Trans fluid on back tailgate.

[ssdvc]

Just got back from a round trip to NH.

I had a lot of fluid all over the back tailgate when I got back to CT. I have made several long trips with this truck and have gotten a little bit of fluid on the tailgate, but I thought I read somewhere that it is fairly common and nothing to worry about. That said, there was a lot of fluid on the tailgate this trip and I don't know why. Did a search, but didn't find anything. Is this normal and is there a fix for this?

Thanks.

 

[Tinstar]

Not normal

You have a bad leak somewhere.
Losing enough fluid to drip off and get caught in the wind and end up on tailgate.
Transmission or transfer case or engine or even powersteering fluid. Rear differential too
Time to crawl underneath and find it.
Might have to pressure wash it underneath to find it.

Of course it's fixable.
Need to know what's leaking first.

 

[ssdvc]

Nothing leaking underneath, very clean and relatively dry.

 

[Tinstar]

In reference to your fluid above brake pedal thread.

This is might be the cause of the oil on tailgate.

Any fluid running down firewall, under the hydro-boost?

 

[Tinstar]

The master cylinder is brake fluid.
The Hydro-boost is power steering fluid.

A little fluid goes a long way.
Check PS fluid and look everywhere for a leak, besides the HB

Im betting the oil in floorboard and on tailgate are related.

 

[richingalveston]

If you cant find anything, best to monitor fluids over time. It could also be your trans over flow. If it is to full or gets hotter than normal, fluid can come out overflow/pressure port. It has a steel line coming out of the tranny about 3 inches. you can put a clear tube and small plastic catch bottle (vent bottle) to see if the trans is spitting out fluid. You can use this method on t-case and diffs also. everything has a vent and internal problems or sludge can cause the vent to purge fluid on occasion.


Also tape a clean white paper towel to your tailgate or bottom of the fuel tank. drive it and keep an eye on it. you can normally tell the color of the fluid. Oil is black, brake fluid will be clear and trans fluid will be red gear oil will be yellow to brown or black if it needs changed. It sometimes helps to wash everything off first and then put the test rags on. This helps the fluid from getting contaminated prior to making it to the rag.

you can take a sample rag and put a drop of each fluid on it from the truck, your leak will match one of the samples.

It is definitely a leak and not normal.

good luck,
Rich

 

[cucvrus]

ssdvc. Is this the m1009 I sold you? I think it could be the hydra-boost. It is an easy fix. And you can disregard the master cylinder if it is the M1009. That was changed. The Hydra-boost was not to my knowledge. I have a few used ones but I would not even bother putting a used brake booster on at this late stage of the build. Go rebuilt and you will be good to go. Let me know if you need my assistance. Good Luck.

 

[ssdvc]

ssdvc. Is this the m1009 I sold you? I think it could be the hydra-boost. It is an easy fix. And you can disregard the master cylinder if it is the M1009. That was changed. The Hydra-boost was not to my knowledge. I have a few used ones but I would not even bother putting a used brake booster on at this late stage of the build. Go rebuilt and you will be good to go. Let me know if you need my assistance. Good Luck.

Thanks Rick. Yeah, it is the new one and RGR on the master cylinder. I'll check AutoZone and NAPA and see if they have the booster. I checked this site and it doesn't seem like too big a deal to replace, a one day job, if that.

 

[dougco1]

In reference to your fluid above brake pedal thread.

This is might be the cause of the oil on tailgate.

Any fluid running down firewall, under the hydro-boost?

As Tinstar noted about your brake fluid leak. If you go back to your photos you posted of your 1009 you can see the leak on your inner fender. This is most likely your source of the oily spots on your tailgate. You also may want to look on the back side of your front differential, the photo shows a possible oil spot but its hard to tell.