Engine/trans leak catcher

[D-Day]

So, my engine in my 1973 crew cab drips a little once in a while...slowly...you all know how it goes. Even my transmission does too, which it shouldn't, since it's a newly rebuilt 700R4 less than a year old. Guess that's what happens when they rebuild an already dirty transmission.

Since my truck is a bit old, it wouldn't be looked kindly up at my friend's gated apartment place in St. Louis. No vehicles with antennas (CB, ham, etc.), and no mechanical work in their lot. I understand that. I also don't want to leak, because just parking there I know I'm gonna catch a lot of dirty looks.

Anyway, since seals cost too much time and money, and might not fix the problem, I thought of a leak catcher...something to soak the small drips of oil and trans fluid that occasionally fall. Wondered if anyone here had some ideas or inspiration...what material to use, where to mount, flammable precautions, etc.

Can't be that hard...

[swb85]

You need to know for sure where the leaks are coming from first & foremost. Give the motor/trans a good cleaning and then check a few days later & trace where the drips are coming from, then you know where you need to focus your "fix".

[Slonaker]

You can buy a giant "cookie sheet" from auto parts stores for that purpose. I have one under my coupe until I can tear everything apart and seal it up. It keeps the garage floor clean, but you have to empty it occasionally. Also, if they are that picky, you'll have to pick it up when you leave the space.

Slonaker

[D-Day]

Yeah...I was thinking of something like a carpeted piece of plywood, a small panel to lay down under there when I parked; gray in color to blend in with the pavement, to do just that...catch the occasional drops. However, then the idea evolved into something that might be mounted beneath the oil and/or trans pan so I wouldn't forget it, or worry about leaving it laying there. Although, heat and possible fire hazards pose a problem to that idea.

Guess I should get a couple cans of Gunk degreaser and blitzkrieg the undercarriage.

[jimfulco]

Pampers & bungee cords.

[D-Day]

Heh, I imagined something like that. But then it'd look bad...hmm.

[BIGT05]

dodge makes something on there dieseal pickups for the crankcase vetallation im sure some of you are aware of it its mainly on the older modeles what u could du is trace ur leake then mount a small straw like tube big enough to chanell the fluid downward into a plastic spherical container u may have to clean the container out once every six months or so depending on how severe ur leak it is but the plus side ease no mess to worry about even while your going down the highway !!

[D-Day]

Hmm, noted. Thanks for the heads up.

[babyJay]

When I worked in a quick-lube 15 yrs or so ago there was an old guy that came in quite a lot with an old vehicle that had a rear seal leak. He cut an old metal coffee can in half and strung it up with bail wire right under the dust cover for the flywheel. I thought it looked goofy from the bottom side, but it worked! Maybe a cookie sheet suspended with bail wire under there would be a short term fix, until you can afford your fixes.

[Ivan D.]

Next time you see a military truck parked somewhere take a look under it, at least the army folks always choke the wheels of their trucks and also slide a pan under to catch leaks, they do that to all trucks too, HMMWVs included.

[78chev]

Be proud, I live for dirty looks!