Trans fluid in the coolant.

Trans fluid in the coolant. - 11/17/12 05:13 PM

Here is my issue. My sister has an 05 Neon (auto)80k mi. She is the original owner. An takes care of it very well. While driving she hears a loud bang and then the trans starts to slip. Then gets worse and starts to slip in and out of all gears. Transmission shop tells her the trans is shot and it will be $2500 to rebuild. I told her this was to high of a price and not to have him do the job. It can be done for under $2k. Putting the car on my trailer I notice trans fluid dripping from the where the rack is mounted. Upon further inspection i see trans fluid drippin from the coolant overflow. I've never seen this before. I pull off the coolant cap or radiator cap. Trans fluid just starts pouring out. Trans fluid was really clean and red. Now I didn't inspect further because it was 2am. My question is this. Does the trans cooler lines hook into the radiator on the 05 Neons? If they do i have a feeling the coolant and the trans tanks on the radiator have breached into each other. Or am i dealing with a SCUMBAG Trans shop that was pissed that they didn't get the job? Because the coolant overflow was full of trans fluid. An when i pulled the radiator cap i saw no coolant at all only trans fluid. Can anyone shed some light on this? I had a 90 ram van that the trans blew because the tanks breached in the radiator and coolant mixed in with the trans fluid. Any ideas would help. Thanks in advance.

Posted By: mopars4ever

Re: Trans fluid in the coolant. - 11/17/12 05:18 PM

Had our 03 neon leaked trans fluid into the coolant. It needed a new radiator. There is a trans cooler inside the radiator and over time they leak. It is a common problem on the Neon. I changed the trans fluid and flushed the block and all was fine when I was done.

Posted By: CSK

Re: Trans fluid in the coolant. - 11/17/12 05:18 PM

sounds like the cooler leaked into the radiator

Posted By: Big Mopar Jay

Re: Trans fluid in the coolant. - 11/17/12 05:21 PM

Thanks guys. I had a feeling that might be the issue. Figured I would ask here knowing someone some where may have had the same issue.

Posted By: therocks

Re: Trans fluid in the coolant. - 11/17/12 07:55 PM

Had a few at the shop that did the same thing.New rad and flush the block.Then drop the pan new filter and fluid.We just started them and let the fluid circulate then changed it again.Never had a problem.Just hope she didnt drive a long way slipping.Worth the 50 or 60 bucks to do the fluid and filter.Rocky

Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: Trans fluid in the coolant. - 11/17/12 07:58 PM

Quote:

While driving she hears a loud bang and then the trans starts to slip.

I'm wondering what's up with that

Posted By: mopar_man

Re: Trans fluid in the coolant. - 11/17/12 09:16 PM

Get her to tell what she ran over. rad could still be gone.

Posted By: Big Mopar Jay

Re: Trans fluid in the coolant. - 11/18/12 12:18 AM

Quote:

Quote:

While driving she hears a loud bang and then the trans starts to slip.

I'm wondering what's up with that

Talking to her further she says it was more like a thump then a bang. She didn't run over anything. My guess is the thump was when the coolant and trans tanks breached into each other. Better to spend a couple of $100 on fluids and a radiator then a couple of grand on a rebuilt trans. Thanks again to all the answered.

Posted By: moretoys

Re: Trans fluid in the coolant. - 11/18/12 03:20 AM

yup.radiator let loose. very common.done many. trans most likely won't survive. flush fluid with machine.drop pan- clean,replace filter. fill and flush again.

I'm not sure if this will work.might try it. get 2 buckets and extra hose. you can fill a bucket with fresh fluid,insert hose. put other hose in empty bucket run vehicle,maybe it will suck from 1 bucket and dump into the other.use cheap stuff to flush,it requires atf + 4 fluid. fill and flush with the correct fluid. mopar fluid is pricey. (iirc $28 a gallon?) maybe just use a synthetic fluid. you will go through many gallons of fluid.

Posted By: SSAAHemiFan

Re: Trans fluid in the coolant. - 11/19/12 06:26 AM

been there - I had my trans and cooler flushed twice less than 2 hours after it happened with a dealer machine.

I then changed the fluid and filter 3 more times in the first week to try and save the trans.

Took about a year and the clutches in the trans eventually delaminated, plugged the return line and fried a bunch of stuff including the rear cluster when it overheated

rebuild the trans, new mopar converter, and new cooler - I would not try to flush and reuse the originals - I did the first time and it cost me another trans rebuild and converter.

I also installed a external cooler

Posted By: therocks

Re: Trans fluid in the coolant. - 11/19/12 01:17 PM

A new trans is worth more than the car.Id use reg ATF to flush.Then refill with the required atf.My brother changed trans fluid in his mini van and used the wrong fluid.I drained it and changed filter and used the right fluid.Its been 4 years and still no problems from it.He drove it for about a week or so with the wrong fluid.Rocky