Did I Puke Trans Fluid? (1 Viewer)

[FLATU8ER]

I was on a camping trip - or - enroute, and left the Fresno area headed up the 168 in my 07' Taco, pulling my travel trailer (3100 lbs loaded) and I think it was about 95+ deg and all was good. I then hit the bottom of the grade up onto the Serrias, the locals call it The 4 Lane. I tried to maintain a good head of steam, but through down shifting I was in 2nd gear at the top. Got to camp and was unhitching the rig, and noticed an oily substance on the bottom of the hitch, and further inspection was under most of the truck. Determined it was not eng oil, and camper next door said it was trans fluid that got hot, foamed up, and puked out of the breather. I have never heard of this on a standard trans.
Any input, and the other camper said it did not smell burnt.
Should I change out the fluid any way (84K miles).

 

[Jacket]

So this is the 6 spd manual? Seems like if it got hot enough to boil over, you'd have received some sort of warning light. I know the AT transmissions have a dash light - not sure about the manual.

 

[Cracker]

I would also think, (though not necessarily), that if it was all over the bottom of the truck, all the way back to the hitch, that at some point it would have hit the exhaust, and you would have smelled it?

Anyway, you're lucky you have a manual trans. MUCH more forgiving, and easier to flush/refill with fresh stuff.

What does it feel/smell like?...If it IS from the tranny, it should be diff oil....I would check brake and power steering levels as well as the trans. I would also check levels in the front diff and especially the rear diff, just to make sure its not from one/both of those...

 

[FLATU8ER]

Jacket, I'm not so lucky to have a light, just tach, speedo, fuel, eng temp, and a service eng soon type of idiot lights.
Cracker, did not smell anything or I would have stopped. The fluid appeared to be a little clear, but by the time it had blown back under the truck, it had picked up other debris. Brake and PSteering levels are good, as well as eng oil. My inspection under the truck, amid rocks and pine cones, seemed to start at the trans/Tcase area

 

[SteveH]

I suspect a seal simply let loose, but if you had any water mixed into your oil (from a previous 'wheeling adventure) that could have boiled off and blown fluid out. I would pull the fill plug and stick your pinkie finger in there to assess the quality and level of the fluid, wipe down the case, and wait for another leak. Could it have been overfilled by a shop?

 

[FLATU8ER]

Talked to and had the truck looked at by my Tec, yep I blew some fluid out of the breather.