[MaximaInMidwest]

Good morning amazing people of this forum!

I am not a mechanic, but just replaceced this PITA power steering pump and high pressure line.... and changed my transmission fluid (106K)... and after starting and driving my car I started to hear high pitched noise from what it seams like could be tranny...and...I got a leak right from this spot (see attached pictures)

Is it even possible to tackle this at home garage? I do have 5 ton Big Red jacks though ( just in case if it would be helpfull)

Maximas are very painful - but I love to drive them ( weird relationship lol not helathy...but oh well true love I guess)

Thank you everyone who don't care to paticipate

 

[MaximaInMidwest]

Here is the video of the sound it makes on the road

Video

 

[1.8TTony]

That's a terrible spot to have a leak. The leaking fluid is gonna be oil (leaking past the crank shaft seal) or transmission fluid (leaking past the torque converter seal).

Whichever the case, it requires separating the engine from the transmission. This is not a repair accomplished in a home garage without (atleast) having an engine lifting device........and even then, it's not a simple task.

The way I would do it would involve lifting the car off the frame, leaving the engine, transmission, steering, brake parts and some suspension components attached on the frame......then separate the engine from the transmission.

Right where that leak is, you see a 10mm bolt. Remove that bolt then remove the little plate which that bolt secures. With that plate removed, you can look in and see a part called "flex plate". If there is fluid on the flexplate, it's oil. If there's no fluid on the flexplate, the leak is transmission fluid.

As far the sound in the video. One of three things come to mind. Those three things are:
1) Bad torque converter. The remedy for this situation would be to replace the torque converter.

2) Bad transmission fluid pump. The remedy for this situation would be a complete transmission rebuild or replacement.

3) Bad exhaust flex pipe.....the flexible mesh portion in the exhaust system is what I'm talking about. What happens is exhaust can escape thru the mesh resulting in odd sounds. Sound could be whistling, buzzing, whining, etc...... The remedy for this situation would be to replace the flex pipe if it's damaged and figure out why it became damaged. If it's rusted or corroded, that damage will be obvious to spot. If it's damaged but otherwise looks like it's in good condition, I would suspect a broken muffler or some other reason within the exhaust system which may be causing too much back pressure in the pipe and exhaust is pushing past the mesh flex pipe.

 

[MaximaInMidwest]

That's a terrible spot to have a leak. The leaking fluid is gonna be oil (leaking past the crank shaft seal) or transmission fluid (leaking past the torque converter seal).

Whichever the case, it requires separating the engine from the transmission. This is not a repair accomplished in a home garage without (atleast) having an engine lifting device........and even then, it's not a simple task.

The way I would do it would involve lifting the car off the frame, leaving the engine, transmission, steering, brake parts and some suspension components attached on the frame......then separate the engine from the transmission.

Right where that leak is, you see a 10mm bolt. Remove that bolt then remove the little plate which that bolt secures. With that plate removed, you can look in and see a part called "flex plate". If there is fluid on the flexplate, it's oil. If there's no fluid on the flexplate, the leak is transmission fluid.

As far the sound in the video. One of three things come to mind. Those three things are:
1) Bad torque converter. The remedy for this situation would be to replace the torque converter.

2) Bad transmission fluid pump. The remedy for this situation would be a complete transmission rebuild or replacement.

3) Bad exhaust flex pipe.....the flexible mesh portion in the exhaust system is what I'm talking about. What happens is exhaust can escape thru the mesh resulting in odd sounds. Sound could be whistling, buzzing, whining, etc...... The remedy for this situation would be to replace the flex pipe if it's damaged and figure out why it became damaged. If it's rusted or corroded, that damage will be obvious to spot. If it's damaged but otherwise looks like it's in good condition, I would suspect a broken muffler or some other reason within the exhaust system which may be causing too much back pressure in the pipe and exhaust is pushing past the mesh flex pipe.

So after wiping it really good and test driving....it didn't show a sign of a transmission fluid.

But it did leaked from valve cover gasket, which I probably overtightened with a wrong torque wrench (was too late I realized it and hoped for the best...ugh...).

But the weird growling sound only happens in Drive mode. Not at the first start. But if I put it in Drive and in Park it would stay. Reverse doesn't have growl.

I took manifold out in the first place to get access to ps high pressure line which is not leaking. Also replaced ps pump, both belts and pcv valve.

Here is the picture of the hose in the back of the manifold when it is growling in park. Maybe it could be connected. Hose seemed under vacuum pressure. (Should it be?)