Fordomatic dipstick tube spits up after sitting

[wex65]

The wife has decided to move her '55 on to pastures new and I am getting it ship shape before listing it online.

It hasn't been started in several months and when I started it there was a puddle of trans fluid under the rear P/S of the engine. Doing a bit of detective work it looks like the source was the transmission dipstick. It seems it spat out about half a cup of fluid which then ran down the draft tube and onto the floor.

Now...unless I am going nuts I seem to vaguely recall this is a known issue whereby if the car has sat for an extended period without being started, fluid somehow gathers and is spat out of the dipstick. Am I remembering this correctly?

If so then I think that as long as the car is started every few weeks this will not re-occur. I restarted it again this morning and it remained dry so this possibly supports my theory.

Any pointers on what this is and whether this is indeed 'normal'?

Apart from this the car is bone dry underneath which is beyond what I had hoped for!

[redstangbob]

I suspect the torque converter is draining back into the pan, causing the level to be too high. Unless you're prepared to pull the trans and make necessary repairs, you'll have to live with it or run the car more often to avoid the drain-back. JMO, Bob C

[wex65]

I suspect the torque converter is draining back into the pan, causing the level to be too high. Unless you're prepared to pull the trans and make necessary repairs, you'll have to live with it or run the car more often to avoid the drain-back. JMO, Bob C

Thanks Bob. So you think the issue is that the torque converter needs a rebuild?

[redstangbob]

generally the problem is with the front pump bushing/seal and stator support, they allow the converter to drain back when worn. A way to test is to get the trans fluid to it's correct level when hot then check several hours later when cooled down. let the car sit and don't start the engine, checking the stick every few days. See if the level comes up on the stick over time, that's an indication of converter drain-back. It's a slow go but getting your trans out is not exactly easy from what I understand. Good luck, Bob C

[wex65]

The annoying part? The transmission was totally rebuilt and reinstalled only a year ago. All new seals/bands etc.