Ford Windstar 3.6 liter Towing Package
82000 milesI have towed my boat before, but this time after about 100 miles, and a few hills but not a particularly hard run YET, the tranny started to slip. Then really badly. I only ran maybe 1/8 after a mile and luckily pulled into a gas station with a big lot, thank God.
To my horror the fluid looked like it was streaming out of the front seal, but I could not see the seal because it is behind a shield, that the starter goes through. The fluid was coming out for quite a while, it was all underneath the length of the undercarriage.
I put a quart in to park and the tranny worked, but it all came out from the same spot in a steady stream, where the engine meets the tranny.
It was towed back, AAA Gold Rules, because it was 99 miles!!! So no charges but only tolls!
Put 7 quarts in yesterday, NO LEAKING AT ALL, and I drove it for several miles, shifting and no problems. Just wanted to see where it was coming from, but it kept taking it and did not leak! My background is a capable backyard mechanic not afraid to tackle any job. I have replaced tranny's on drive shaft vehicles no problem, but front wheel drive looks like a pain in the ass!
FORD GUYS PLEASE HELP!
WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED?
Thanks in advance. Joe