simple tranny seal question

[so2315]

I have a 2000 Windstar. On the transmission I have a leaking seal. It is not the pan itself, but the rear of the transmission above the pan there is a circular cap with 3 bolts on it. I can see a gasket under the cap, and it is seeping fluid which is going everywhere.
Can this cap be removed with out all of the transmission fluid spilling out or is the fuid level above this cap?
Just to be sure in my description, it is on the transmission facing towards the rear of the van.

[wiswind]

From your description, it seems like you are looking at the Low / Intermediate Servo Cover.
I have never removed this cover myself.
I did a search, as I had remembered reading about there being pressure from the servo spring pressing against that cover.
I clipped this from a thread about this servo.
He was talking about this relative to shift problems, but the information about that cover is directly applicable to trying to replace the cover gasket.

This was posted by 12ounce who has a lot of experience working with his van.

******

"Tip: Those springs are strong and long ... and the cover screws somewhat short. This means injury, or lost parts, if one is not very careful as the servo is dismantled! One way to work carefully is to replace the screws, one-at-a-time, with longer screws ... this will keep things from flying apart.

The most common way for the servos to fail is not broken parts ... but worn parts. One of the o-rings acts as a piston seal and, once worn, will lessen the force that the piston can exert. Each of the two servos is very similar in design.

Hopefully your problem is with the servos ... as they are relatively easy to repair. But there are other things that cause similar symptoms.

I'm not a tranny expert by any means either ... just have often been lucky to find some easy problems to fix. If it gets very difficult ... I give the problem, and my money, to someone else. "