3L auto fluid loss

[micktheshed]

Help!!!!!!!!!!!! Only had my Tranny 2 months & already had a few problems.
Just towed my 'van 0ver 300m, total, faultlessly until 50m into the homeward journey, the auto change suddenly started 'snatching'. Within 3m the road speed gradually reduced & the engine revs increased till I was only doing 20mph at 3000rpm (had to keep going to find a safe parking spot).
Turns out the auto fluid now coats the front of the engine & the dipstick reads nothing, good job I've fitted an electric fan or the mess would have been much worse! The level was correct before the journey. Ended up being recovered by (now very oily) Green Flag trailer.
The 1Million dollar question is: where is the most likely source of the leak? When it stops raining I'll get under & see if there are any split cooling circuit pipes (my main theory) or an obvious leak source. Failing any better ideas I'm thinking along the lines of re-filling the box & running it to show-up the leak.
Just hoping the box isn't terminally damaged as its only done 29,450m.
Any useful comments gratefully received.

 

[stinka]

probably be ok mate, as i had a bmw that did similar in that it lost all fluid and was fine after fix and re fill

u looked underneath ? as there will more than likely be an obvious sign of the leak.

 

[solarman216]

do not know about the 3 ltr but the Mistrals had an oil cooler in the bottom of the main rad, which was a source of problem, but you will have a cooler at the front somewhere, this will be your problem, Rick

 

[micktheshed]

3L Terrano Auto leak

probably be ok mate, as i had a bmw that did similar in that it lost all fluid and was fine after fix and re fill

u looked underneath ? as there will more than likely be an obvious sign of the leak.

I hope you're right Stinka, this is my first Nissan (my 2 sons are devotees) & the supposed expected reliability has taken a dent already.
It only happened midday today but will be under it as soon as the rain stops (or when I run out of patience waiting).
Thanks for the ray of hope LOL.

 

[micktheshed]

do not know about the 3 ltr but the Mistrals had an oil cooler in the bottom of the main rad, which was a source of problem, but you will have a cooler at the front somewhere, this will be your problem, Rick

3L has 2 coolers: 1 in the rad. bottom, but rad is only 3 m old so hoping its not that LOL. Thanks for suggestion solerman216, I'll check to make sure its OK.

 

[solarman216]

For the oil to be seen at the front it can only be the cooler or pipes to it, all oil travels back along the the car unless you are always in reverse at speed, Rick

 

[Kamsin]

For the oil to be seen at the front it can only be the cooler or pipes to it, all oil travels back along the the car unless you are always in reverse at speed, Rick

He has a very good point here. Would not not like it to be the rad though, if its only been on for 3 months can't you take it back.

I had (in 91) a Sierra with an Auto box, was a right pain i too lost all the oil, but the box was fine, did no damage to it at all. Sorted out the leak and away it went.

However, after that the rad burst (Oil/water combo) and filled the box with an oil mix of water as well, 12 months laterr had nothing but trouble with it, turns out the water wrecked the box and caused it to start rusting inside. Id bin the rad and have 2 oil coolers, but that only cos i dont trust them.

 

[micktheshed]

terrano auto leak

Good news (for once) leak proved to be from rubber cooling pipe to the rad that had been contacting the drive belt. The rubber pipe to the secondary cooler was also damaged. Replaced the pipes & strapped them out of harms way, filled up with 3.5L new ATF, & (fingers crossed LOL) the jobs-a-gud-un. The prat that fitted the new rad obviously didn't have a clue (along with a few other bodges I've had to put right), & people wonder why I don't trust garages.
Will give it a good run tomorrow to test it, but a quick run round the block & its looking OK. Much relief all round I can tell you!
Big thanks to all the help offered on here, this was my first time dealing with an auto box so I was decidedly nervous. :bow:clap:thumb2

 

[Kamsin]

So Solarman was right on the money then, Good lad :clap

 

[96terrano]

Same thing happened withy dads Honda accord back in 2003. New cooler and a refill, no problem:thumb2 sold the car after that. Made a right profit