Going to look at a 02 Durango tomorrow, seller says has a "pretty bad" transmission fluid leak, it's obvious after 45 minutes on the phone that he's not very mechanical but said "he thought it might be the pan" but it's also 3 hours away. I'm hoping it ain't the front pump seal
other than cooler lines/fittings what's the most likely leak spots on this model trans?
I'm more familiar with the 44/46re, never messed with the rfe series beyond a couple of pan drop fluid changes over the years.
(I have a Durango in the garage now with the 46re out next to it at the moment, don't want another right now with same problem haha) though my current ride is a 46re equipped.

If that Durango tends to sit a lot, it may have the converter drain back and flood all the seal problem. Lots of trans cooler line leaks. The OEM cooler line has a crimped rubber hose in the line near the radiator that houses that anti drain back check ball (there is rubber there if the check ball is present or has been removed). Most of them I've seen were wet on one end or the other, but the low point is near the starter, anything less then a major leak will drip off the line near the trans bell.

Apparently it's closer to the trans than the radiator, the non mechanically inclined seller thinks it's the pan. The vehicle is a few hours away from here, trying to anticipate from a distance, pix look like a very clean body, a vehicle I'm considering buying. Sounds like it was parked only after and because of said leak.
Trying to decide if I want to make such a road trip.
Seems like you get a clean one with issues it a mechanically decent one that's rusted out for similar money.
Id rather not deal with rust. I'll deal with a few mechanical issues instead.

Well that was a bust. I've never seen a frame on one of those rotted in the way this one was. And the floor was rotted horrible around the driver side front body mount. So I drove 4+ hours each way for nothing.
The trans leak though didn't seem that bad, it definitely wasn't the front pump as I had feared.

Sorry for your experience, but you know that if you had not went to see it, you would have always been thinking about it, and it probably would have been a great truck.

It was a nice day for a ride.

Wow what a let down. Sounds like he made a big deal about the leak and maybe you wouldn't notice the frame. Nothing ventured nothing gained. But 4 hrs each way is tough.

I did buy one the nest week, 4 hours the other way from here.... the rotted out one was down I-65 by Scottsburg IN,
the one I bought (MUCH better condition, similar money) was a bit NW of St Louis, down I-55 from here. The one I wound up with had a few minor issues, but less miles and a MUCH cleaner body.
I only wish I could have found a 318 or 360 one as clean, these 4.7s scare me.