Topic: Mysterious Transmission Leak

[subterran]

Greetings!
As a preface to this, I have been smelling manual trans oil for a couple of years now, especially after hills or loads. I hate that smell!!

I have a 1998 Gen 1 Tacoma 4x4, with the 5VZ V-6, and a manual trans. I started to worry about being on the FACTORY clutch at 270K, and the pilot bearing and throw-outs were howling, so I took it to my mechanic to have a new (AISIN) clutch installed. I got her back, and she is shifting great, but after a few hundred miles, I notice she is bleeding trans oil pretty bad. It has been hard to spot, because it really only happens when moving, and not when parked for several days. But, when it leaks it leaks pretty bad.

We looked at it, and it still seems pretty full of oil (shocking to me after all it has leaked) and it seems to be coming from the pop-off vent, or perhaps the shifter?

Has anyone ever dealt with this, and what do you think the solution is?

Thank you!

[toyodaaddict]

Assuming the shifters where removed to drop the trans, maybe the shifter base gasket got boogered up or not installed at all.  Maybe remove the trim/stuff around the shifter, so you can see the top of the transmission from inside the vehicle and look for the leak. If the transmission has a breather vent, check that it is working and not plugged up

[Gnarly4X]

Sounds like possibly over-filled the tranny?

I hate leaks!! 

Gnarls.

[LittleSteve]

Yeah, check the shifter gaskets and the seals around the sticks. IIRC, there should be a splash shield on top between the case and the shifter housing.
It could be coming from the seal between the tcase and the trans, check the levels in both.
Gnarls could be right that its overfull if they filled it through the shifter hole.