LOST JEEPS :: View topic - Reddish fluid leak

Its ATF. This happened to me 2 years ago in Wurzburg. The quick connectors on the pipes at the cooler had corroded over time and just started leaking on the road. Either replace the lines (or get them replaced) or follow papaindigo's advice.

I'd do it fairly soon if I were you - the leak can get a lot worse remarkably quickly!

Idle the jeep and search for the leak. Most likley will be the trans cooler or the hard to rubber lines. Once you find that leak fix it up and full her up. If it's a toast line, it's generic to a point. If it's the radiator, jeep specific part.

And my goodness that is a ton of atf!!!

PALiftedKK wrote:

But, do you think that that brownish/reddish oil can come out of the radiator? I thought there was just water or coolant inside the radiator.
Thank you

hgrimberg wrote:

PALiftedKK wrote:

But, do you think that that brownish/reddish oil can come out of the radiator? I thought there was just water or coolant inside the radiator.
Thank you

The leak is coming from your transmission cooler.
Your transmission cooler is integrated into your AC condensor, which is in front of your radiator.
The only liquid inside your radiator is coolant/water.

flash7210 wrote:

hgrimberg wrote:

[quote="PALiftedKK"]Idle the jeep and search for the leak. Most likley will be the trans cooler or the hard to rubber lines. Once you find that leak fix it up and full her up. If it's a toast line, it's generic to a point. If it's the radiator, jeep specific part.

And my goodness that is a ton of atf!!!

But, do you think that that brownish/reddish oil can come out of the radiator? I thought there was just water or coolant inside the radiator.
Thank you

Author:	hgrimberg [ Sat Sep 19, 2015 12:53 pm ]
Post subject:	Reddish fluid leak
I noticed that the lower part of the front bumper is all full an oily fluid. Of course, the floor has this reddish oily fluid spills. Apparently, some part of the motor is leaking. What could it be? This is an image of the fluid spill on the floor and the stain on the lower part of the bumper:

Author:	papaindigo [ Sat Sep 19, 2015 1:15 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Reddish fluid leak
It's likely either ATF fluid, feels oily, or antifreeze, does not feel oily but a drop on the tongue tastes sweet (PS opps as thermorex notes today's antifreeze does not taste sweet, see my later post). If ATF could be leaking fittings at the ATF cooler in the bottom of the AC condensor or a leak in that cooler. As I recall the fittings can be fixed or bypassed and the cooler can be cut out of the circuit and replaced with an aftermarket cooler just behind the grill. Email me if you want links. If antifreeze could easily be a coolant hose leak or a radiator leak

Author:	jws84_02 [ Sat Sep 19, 2015 2:36 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Reddish fluid leak
X2. If it's oily it's prolly atf fluid and check the trans cooler lines

Author:	pjigar [ Sat Sep 19, 2015 8:06 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Reddish fluid leak
x3! It will be either quick connect or the crimped end of the trans cooler lines going to the lower part of the AC condenser.

Author:	thermorex [ Sat Sep 19, 2015 8:26 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Reddish fluid leak
I x4 it, it's atf from the Trans cooler fitting. Papaindigo, now all the coolant is sour/bitter, I think they changed the taste due to many ppl/pets dying. Good old days when you could get a good diesel/antifreeze cocktail are gone...

LOST JEEPS http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/

Reddish fluid leak http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=83091	Page 1 of 3

Author:	Hexus [ Sat Sep 19, 2015 8:58 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Reddish fluid leak
Definitely ATF 4+.

Author:	Lancer [ Sun Sep 20, 2015 3:06 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Reddish fluid leak
Its ATF. This happened to me 2 years ago in Wurzburg. The quick connectors on the pipes at the cooler had corroded over time and just started leaking on the road. Either replace the lines (or get them replaced) or follow papaindigo's advice. I'd do it fairly soon if I were you - the leak can get a lot worse remarkably quickly!

Author:	papaindigo [ Sun Sep 20, 2015 6:14 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Reddish fluid leak
I stand corrected. thermorex is correct about the "taste" of antifreeze today. It's no longer sweet rather it's, at least Xerex is, sort of nasty flat/bitter. Tells you how long I've been working on vehicles and how long it's been since I've dealt with a coolant leak.

Author:	hgrimberg [ Sun Sep 20, 2015 3:48 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Reddish fluid leak
So, according to you all, it is the AC system. That means that if I dont use the AC, nothing bad is going to happen, right? I mean, it is not the radiator or anything related to the engine that can be damaged if I don't do something about it, right? If I dont fix this leak, worst case is that I will not be able to have air conditioning, right?

Author:	hgrimberg [ Sun Sep 20, 2015 4:02 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Reddish fluid leak
Oh, wait a minute. ATF stands for Autamtic transmission fluid? Then, is this related to the transmission system, the gears, and not with the Air conditioning system?

Author:	Lancer [ Sun Sep 20, 2015 4:17 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Reddish fluid leak
Its the transmission. Leave it alone and eventually the transmission will drain out and you will be faced with the cost/trouble of getting and fitting a replacement. The leak will only get worse and may fail in a big way. If you are driving along when that happens, you may not really notice until too late - hence my suggestion that you attend to it promptly. It is NOT the air con system.

