TwistedHumor

My 04 has developed a hot oily smell over the past year and recently is getting worse. It is not a plastic bag or other road debris caught anywhere underneath.

While getting tires replaced last Dec I looked under the car and it looks like there is a leak coming from the top of the transmission dripping on the exhaust.

I found a thread that heyarnold69 posted about a tranny vent that leaked oil into a "cup" located under the cup holders. Was looking for more information on this but can't find it. Does anyone else know of this condition?

Or does anyone have knowledge of seal on top the transmission that is a probable leak.

It has been a while since I posted, so if a Admin could move this where it could get more exposure.

Thanks

2004, 6 speed, 72K miles, no performance mods,

TwistedHumor

Sorry, the term he used was "can" not "cup"

This is what he posted:

ive had this problem ... the tranny air vert or what eer its called put a nice bit of oil in my can in the space located under the cupholders. you need a philips screwdriver to check.

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-tec...-smell-110432/

TwistedHumor

Maybe someone can give me some info.

If I take the circled nuts loose, is that just for holding the rubber shift boot down, or does it hold something more structural that I should not be messing with? I am hoping to get a topside view of the transmission looking for that leak.

The other picture is of the "can" that the other person posted about that said a vent leaked oil. I tried to get the buttons loose to get underneath, but they where solid. I tried to poke them with a paper clip to see if there was a hole for a vent and could not find any. I pulled at the edges of the "can" and it felt solid and I didn't want to bend it.

It does not make sense for there to be vents in there and it looks like the only purpose is for the can to catch spillage.

Anyone have any insight?

Razz1

No....

There is a hole on the side of the tranny. When it is over filled it will flow out the overflow hole.

Jack up car look at it. Go to DYI section for transmission oil change.

Photo's will explain all.

If that is not your problem, report back.

TwistedHumor

I have searched around here and google for this tranny vent with no luck. Even with the exploded outside view of the tranny out of the manual, I don't see a vent listed.

But this Sat I am going to take off parts 1-4 and see if it leaking around the shifter.

Then I will lift it and go searching for the vent and leak.

tonik

i had the oil smell when the tranny leaking from the reverse or neutral switch..
its the one on the side not the top one..not sure if it is for reverse or neutral..

TwistedHumor

I definitely found a leak. The question is, is it only one. I think it is the one dripping on the catalytic converter and causing the smell.

Where the shifter goes into the transmission there are four bolts holding a top piece on. It looks like it is leaking around that seal.

So I started to determine if I could replace the seal myself as it looked like a couple of the bolts could be difficult to get a socket/wrench on them.

I put socket on one and thought it was too big because it just spun, but actually the bolt was not tight at all. Checked another and it was just as loose. Checked the other two and they were tighter, but I was still able to undo them with just a hand nut driver. So two where about finger tight and the others where snug.

I get the impression that these four bolts where never torqued from the factory.
I am going to try to find some torque values and tighten them up. I hope the gasket is still in good shape.

I have searched here for some torque values with no luck and the previously attached .pdf shows a lot of torque values, but not these. I attached pictures of the bolts that where loose, but I don't think I need the max torque the bolt can hande. Just what ever helps the paper gasket seal.

Can anyone help with torque values?

Thanks

TwistedHumor

Second round of pictues