[justin7122]

My daughter just bought a 1995 Escort wagon with 140,000 miles. It has a bit of a leak from the transmission, and according to my mechanic, looks like the transmission would need to be dropped to repair, ouch! Anyone run into this problem, and does this sound like a real expensive reapair?
Other than that, the oil appears to be leaking from the oil sender. The car looks new and the engine sounds smooth, which is why I steered her to buy it. Don't know if the $1000 was too steep now or not....

 

[Obliterous]

First off, Get a second opinion on major repairs, always. (pulling the transmission is major) A good mechanic won't be offended by this.

Second, is it an automatic, or manual transmission?

third, which engine? (may make a difference)

fourth, clean the engine, top to bottom. inexpensive powdered laundry detergent, a long handled, stiff bristled nylon brush and a hose are all that you will need, just do it while the engine is cold. (and least damaging to the environment.), just do it while the engine is cold.
A clean engine makes it MUCH easier to locate the source of all fluid leaks and can allow the engine to run cooler, thus extending the life of the car.

fifth, do a complete fluids check and service; engine oil and filter, transmission fluid (and filter & gasket if automatic) as well as coolant. regardless of what the previous owner or dealer told you, this is simply good insurance on the investment. Most micro service centers (jiffy lube, oil well, etc) will be happy do do all of this for you, at a relatively low price, as well as give you that second opinion. Or, if you're minimally capable with hand tools, you can do it yourself.

And last, Did your mechanic say where the leak appeared to be coming from and give you a quote on repairs?

 

[EscorGo]

If it's a manual it's probably the rear seal. A very inexpensive part but lots of labor to get to. You might try an engine seal restorer in a can and see if it helps. It could cause problems some day if oil gets on your clutch and causes slipping.
If it's an auto there's a different kind of seal. Same problem. There's a seal conditioner for auto trans that may help here. It's more of an annoyance than anything.

 

[zzyzzx]

I would fix the oil senser then clean the engine then reevaluate the transmission fluid leak. You want to be 100% positivie on the source(s) of the leak before you do anything.

 

[justin7122]

leaky tranny

Thanks for the input. The leak is supposedly coming from the front seal of the automatic trans. The mechanic quoted the repair cost of $395 total cost. He figured any additives to seal may cause more problems then good. I am having him repair the oil sender and radiator and probably wait and see how much tranny oil is being used then decide what to do. He also noticed that the previous owner has the heater core being bypassed, probably leaks. Any idea if that repair requires the dashboard removal?
Thanks again for all the responses.

 

[Obliterous]

if it's a 2nd gen, the dash will probably have to come out to do the heater core. It's about three hours total work for Me when I do one. $45-$60 for the heater core, new, depending on where you get it.

 

[zzyzzx]

I do think $1000 is too much for a 1995 Escort that needs a new heater core.

 

[justin7122]

heater core

$1000 is seeming like a bit too much just because of all the other repairs. Although the need for a heater in southern Florida is kinda like a fridge for an eskimo, we only need it about 1-2 weeks a yr. if that. The car is my daughters and I hope she learns about the expense of cars since she is paying for all of it, on her Mcdonalds pay.

 

[zzyzzx]

Is'nt the front seal of the transmission where the oil pump, or is that the back? If it's leaking from the transmission oil pump, then that seal is DIY with the transmission in place, if you are handy. (I think).

If the rear spring haven't been replaced, check them. On rear springs it's not a matter of if but when. They are realtively easy to replace. If the car still has the original struts then do the struts and springs at the same time. If the car already has new rear struts, then most likely the rear springs have been replaced.

 

[justin7122]

springs

I think he did already replace the struts and springs, he did mention replacing struts. The car rides very smooth surprisingly. He had told me the AC was bad and needed to be refilled every year and it wasn't done this year yet. My mechanic checked it out and found a small leak in one of the lines, but the level was fine and balanced. The AC actually works great! If we need to fix that, then it's a cheaper repair then compressor replacement.
You may be right on the transmission, I don't know, but I'm going to wait on that one.