I always like it when folks share odd part failures, so I'm returning the favor

The first symptom was a stealth transmission fluid leak (on a less than 1-year old tranny- A-727HD behind a 440 in my '69 Coronet R/T). Sometimes I'd get a puddle overnight, sometimes I wouldnt. Nothing was ever visibly wet with fluid. Severely aggravating. Cursing didn't help either.

Second symptom- occasional failure to start due to (apparently) the connector on the neutral safety switch getting loose. Wiggling the connector always caused a good start, but it would get loose again soon.

Discovery of problem- in pushing the connector back on the NSS day-before-yesterday, I felt movement that shouldn't be there. The NSS seemed to turn in the case slightly, and darned if there wasn't a puddle under the car the next morning. OK, the NSS is loose- but it wasn't. Tight as could be in the case. Further twisting and poking after jacking up the car revealed that the plastic innards of the NSS were loose within the threaded shell that screws into the transmission case. In fact, it was so loose that it was about ready to pop out (and what an enormous fluid leak THAT would have been!

So if you have a mystery puddle from time to time, check the NSS to make sure its not falling apart! Good thing that was one of those "1966 through the last A-518 to roll off the line in '03 or thereabouts" kind of parts

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...the o-ring on the low-reverse lever shaft under the tailshaft housing is a vexing mystery offender as well.

D/W

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

... and the spot welds on the transmission dipstick tube tabs ...

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"When you find a big kettle of crazy, it's best not to stir it." - Pointy-haired Boss

1964 Valiant V200, 225/Pushbutton 904
BBD, CAI, HEI, LBP, AC, AM/FM/USB, EIEIO

Until you've been burned by it, then its the second thing you check (after the seal around the shifter shaft...)




Can't say the spot welds have ever bitten me yet.

I do have an odd one on my 904 behind the 318 in the Satellite. It leaks fairly heavily (enough to make a mild smokescreen off the exhaust pipes and splatter the rear bumper and trunk lid) out of *something* inside the bellhousing, but only in really, really hot weather (as in ambients over 95) and after running hard on the highway for a while. Darn thing has over 200k miles since it was overhauled so I forgive it and assume its just plain worn out, but it still vexes me that it only leaks under such limited conditions. I can drive it at 70+ all day in cooler weather and it won't lose a drop. And yes, I've checked the cooler- plenty of flow there, nothing clogged. Shifts like a champ, fluid still nice and clear red.

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It's probably coming out the vent. Something's probably foaming the fluid a little, or maybe it's just a tad overfilled.

D/W

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

Yeah, but if it were overfilled, she'd quit blowing when she got down to "full" rather than blowing until she's a quart low...

I imagine its the front seal, just funny that it has to get so hot to really leak. Anyway, with all those years and miles without as much as a hiccup, I can't fault her for this.

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