oil leak 480le

[mncguy]

real mystery!i hav eoil being deposited on the right hand chassis rail near the back wishbone support.it is auto oil coming from the dipstick tube,the top of the tube is dry but halfway down is where the fuild is dropping off,the plastic tube is still in one piece,and the box is not overfull

[More Power]

The 4L80-E dipstick pipe is supported about midway up by a bracket held by one of the trans bellhousing bolts. Over time, that bracket has a way of cracking through the tube due to vibration.

You'll need to remove the pipe and have it welded or replaced. You can help prevent this from happening by using a couple of nylon zip-ties to anchor the pipe to the engine lift bracket at the rear of the passenger side head. The zip-ties will help to take some of the vibration load off the pipe bracket. :)

Jim

[mncguy]

the dipstick tube is plastic with a heat resistant foil sheeve over the top,the leak is about 6 inchs up hill from the bracket which was mentioned?but i will have a further investigation tomorrow

[More Power]

the dipstick tube is plastic

Never seen a plastic transmission dipstick pipe..... I've bought several through the years (as recently as 2004). Not a plastic one in the bunch....

Jim

[mncguy]

it is most defiantly plastic,must of been made for the australian model to clear the brake booster
anyway i have temporary re-routed the dip stick tube and the oil is still appearing,front lawn is dying from degreasing each afternoon,not a huge amount but to much to let it go

[Robyn]

Hers is a quicky fix.

Find the spot where the oil is seeping out and then take a piece of thin wall oil resistant hose, cut it in half, then wrap it around the pipe and fasten on with a couple hose clamps :D

This is not a perfect fix but may contain the mess untill you can get a new dipstick tube.

Having the brake booster on the right would make it neccessary to have a quite different shape to the tube for sure.

Robyn

[a5150nut]

Or you could wrap with a strip of inner tube. Spiral overlap with a little tension tuck the ends under. Kind of like wrapping a wire harness with tape. Works on water pipes.

[mncguy]

sorry when i said re-routed i should of said its complently gone,have a piece of fuel hose in its place running in the complete opposite direction,still have the oil being deposited,not coming from dip stick.still looking every morning and every afternoon?

[mncguy]

FOUND IT mmmmmm right hand drive auto oil,well close try hydro oil from the brake booster vacuum pump thingy,so iam now trying to source one of them,two quotes so far one for $1185 one for $650 ,,,,,what price are they statesside ,thats if anyone knows what iam taking about?

[DmaxMaverick]

A good reman Hydroboost unit (brake booster--no vacuum) will run about $200-250 USD. There are some less expensive, but I can't verify quality. There are some more expensive, but not better quality.

Where is it leaking? Usually, it's a loose or damaged line fitting, accumulator (cylinder on the right side), or where it mounts at the firewall. All but the firewall leak is easily repairable with available repair parts. The firewall mount leaks can be fixed, but the seal is only available in a complete overhaul kit. I've repaired them with mix-'n-match O-rings with some success. It depends on the reason for the leak. If it works well otherwise, it may be worth a try at a repair. If the housing is cracked, forget it. Need a new one.

[mncguy]

it is leaking between the resivior and the part which has the lines running out of it

[DmaxMaverick]

Just so we're on the same page.....you mean between the hydroboost unit (HB) and the master cylinder (the part with the reservoir, and the brake lines running out of it, not the part mounted to the firewall with the lines running to the PS pump and steering box). If you can, please post a pic of it, showing where, exactly, it's leaking. If this is it, verify it is in fact power steering fluid, and not brake fluid leaking, which is much more common at that location. The hydroboost units rarely ever leak at the front (not saying they can't, just very unusual). If it is leaking at the front of the HB unit, it needs replacement (no home remedy that's ever worked).

If the HB unit is leaking, you can try a fluid conditioner to help with the seals. Trans-X or Trans-Medic has worked. Use about 1-2 ounces in the power steering reservoir. This works much better than any power steering fluid conditioner I've found. It is also important to not use the wrong fluid in the PS reservoir. Use either a GM approved power steering fluid, or Dexron-III ATF (same stuff you use in the auto tranny). Others can cause the seals in the HB unit, as well as the steering box and pump, to fail.