Transmission Pan Constant Leak

So my 99 Prerunner with 230k miles never off-roaded went in to a shop and had the transmission pan dropped, fluid changed, new filter and re-sealed with a quork gasket. Few days later, noticed bottom of truck COATED with tranny fluid. Found out it was a bit over filled by my checking of fluid on dipstick. Took back to shop, they re-torqued the bolts a little tighter and drained some out.

Leak seemed to stop, or well at least not drip down pan so I thought it was good.

1 year later, noticed seepage coming from the pan again to where it was forming a drip on pan. Called shop and wanted them to re seal with TOYOTA BRAND FIPG that I baught and I baught new Toyota fluid. EXPENSIVE!
Shop was okay with honoring there work since I had an issue with the gasket last time.
Shop dropped pan again, cleaned, and re-sealed with FIPG
Also told me the pan edges were a little bent and they took the extra time to level it out and got everything nice and perfect even showed me the picture of it all cleaned up before putting back and sealing to truck. Only charged me $70 for Labor
5 days later after being on the highway a little bit...

TRANSMSION IS SEAPING AGAIN FROM THE BACK SIDE it seems...
I have to call the shop back but I’m at a loss
I don’t know why it keeps leaking and what to do, any opinions or ideas???

Maybe it’s them doing a poor job but the shop is a pretty good shop who I have had great work done in the past on my other car. Afraid to go to dealer because I know it will be like another $300 if I have them Redo it also...

This has become a big pain in the a** and starting to become an expensive ordeal.

 

check to make sure a threaded hole for a pan bolt wasn't damaged.

 

Remove cork gasket and throw away, clean up surface to remove all oils and dirt (Brakeclean works good) and use RTV silicone to seal- never a leak again- hope this helps

 

I personally can’t check but I would imagine they would have noticed something was damaged when they dropped the pan again...

Cork gasket is gone, and I just had it sealed with FIPG, supposedly better than RTV?

 

I don’t know much about transmissions, but being such high mileage, could it be something internal that is failing like torque converter. Something that maybe is causing an increased amount of pressure in the transmission and causing fluid to be forced out the pan

 

Clean the pan and identify exactly where it is coming from. What is the condition of the pan bolts as far as corrosion/rust?
If you were told the pan was bent they might have accidently done it. You might need to purchase a new pan, bolts, a gallon of Valvoline Maxlife ATF and Toyota pan gasket and do it yourself.

 

But would they tell you?

You'll find we're not the most trusting bunch. It's why we're here, to not use others.

 

After around $400+ of shop cost and me personally changing the fluid in cycles to work some fresh fluid in since buying the truck used little over a year ago. I don’t really have the place or desire to now do it myself. Truck undercarriage is pretty clean, no rust and bolts from the exterior look good, Pan visibly looks fine from outside as well and based on the pic he showed me at the shop when it was dropped.

I’m strongly debating just going to dealer and having THEM re do it and pay and HOPE it seals up right.
They are expensive but re sealed my valve covers, half moons, and cam plugs good with no leaks

 

Maybe not, but the owner of the shop is pretty genuine and even asked what I felt is fair as far as paying anything after re-sealing again. I practically volunteered to pay a little more for the extra labor. I also have spoken to the actual mechanic who works on my car and truck. They tend to work on a lot of tuner cars, and some pretty high end stuff like GTRs, M3’s from me being in the back of the shop when they were setting up my other cars suspension and took me back to check it out. There very personable so I’d like to think there honest about everything... who knows though is right

I just don’t know what there going to recommend now as I don’t even know when I call them again...

 

I was under the impression the FIPG needed a lengthy 'cure' time before adding ATF. Over night worked for me. YMMV

 

How much for a new pan? Seems like the shop is trying to do their best, but if there is a slight jog on the flange on the pan it might not be able to be flattened perfectly.

 

I believe the instruction with the FIPG said like 16hrs And people SAY like 24hrs
I told the shop to just make sure they let it cure and know this too and they let it sit the rest of the day and over night. So unless it just did t cure enough?

Not sure yet, prolly almost a couple hundred if that.
I’m assuming when I call the shop back, the owner will have no other idea on what to do other than a new pan to rule it out.

I have no choice but to go with a new pan BUT WHAT HAPPENS if it again leaks
Then I have no idea other than, it’s the way their seeling it or for some reason the transmission has something going on creating excess pressure

 

unfortunatly this is one of those situations where the tech is going to have to take the time and look at EVERYTHING.

EVERYTHING means straight edge the pan, straight edge the pan sealing surface, clean every bolt, inspect every hole in the trans case. Thread all bolts into the case BY HAND to see if they bottom prematurly by checking for even installed heights, then check the case for cracks from the inside at the bolt holes. It has been a while since I have serviced an Tacoma auto trans so I forget if any of the holes actually go into the fluid chamber or are they all blind holes.

I figured if the manufacturers form in place material (FIPG) has worked for 15 years with no leaks it is good enough stuff. In addition, replace the oring on the dipstick tube that is half way up the tube.

Cork is for wine bottles and small block chevy's.

 

So If I remember, they did take a strait edge to the pan while they were trying to get it completely flat. Everything thing else well
I don’t know if it was done that meticulously. I do work like that because I’m OCD and it takes me hours but not wanting to do this job after already paying and without a lift by myself.

Well...maybe going back a 4th time and having to do it all over again, they will METICULOUSLY do it right. I assume they will recommend a new pan though vs just cleaning all that new FIPG off again and re-sealing.

I will HAPPILY pay for a new pan and even another thing of FIPG IF I KNOW IT WILL SEAL so I can be done with this annoying leak. Just gambling and wasting money if it doesn’t work due to all the factors that apparently can cause a leak. Who would have known this is such a fineky task

 

frustrations understood. the guy doing the work is probably tired of this comeback and just wants it out the door and gone. If it still leaks after this time I would think that the shop has had 4 oportunities to fix it and a full refund wouldnt be out of the question. I think there are Tacoma specialists in every city in the US. What city are you in? maybe someone who reads this might have another shop that they can suggest in your area.

 

I’d assume so, but it did make a year until it was leaking leaking.
It would be nice some kind of refund if they can’t fix it and I have to go somewhere else but I don’t know if I can demand that?
The Toyota dealership here by me does awesome work where I have gone lately but this is an issue I went to this other shop when I first got the truck and I know dealer will be a lot of money to re-do this service. I have to wait unt tomorrow and see what the shop says now...

 

We're not used to hearing that,sorry for sounding so jaded. Of course you're right. There are good guys.
You prob, should give another pan a try.

 

No I know, I have had a fair share of bad shops in the past.
I assume that’s all I can do right now is try a new pan and have them try and re seal again...

 

Sounds like a previous owner or shop messed up your trans pan. There's no reason why the transmission pan should receive damage when doing this job. They either didn't know what they were doing or didn't have the right tool for the job to separate the pan from the transmission. Sounds like they resorted to brute force and bent the edges of the pan that are causing your leaking issue. Maybe putting extra FIPG in those trouble spots will fix the problem but maybe not. Did the shop you're using for the work damage the pan or did you notice the damage before you brought it to them? If they did the damage, you should demand they replace the pan and reseal it with Toyota Red FIPG.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/tuGazNhuEtM

 

I saw that video before all this as I was thinking of doing the job myself.
But I believe the pan had been dropped from the previous owner a long time ago as it had a rubber gasket on it and had a small leak too. I got the truck when it had over 200k already. I don’t think this shop damaged it but they also didn’t notice when they first dropped it that it wasn’t complete level and I bent supposedly.
So don’t know if it will make a big enough difference with a new pan even though they already tried to level it out this last time