I replaced the filter and gasket on my transmission about a month ago, it had a slight leak when i changed it, that appeared to be coming from the back side of the pan. so changed it and everything seemed good, today i noticed a small puddle of fluid under the truck after setting only a few minute's. got home crawled under it and sure enough it was coming from the pan gasket again, now last time when i replaced it i put a small amount of Permatex on the gasket back there, but it is still leaking there, i checked when i had it apart the other day for a crack or anything noticable but figured it was just the gasket was bad ( was a cork type gasket). anyone that has does this know's its a pita to get the pan in there between the cross member and the tranmission so im not sure if i scrapped the permatex off or not, im gonna take it all back apart and check it again and put a new gasket in and put the permatex under the gasket and on the transmission then hope for the best, But has anyone else had this issue? 97 4.6 4x4

 

I had a similar problem, but are you 100% sure its the pan leaking and its not dripping down from somewhere else. The housing between my trans and t-case actually had started to separate from the transmission (the bolts somehow started to back-out) and it caused a transmission fluid leak. for the longest time I thought it was the pan gasket. If you are sure it is the pan gasket, make sure that you are using a OEM ford gasket. The cork and felt ones that come with most filter kits are crap. You can order one from your local dealer and they are the rubber/metal type.

 

And let the Permatex set overnight before you refill the fluid or you're wasting your time.

 

Im about 99% sure it is since i laid under it for 10 min's watching it come from towards the pan rather than up ward's. id wipe it off every 30 seconds or so just to make sure. But i will check to make sure the bolt's holding the together are tight.

 

I had intention's of doing that when i let it setup this last time but ended up having to use my truck to pull my buddy's truck from behind my shop and on to a trailer since my dually wouldnt pull it since it was rather muddy.

anyways Im driving my dually back and forth to work this week, since i dont get home tell after dark and its to cold to work by then. but i get off early Friday so im gonna do it all then and i have a concealed carry class Saturday morning that Im going to so itll set tell late Saturday with it being touched well over 24 hours

 

Pretty much the truth here. dont crank the pan bolts down either. make sure the pan is flat too..

 

The one I have is a all bubber gasket, not the Cork one's

 

Rubber***

With that being said..... Just dropped the pan and got it cleaned up put a straight edge on it and the pan is not exactly straight at all... almost a 16th of a drop inbetween the 2 back bolt's guess that is why it was leaking. Getting ready to throw a new gasket at it, but gonna try my best to get the pan straight again then im gonna put the Permatex to it heavily and let it set until Sunday...

 

I think all the pans are like that. I pulled my pan and saw that the back corner (cant remember which) was not true with the rest of the pan, so I tried to bang is back and it still leaked. Went to Ford and got a new pan and gasket and noticed the new pan wasn't true either and looked just like the old one. My guess is that they didn't care whether of not the pan was perfectly true when it came off the press because the bolts should pull it all together. I then noticed what my real problem was (as I stated above). I haven't lost a drip yet.