Transaxle overflow - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

95XLE · 04-05-2004, 11:08 AM

Have had the Xle for a few weeks now and my local wrench told me that this small oil leak I have is the steering rack. No big deal, I can live with a few drops of leakage a day. During the same visit, I had him check my automatic transaxle level and it was fine. About a week ago, I changed my auto transmission fluid and filter. Today, I checked the transaxle level again myself and got a gush of oil out of the inspection hole. My question is why did the transaxle level go up to the point of pouring out when all I did is change the tranny fluid? Are the two connected?

CrawlingEye · 04-05-2004, 02:19 PM

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the transaxle is the the transmission?

95XLE · 04-05-2004, 03:23 PM

Sorry, I meant the differential is too full.

88 LE · 04-05-2004, 08:12 PM

Did you check the differential with the car sitting at an angle?

The tranny and differential are drained and filled seperately.

95XLE · 04-06-2004, 03:32 PM

Yes, I did check it at an angle, but the fill/check hole was angled up, not down. I was expecting to see it a bit low. By any chance does anyone know if the transmission amd the diffy share a common vent tube? Possibly, I overfilled the tranny when I serviced it and the overflow went to the vent and into the diffy? Just a shot in the dark...............

The tranny checked right on the money today at full temp. It was a bit over full after I filled it back up during my service job. It was cold then, and I filled it to the upper cold level. Thanks for the response.

95XLE · 04-08-2004, 04:35 PM

to the top

Thought I'd try at the top again. Anyone? Thanks!

mobes · 04-08-2004, 05:46 PM

They say they're filled and drained seperately, but when my CV shaft seal was leaking the level on the transmission dipstick would go down significantly. I think there must be a passage between the two, either that or we both have seals that leak between the two.

95XLE · 04-09-2004, 06:43 AM

mobes, thanks for the reply. The reason I'm asking about the possibility of the common vent is that the trany dipstick level remains rock solid full. Knowing that the diffy holds only a small amount suggests that if I overfilled the tranny just a little, it could overflow somehow into the diffy and appear to be a lot of fluid coming out the inspection/fill hole. Does anybody know if the two share a common vent?