I have a 1994 Ford Taurus Sedan 3.8L V6. After researching and reading posts on this newsgroup past and present, I have cleaned underneath my tranmission with degreaser and I am able to see where it is leaking.
I can see the seal protruding in areas and the transmission fluid is leaking through the bolts also. It is worse on the passenger side.
Is it a seal or a gasket in that area? How much does it cost to fix at a tranmission shop?
Not familiar with your vehicle, but if this transmission is like most others and has a sheet metal pan, the problem may be due to overtorquing the bolts. The overzealous mechanic (or, more likely, the kid at the lube rack) gives them a 'good twist', 'just in case', or because they are not using a torque wrench. This stretches the thin metal around the bolt holes, and now it contacts the case, unable to properly compress the gasket between the bolts. Presto, a leak. It's tempting to tighten the bolts even more in a case like that. The result is a pan with an uneven lip that will never seal again. You will have to pay for about 1/2 hour of labor, a few quarts of fluid, a new gasket, and possibly a new filter. Don't know about cost -- around $75? A decent transmission shop will place a straight edge along the pan lip, and if it's out of shape, recommend replacing it (perhaps an extra $25). Hopefully they'll also use a good quality gasket and torque the bolts to the manufacturer's spec, no more. If you are a bit adventurous, don't mind drenching yourself with red fluid, and willing to spend some money on a torque wrench, you can do this job yourself. A manual will help with the the torque spec and the somewhat tricky refill procedure.
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