93 lesabre tranny problems....help!!!

Hey everyone:
I have a 93 lesabre with the 3800 V6. Within the past couple of months the tranny loses fluid. Eventually it will lose enough fluid that the tranny will start to slip. I do not find any noticeable fluid leaks under the car or on the concrete where it gets parked every night.

When the car is started in the morning, there is some white smoke from the exhaust which usually dissipates rather quickly and then the car runs fine for the rest of the day. The smoke is white and does not smell of either oil or antifreeze.

The wife said that the car really acted up last night coming home. She said the tranny was slipping again and that the oil pressure went down to zero less than a mile from the house.

Went out and checked the oil, and it was over the full mark. Checked the tranny fluid and added three quarts. Went and got gas (about five miles). When I left the house the oil pressure was around 40 psi. As I got to the gas station, the oil pressure was almost in the red. When I started back home, the oil pressure was half way between the red and 40 (assumed somewhere around 20psi). By the time I got home the red warning light was on. Checked the oil again and it seems real liquidy and way over the full mark. (Right now the temps are in the high 90's approaching 100 during the day).

So after all of this here is my question.... Could transmission fluid be leaking back into the crankcase? And if so, How? If transmission fluid is going back to the crankcase could it break down the oil enough to cause poor pressure through the pump?

I am going to drain the oil tomorrow night and put fresh oil in and hopefully the pressure will come back up.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated (sorry for the long post!!!)

Galen

p.s forgot to tell...225,000 miles on tranny to date.

I'm no expert on this but i think you are dealing with two seperate issues. One being a tranny issue and the other an oil issue. Perhaps a failed UIM. You said that there is a white smoke coming from the exhaust which tells me that you're getting anti freeze mixed in with the oil. Are you losing anti freeze?

That's what is wierd about all of this. There is no noticeable loss of fluids except for the transmission fluid.

I don't think it is coolant because the oil looks ok, no white foamy look to it. What is a UIM?

That's what is wierd about all of this. There is no noticeable loss of fluids except for the transmission fluid.

I don't think it is coolant because the oil looks ok, no white foamy look to it. What is a UIM?

UIM = Upper Intake Manifold

It is not possible for tranny fluid to get into the crankcase. The only place that fluid is close to the engine is in the torque converter, and the torque converter only has an opening on the side facing away from the engine. The tranny is sealed at the pan by a pan gasket, then at each axle entry point by a rubber seal, then at your dipstick holder by a rubber piece that the metal that holds your dipstick goes in, then via a rubber seal at the round servo that is sticking out the rear side of your tranny, then at the side cover which has a gasket.

It may be only leaking when under pressure, thus the leaking stops when you are parked at home. I would get this car to a good mechanic as they will likely have ways to find the leak. There will be tell-tale signs at the point of leaking.

I also concur that your oil pressure issue is not directly related to tranny fluid loss.

If the diaphram in the vaccum modulator leaks it will leak enough to fill it and the vaccum line all the way to the intake.