aw4 fluid?

[4x4JeePmaNthINg]

Is anyone here pretty well versed with transmissions?

I have a new leak that is black/grey/metallic fluid seemingly coming from the front of the transmission. Im not having a lot of luck finding pictures or info on the internet of this. My engine oil is new and did not show any metallic color when drained. The dipstick to the transmission has proper level and shows clean red fluid with no metallic bits when wiped on the paper towel.

I dont even know what to consider as far as what is causing this issue.

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

[speedkills]

I've never done this myself but I have had friends send off their trans fluid to, I think it's blackstone, who will analyze it, then based on the results tell you where the contents are coming from.

[Jim]

By transmission dipstick I'll assume automatic trans...

Do you have any inspection plate (rear of the motor / front of the trans) that you can open up for a peek? How far forward (block rear to trans front) is "wet"? I could see a leak mixing with grime in the bell housing to give the look you have.

My bet is on rear main, but my opinion here doesn't have much weight.

[4x4JeePmaNthINg]

There is an inspection plate Jim the leak is coming down from behind the plate, though there is some on the plate. I'm familiar with the rear main seal leak and this may have one, but the film I'm describing is like antiseize and the oil on the pan doesn't look contaminated. This is the only reason why I'm thinking it could be the Trans. I will pull the plate for a better look and report back.

[Java]

Sounds like maybe a torque converter leak?

[4x4JeePmaNthINg]

Would that produce the grey film I'm seeing leak?

[Java]

Possibly. As far as I know there are no grey fluids in an XJ, so my amateur guess is another fluid has been "modified" by either ground up metal or water. Is it grey because there are fine particles suspended in it? Could it be described as Milky Grey?

[4x4JeePmaNthINg]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hm52ry09bau7h18/20220221_160918.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hm52ry09bau7h18/20220221_160918.jpg?dl=0


No there certainly is not grey fluid in an Xj, haha this quite alarming to find something I can't recognize.

[Java]

My guess would be slowly leaking torque converter and the grey is metal shavings, which can be part of normal wear. I am not a mechanic.

[FINOCJ]

Torque converter usually fill themselves from the transmission fluid reservoir....so it should be the same fluid....how does the leak compare to the trans fluid?

[4x4JeePmaNthINg]

Torque converter usually fill themselves from the transmission fluid reservoir....so it should be the same fluid....how does the leak compare to the trans fluid?


the transmission dip stick shows a nice clean pink fluid. Ill pull the inspection plate tonight and take a look in there, hopefully I can see more of where its originating from.

[4x4JeePmaNthINg]

I pulled the inspection cover and much to my surprise, the bottom of the inner bell housing is dry!!! The inspection plate has multiple overlapping areas on where it mounts, all of these areas were covered in this aluminum gunk. From the best I could tell this could be leaking from the Rear main seal and for some reason the inspection plate is rubbing the aluminum mounting points like crazy. It looks like anti seize everywhere it was touching. I tightened the inspection plate down very securely and will check this periodically.
The RMS is not fun to replace, but if this is the only issue Ill take that over the fear I had of my transmission being almost certainly doomed!

Thank you all for your input on this issue, at the moment I'm going to run the jeep further, and then when I'm closer to the next oil change Ill drop the pan to replace the Rear main seal. I will report back if anything changes in the mean time.

[Jim]

FTFY

(assuming you don't have a heated garage)


at the moment I'm going to run the jeep further, and then when I'm closer to the next oil change, and it's comfortable t-shirt weather, Ill drop the pan to replace the Rear main seal.



Rear main isn't too difficult when you know what you're doing. My first time - a fiasco - I learned. I'm not concerned should I need to do it again.

Heck, you have an auto trans - you're not worried about a manual clutch plate becoming oil soaked - you could run it, dripping more than you'd like, for a LONG time.

[TyTheJeepGuy]

I know that Andy solved a trans leak that really annoyed me when I was the owner of a Grand Cherokee by replacing a sensor gasket. I'm guessing you would have found that by now but that's my one experience with a trans leak.