Author:	PALiftedKK [ Sun Sep 20, 2015 4:36 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Reddish fluid leak
x2^^^^^^^^

Author:	hgrimberg [ Sun Sep 20, 2015 4:42 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Reddish fluid leak
Lancer wrote: Its ATF. This happened to me 2 years ago in Wurzburg. The quick connectors on the pipes at the cooler had corroded over time and just started leaking on the road. Either replace the lines (or get them replaced) or follow papaindigo's advice. I'd do it fairly soon if I were you - the leak can get a lot worse remarkably quickly! So these lines on the transmission system are Chrysler specific or can I get a generic part and replace them? What do you mean by quick connectors? A clip that holds the rubber pipes? Any mechanic can do it or it has to be a Chrysler dealer?

Author:	hgrimberg [ Sun Sep 20, 2015 5:29 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Reddish fluid leak
This is how the fluid looks like:

Page 1 of 3	All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group http://www.phpbb.com/

Author:	PALiftedKK [ Sun Sep 20, 2015 8:18 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Reddish fluid leak
Idle the jeep and search for the leak. Most likley will be the trans cooler or the hard to rubber lines. Once you find that leak fix it up and full her up. If it's a toast line, it's generic to a point. If it's the radiator, jeep specific part. And my goodness that is a ton of atf!!!

Author:	hgrimberg [ Sun Sep 20, 2015 9:54 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Reddish fluid leak
PALiftedKK wrote: Idle the jeep and search for the leak. Most likley will be the trans cooler or the hard to rubber lines. Once you find that leak fix it up and full her up. If it's a toast line, it's generic to a point. If it's the radiator, jeep specific part. And my goodness that is a ton of atf!!! But, do you think that that brownish/reddish oil can come out of the radiator? I thought there was just water or coolant inside the radiator. Thank you

Author:	flash7210 [ Sun Sep 20, 2015 10:10 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Reddish fluid leak
hgrimberg wrote: PALiftedKK wrote: Idle the jeep and search for the leak. Most likley will be the trans cooler or the hard to rubber lines. Once you find that leak fix it up and full her up. If it's a toast line, it's generic to a point. If it's the radiator, jeep specific part. And my goodness that is a ton of atf!!! But, do you think that that brownish/reddish oil can come out of the radiator? I thought there was just water or coolant inside the radiator. Thank you The leak is coming from your transmission cooler. Your transmission cooler is integrated into your AC condensor, which is in front of your radiator. The only liquid inside your radiator is coolant/water.

Author:	jws84_02 [ Sun Sep 20, 2015 10:15 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Reddish fluid leak
flash7210 wrote: hgrimberg wrote: PALiftedKK wrote: Idle the jeep and search for the leak. Most likley will be the trans cooler or the hard to rubber lines. Once you find that leak fix it up and full her up. If it's a toast line, it's generic to a point. If it's the radiator, jeep specific part. And my goodness that is a ton of atf!!! But, do you think that that brownish/reddish oil can come out of the radiator? I thought there was just water or coolant inside the radiator. Thank you The leak is coming from your transmission cooler. Your transmission cooler is integrated into your AC condensor, which is in front of your radiator. The only liquid inside your radiator is coolant/water. Yes, this should have been clarified. Your tranny cooler is part of the ac condenser. It is it the smallest one there out of the 3. Look at the bottom of it. There will be 2 smaller lines going to it from the transmission. One or both are probably corroded and starting to leak within the first 6" of the line

Author:	hgrimberg [ Sun Sep 20, 2015 11:20 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Reddish fluid leak
jws84_02 wrote: flash7210 wrote: hgrimberg wrote: [quote="PALiftedKK"]Idle the jeep and search for the leak. Most likley will be the trans cooler or the hard to rubber lines. Once you find that leak fix it up and full her up. If it's a toast line, it's generic to a point. If it's the radiator, jeep specific part. And my goodness that is a ton of atf!!! But, do you think that that brownish/reddish oil can come out of the radiator? I thought there was just water or coolant inside the radiator. Thank you The leak is coming from your transmission cooler. Your transmission cooler is integrated into your AC condensor, which is in front of your radiator. The only liquid inside your radiator is coolant/water. Yes, this should have been clarified. Your tranny cooler is part of the ac condenser. It is it the smallest one there out of the 3. Look at the bottom of it. There will be 2 smaller lines going to it from the transmission. One or both are probably corroded and starting to leak within the first 6" of the line[/quote] These 2 smaller lines are made out of rubber? I'll see if I can find them looking up from under the engine.

Author:	PALiftedKK [ Sun Sep 20, 2015 11:41 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Reddish fluid leak
No. Go to the transmission. There will be 2 lines comming out of the transmission. They'll be one on top of each other with about an inch or so gap between them. Follow those to the engine bay. If by the time you get to the radiator and find no leak, start the engine up and do the same thing. Make sure to wear clear safety glasses.