Need some help I have a 1970 Maverick Hatchback that I got about a month go. It has been sitting out about 4 years I already had to replace the exhaust and transmission line. It is also rusting in a lot of places underneath the car. Can't really go anywhere with it tho. Well today is the first day it did this I drove back to my apt and when I stopped the transmission on leaks a little usually but today it just gushed out and then it stopped usually it just has a little leak with the oil since it leaks to but not a lot. I dont really know what the problem is with the leak just know it sprayed all over and when the fluid touch the exhaust pipe it smoked up. I like the car and all but I am not really car technical and don't have the money to replace it myself. I need all the help i can get. thanks
Welcome aboard! First off I'll mention it before someone else does. Mavericks aren't called hatchbacks. They are all coupes. No big deal, just thought you might wanna know. Now for the problem, it definitely sounds like a high pressure leak you have when driving the car. I feel like it will be coming from the lines somewhere so you'll need to determine exactly where it is coming from. You may have to start the car and put it in gear and watch the lines until it starts squirting out (of course you need a second hand for this). If you have rubber hoses connecting the tranny lines to the radiator, check there first. Should be pretty easy to find getting that much fluid. Hopefully it's not a tranny seal but very possible since it's been sitting up a while. If so, it's gonna be a little more involved in repairing. The front is a pain while the rear is much easier. Let us know what you see and we'll help any way we can. Good luck with it!
If it sprayed out it is probably one of the cooler lines. There aren't any seals that hold pressure that could cause a spray other than the seals and gaskets on the servo covers. The cooler lines carry much more pressure than fuel hose can take so you have to use 250 psi oil hose (push-lock etc.) for flexible connections. I recommend the use of metal lines because they add 50% - 100% to the cooling capacity of coolers. Using rubber hose will trap that heat in the hose and will require a larger cooler to do the same job. Check your oil level with the engine idling (you may have to fix the leak first) and the transmission in Park. You should never over-fill the C4 - it works fine when you fill it to half way between FULL and ADD on the dipstick with the oil cold. You can check it warm after you have driven it for about a half hour or up a steep hill.
I recently bought a Comet GT "302" w/ C4 and it was overfilled for 4 of the 5 mos I have owned it. It leaked a lot of fluid out on the garage floor for a while; now I see just a little spot I also drained some of the fluid out until its full mark engine hot, in park. The trans physically looks like it has been rebuilt. The info I read in this thread -- is useful to me. My trans don't want to shift in 3rd until the car warms to abt 140' and after that it works just fine. It has a shift kit. I hope that won't ruin my transmission.
Age and heat cause the hard sealing rings. Overfilling causes aeration which causes wear and heat. (and a mess of oil on the floor) Check to see if it will engage reverse when cold. If reverse is lazy too then the sealing rings in the direct clutch are already hard and probably cracked. I operated my C4 for three years with "morning sickness" but I never revved it up to get it to go into gear. I just let it warm up and the let it engage at an idle at its own pace. I now have one of those famous "Yellow C4s" in it. Yes mine is yellow too! when they (the C4s) leave my shop they are all yellow.
I build performance C4s for the local guys - no shipping. All my C4s are painted yellow - its a kind of trade mark - "The ugliest transmission you will ever love" There are a few here that have them in their cars.
