Hey, I drive a 02 TL-s it's at around 120k miles.
I drove it on the freeway the other day for approx. an hour, and as i was parking and I turned off my engine, I see smoke coming from the front.
At first i thought it was the radiator, but as i checked the color, it wasn't green, it was brown. So i checked the motor oil, and it wasn't it either, and when i checked the tranny fluid, it was low, and still leaking.

the thing is, when my engine is on, it doesn't leak! i checked under my car and i see that it barely leaks when my engine is cold. so i refilled it with the non-honda atf fluid that the manual said was okay (temporary).

I hope it's just a seal that are common of failing on this car. i tried searching with no luck in finding specifics. i read that i had to remove the transmission and replace that 10 dollar seal. I'm willing to do the work and post up some diy.

 

its most likely the rear main seal. its a $7 part and you need to remover the trans to get to the seal.

 

Click here to go to the part list

Does anyone know which part number, because i don't really see which on is the rear main seal.

 

none of those. its at the back of the engine. not on the trans.

 

ENGINE rear main seal--to see if that really the problem remove the 2 10mm head bolts and the inspection cover at the engine/trans junction under the car

If the fluid is coming from up inside there- its engine or trans seal
check the fluid color, red-brown is trans fluid and it is a front trans seal
blackish is probably engine oil and rear main seal $7

see if thats where the leak really is
There are other places,, like the seal where the driveshafts come out of the trans,,,otherwise you may have a major problem and need to consult the last pages of Tranny Failure thread for advice on `cars over limit` and `goodwill coverage`

 

a heads up on DIY- it can be done with a big friend and a 500 pound capicty trans floor jack
that sucker weighs 450 pounds, the book time is something like 6 hours to remove and reinstall trans

 

IS it oil or trans fluid. Also find where its coming from. If its the rear main its OIL. We can help you better if you find where its leaking from.

 

kris- so you- who has dismantled and reassembled 2 ore more of these exact trans from your TL,,there is no front trans seal inside the inspection cover area?
only the engine rear main? is that correct--or is it both

 

The leaking oil color is reddish, the color of the ATF-Z1.

I will go under my car and check, I will post up some pictures after trying what 01tl4tl said.

Thank you 01tl4tl, Rajca, and Kris.

 

Sure there is. The main output shaft for the TQ converter. It could be there. Its just not something that usually leaks. If its from that area 9.99 x out of 10 its oil. There are a few seals. But i would first find out where its coming from before ANY speculation

I believe the seal in question is #11

 

the trans fluid needs to be checked after driving 15 minutes on freeway- then get off freeway exit and stop safely- shut off engine check fluid level

checking it cold or warm will give false low readings