Morpheus]

Overfilled perhaps?

[Ron]

I can only think of two reasons that fluid would come out of the dipstick tube in large amounts.
1. Fluid overheated.
2. Engine coolant leaking into Transmission Fluid Cooler.

Since you were not driving it, and from the large amount you reported, I'd guess #2, the cooler has an internal leak. If that is the case, you need to get it out and flush it with fresh fluid !ASAP! If the coolant soaks into the clutch surfaces, they are trash. You might try a coolant pressure gauge...
Could be transmission fluid in the coolant too...

[Jonathan]

+1 on Ron's #2 suggestion. The ATF system isn't pressurized the way the coolant system is (i.e. you check ATF level on the dipstick with the engine running, but checking coolant level while at normal temp would be very unwise). A failed oil cooler (and one thing needing to be replaced) sounds the most likely.

[DeLorean937]

I didn't notice any discoloration in fluid when overflowing but I think figured out what it was. The car was running at idle but not at near temperature. The 2 canisters in the back were plugged solid and the check valve in the line leading to the vacuum lines on the intake was installed backwards. So when I was diagnosing the A/C doors I unplugged all the vacuum lines and air was sucked in a blowing the fluid out. I refilled the transmission with fluid and started the car with A/C on and vacuum system installed and rev/idled tell at temp and it didn't overflow at all. Hopefully this was it. I'll start it again tomorrow and let everyone know. And thank you as always for all the responses.




I can only think of two reasons that fluid would come out of the dipstick tube in large amounts.
1. Fluid overheated.
2. Engine coolant leaking into Transmission Fluid Cooler.

Since you were not driving it, and from the large amount you reported, I'd guess #2, the cooler has an internal leak. If that is the case, you need to get it out and flush it with fresh fluid !ASAP! If the coolant soaks into the clutch surfaces, they are trash. You might try a coolant pressure gauge...
Could be transmission fluid in the coolant too...