CurlyDave
Elite Member
The Truck: 2000 F-150 4x4 v-8 Triton, Automatic. 72,000 miles.
The Problem: It spilled a lot of what seems to be transmission fluid in my driveway.
The Terrain: My driveway is ~700' long with a 15% uphill grade coming in. It is gravel.
The Weather: Clear and hot, 105 degrees maybe more.
What happened: I drove about 80 miles home from a camping trip towing my Toy Hauler (Redneck Hunting Lodge). Trailer weighs 6500 - 6700 lbs as it was loaded coming home. The owner's manual says the towing capacity of the truck is 7200 to 7700 lbs. Depending on rim and tire size.
Before I get to my 700'gravel drive, there is a 1200' section of private paved road, again with a 15% uphill grade.
At the bottom of the paved section, I put the truck in: 4x4, overdrive off, transmission selector in "1" (PRND21) and drove up the hill to my house. It was clearly tough going, but the truck & trailer made it with no apparent problems. I parked by the front door and unloaded stuff for about 30 minutes, then tried to move the trailer to in front of the garage which is ~ 20' elevation below the front door.
I drove downhill and when I tried to back into the driveway, the truck would not move the trailer, and unknown to me started leaking reddish oil. I drove the 700' to the bottom of my gravel driveway, leaking a very noticeable trail of this reddish oil. I made a U-turn in the cul-de-sac at the bottom of my driveway, and came back uphill. The oil trail stopped for the uphill trip. I drove slightly past the entrance to the garage and could easily back the trailer into the position in front of the garage. While I was backing it, the oil trail returned.
When I unhooked the trailer, I looked at the gravel driveway and saw all the oil for the first time. I checked the engine oil and it was OK, right in the middle of the dipstick range. I had the engine off and didn't want to start it, but pulled the transmission dipstick and checked that oil and it was right in the middle of the range.
I got a plain white paper towel and patted up some of the oil on the gravel driveway. It was the same red as new transmission oil.
Does anyone have a clue where this oil is coming from?
I am intending to tow a 16' enclosed trailer with $1500 worth of trees and shrubs about 500 miles on Tuesday, and would like to make it without a breakdown in the CA desert, which would fry the trees, fry me, and fry my poor dogs.
- - - -
The only other information I have is that I had the transmission serviced about 10,000 miles ago.
- - - - -
Thankfully it doesn't seem to be engine oil which is 500 mile old Rotella 5W-40, and which is now still honey amber in color.
It looks like I lost at least a couple of quarts of something, but the apparently full condition of the transmission leads me to question the front transfer case. What do they put in there and what color is it?
At the time of the leak, the hood and everything in it was too hot to touch.
Anyway, I would be grateful for any help.
The Problem: It spilled a lot of what seems to be transmission fluid in my driveway.
The Terrain: My driveway is ~700' long with a 15% uphill grade coming in. It is gravel.
The Weather: Clear and hot, 105 degrees maybe more.
What happened: I drove about 80 miles home from a camping trip towing my Toy Hauler (Redneck Hunting Lodge). Trailer weighs 6500 - 6700 lbs as it was loaded coming home. The owner's manual says the towing capacity of the truck is 7200 to 7700 lbs. Depending on rim and tire size.
Before I get to my 700'gravel drive, there is a 1200' section of private paved road, again with a 15% uphill grade.
At the bottom of the paved section, I put the truck in: 4x4, overdrive off, transmission selector in "1" (PRND21) and drove up the hill to my house. It was clearly tough going, but the truck & trailer made it with no apparent problems. I parked by the front door and unloaded stuff for about 30 minutes, then tried to move the trailer to in front of the garage which is ~ 20' elevation below the front door.
I drove downhill and when I tried to back into the driveway, the truck would not move the trailer, and unknown to me started leaking reddish oil. I drove the 700' to the bottom of my gravel driveway, leaking a very noticeable trail of this reddish oil. I made a U-turn in the cul-de-sac at the bottom of my driveway, and came back uphill. The oil trail stopped for the uphill trip. I drove slightly past the entrance to the garage and could easily back the trailer into the position in front of the garage. While I was backing it, the oil trail returned.
When I unhooked the trailer, I looked at the gravel driveway and saw all the oil for the first time. I checked the engine oil and it was OK, right in the middle of the dipstick range. I had the engine off and didn't want to start it, but pulled the transmission dipstick and checked that oil and it was right in the middle of the range.
I got a plain white paper towel and patted up some of the oil on the gravel driveway. It was the same red as new transmission oil.
Does anyone have a clue where this oil is coming from?
I am intending to tow a 16' enclosed trailer with $1500 worth of trees and shrubs about 500 miles on Tuesday, and would like to make it without a breakdown in the CA desert, which would fry the trees, fry me, and fry my poor dogs.
- - - -
The only other information I have is that I had the transmission serviced about 10,000 miles ago.
- - - - -
Thankfully it doesn't seem to be engine oil which is 500 mile old Rotella 5W-40, and which is now still honey amber in color.
It looks like I lost at least a couple of quarts of something, but the apparently full condition of the transmission leads me to question the front transfer case. What do they put in there and what color is it?
At the time of the leak, the hood and everything in it was too hot to touch.
Anyway, I would be grateful for any help.
