Ive got a 89 Dakota ive let set for almost 3 years

DEAN IN TENNESSEE

MEMBER
1989 DODGE DAKOTA
135,000 MILES

Did all the prep work to the engine, runs great! Question is the transmission did leak off some fluid when it sat for so long, didnt leak none when it was being used, so will the trans seals lube back up in time now that im driving it? Fluid to perfect levels, nothing added but atf4 so hoping the seals will swell or what ever to stop the drips before I really take it out driving. Please help. Thanks.

2 Replies

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,738 POSTS

I have an '80 Volare that has leaked from a shift lever seal since the day the car was new. It still leaks to this day but I have never had to add any fluid and it's still full.

A little seepage is normal and nothing to get too excited about. If it's going to start leaking worse, that isn't going to be due to driving it so go ahead and try it. Also, after three years you can assume some fluid drained out of the torque converter, (if you have an automatic), so the level in the pan would have gone way up, possibly high enough to reach a seal where the fluid doesn't normally reach. That can overload a seal that normally just has to keep vapors in and dirt out.