Trans gasket is wet, fluid around bolt to left of embossed number is red. Oil seems to be coming from above.

Over tightening the pan bolts deforms the pan at the holes causing leaks. They should be torqued to 89 lb INCH.

 

Possibly the transmission fluid and filter was changed and a cheap aftermarket gasket was installed. The OEM style has the metal spacers , reducing the possibility of crushing the gasket and distorting the pan flange.

The engine oil being low, the transmission fluid also low. Topping both up without determining the cause is rather futile.

 

Yes I do have multiple issues. Yes I took a couple risks. I appreciate your continued responses. So car has been sitting undisturbed for a few hours with a white cloth underneath to catch drips. Nothing huge but what I am puzzled about is that both bolts in the picture you have circled, including the oil pan bolt are dripping the same fluid. I am certain it is the same. Not motor oil, but reddish light viscosity fluid that I think can only be trans fluid. How is it possible for the oil pan bolt which is located higher up than the lower trans mount bolt to be dripping trans fluid? Can trans fluid enter the engine crankcase? Sounds stupid, but that is what I am seeing.

 

Old Blue, don't give up on me. Please understand that his car is not a glamour car for me. It is used as a freeway commuter rather than rack up miles on a nicer vehicle I have. This is a situation of senior citizen, fixed income just trying to keep it usable. It has 245000 miles on it, 100,000 of that I've done since I bought it 3 years ago. I have been able out of necessity to keep my cars running by diy service except for a few jobs that I can not do. The transmission in this car was pulled and rebuilt by a local transmission shop about a year ago, maybe a bit longer. I paid $3,000 for that, which is probably more than the car is worth, but the option of replacing the car is not viable. I assume the shop used good parts and good practices. I'm not too eager to take it to another tranny shop and get the treatment again, but I have few choices....try to figure it out, take it to a shop, call a salvage yard and have them tow it away or let it sit in garage and try to figure it out.

 

It does seem to be coming from above, donbrew. The shinier part of the metal, between the 2 bolts in question, seems to have a red film.

 

Red fluid should be transmission fluid, it can be pushed around by the air movement under the car, it could the the transmission cooler lines leaking where they enter and exit the transmission case on the front of the case down to the left of the engine oil filter .

You stated that the engine oil was down, a few quarts .


In order to verify this , mix a solution of 14 oz hot water and 2 oz of Dawn dish soap in a spray bottle, spray the engine and transmission and let it drip dry, take the HHR for a short drive, inspect the engine and transmission for fluid drips , and see if you can see where it’s coming from.

 

glad to hear that you got it going!

 

Guys....follow up on this...Today I inspected underneath to find just a couple drops of a fluid (certain it is trans fluid) on the ground. I did as suggested and sprayed it down with soap and water and got it pretty well cleaned up under there. The trans pan looks dry. So then I leveled out the car on stands and checked the trans inspection port. Nothing came out. I added about 1/2 quart and fluid weeped out the inspection hole. I let it drain til it was done dripping and replaced the plug. The oil dipstick still full level. So I started the car on stands and looked for leaks or a gusher. Nothing. I put it on the ground and did a couple laps around the block. It is shifting smoothly and still no codes. Parked it and inspected underneath. Still nothing, but a trace of fluid around the lower bell housing bolt. I am starting to wonder if I have a slow seal leak inside the housing that I simply have not noticed and that enough wet fluid collected on the pan to blow off and onto the hot exhaust that day. I would think that if I have a large leak, the fluid level would have been down a lot more than 1/2 quart? And yes I know that it is supposed to be checked running but with only jack stands, I'm not comfortable laying underneath. I hope that merely verifying there is fluid in the pan up to the inspection plug at rest at least lets us know that not all of my fluid escaped. Everything else in the engine bay is dry. Nothing on top.

 

There could be residual fluid in the bell housing seeping out! It might take a while till that stops dripping.

 

Was the engine running when you checked the fluid? If it was not you are very low on ATF. When not running the ATF level is a couple inches above the control port.
There is no magic involved; oil comes from somewhere, it doesn't hide then let go.