Water Leak Under Transmission

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Dantheman-2003

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2022
Posts
135
Reaction score
134
Location
Placerville, Ca
While working on my suspension leveling kit this weekend, I noticed a pool of water underneath the tranny. After a closer look, it appears to be coming from above and draining down alongside the tranny dipstick, hence the pinkish water in the photo. It seems to be intermittent, but today is seems steady. After reading a few threads, sounds like it could be heater core hoses at the quick connect or pump. I checked, but don’t see water coming from there. Any thoughts? It’s not coolant because that is orange color. This seems like water coming from above and running down transmission pan.
 

Attachments

  • 60F7121A-9E5C-40EB-9D47-FA3FF49028BD.jpeg
    60F7121A-9E5C-40EB-9D47-FA3FF49028BD.jpeg
    258.6 KB · Views: 6

MassHoe04

Full Access Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2021
Posts
1,586
Reaction score
2,796
Location
Western MA
Found it. The heater hose Tee. Dripping right down the transmission dip stick.
Odds were in favor of the heater T's.
Much easier fix than a heater core! Pretty cheap too.

Members have said that rotating the T while pressing in on the lock tabs will hold the tabs in and allow you to slip the T off.

I did not know that when mine snapped at the hose.
I snipped at the the strip of plastic behind the tabs with small wire snips and busted the plastic with a flat screwdriver to release the fitting. Made removal easy-peasy.
If you do that...Just make sure you are busting the right fitting, if you are not replacing both at the same time.
I crawled out to get tools and when I got back under the hood, I found myself with hands on the wrong fitting! Glad I did not bust the wrong one by mistake!!
 

89Suburban

Bull in the china shop
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2013
Posts
12,829
Reaction score
35,143
Location
SE PA
Odds were in favor of the heater T's.
Much easier fix than a heater core! Pretty cheap too.

Members have said that rotating the T while pressing in on the lock tabs will hold the tabs in and allow you to slip the T off.

I did not know that when mine snapped at the hose.
I snipped at the the strip of plastic behind the tabs with small wire snips and busted the plastic with a flat screwdriver to release the fitting. Made removal easy-peasy.
If you do that...Just make sure you are busting the right fitting, if you are not replacing both at the same time.
I crawled out to get tools and when I got back under the hood, I found myself with hands on the wrong fitting! Glad I did not bust the wrong one by mistake!!


Everyone here recommends Delco replacements over the Dorman for longevity fyi.

Also this black piece that attaches to the Tee on the inboard hose is also know to get brittle and snap off, leaving you stranded. I would look into replacing that as well for insurance.


A39C768D-0AD1-4038-B1E7-E204100B01D0.jpeg
 

rockola1971

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2016
Posts
2,376
Reaction score
2,972
Location
Indiana (formerly IL)
Everyone here recommends Delco replacements over the Dorman for longevity fyi.

Also this black piece that attaches to the Tee on the inboard hose is also know to get brittle and snap off, leaving you stranded. I would look into replacing that as well for insurance.


View attachment 394484
Yup! Most auto parts stores carry a fix for this problem. You just cut off the molded plast portion of the hose and stick a barbed nipple with hose clamp. On the opposite side it is female that slides over the factory Tee nipple and locks like the original.
 

ScottyBoy

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2010
Posts
2,563
Reaction score
1,723
Location
Shreveport, La
Yup! Most auto parts stores carry a fix for this problem. You just cut off the molded plast portion of the hose and stick a barbed nipple with hose clamp. On the opposite side it is female that slides over the factory Tee nipple and locks like the original.
That's how my 2001 came from the factory. My brothers 2002 Tahoe was the same way. The "T" fitting pops onto the heater core pipe, and then a barbed quick connect clips onto each "T" fitting, and the hose connects to that barb with a hose clamp. I don't think they started with the quick connect actually molded into the hose until 2003 or 2004.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
128,781
Posts
1,805,305
Members
91,760
Latest member
MyCleftNut

Latest posts

Top