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June 1990

DEAR TOM AND RAY:
I HAVE A 1978 MUSTANG THAT DRIPS SOME KIND OF THICK GREASY FLUID ONTO MY RIGHT LEG. IT SEEMS TO BE COMING FROM THE SPEEDOMETER CABLE IN THE DASH, BUT REPLACING THE CABLE DIDN'T HELP. HOW CAN I FIX IT? NOBODY KNOWS.
RANDY

Beat up old carTOM: THE FLUID IS 90 WEIGHT TRANSMISSION OIL, RANDY. THE SPEEDOMETER CABLE RUNS FROM THE TRANSMISSION TO THE SPEEDOMETER HEAD, WHICH IS BEHIND THE DASHBOARD. SOMEHOW, TRANSMISSION FLUID IS BEING PUMPED UP THROUGH THE CABLE. WHEN IT GETS TO THE END, IT HAS NOWHERE TO GO, SO IT DRIPS ON YOUR LEG.

RAY: TAKE SOME ADVICE FROM SOMEONE WHO HAS ABOUT FIFTY T-SHIRTS COVERED WITH 90 WEIGHT TRANSMISSION OIL: DON'T EVER WEAR THOSE DRIPPED-ON PANTS ON A DATE...ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE GOING DANCING. TRANSMISSION OIL HAS AN UNMISTAKABLE SULFUR ODOR THAT GETS NOTICEABLY STRONGER AFTER YOU'VE WORKED UP A GOOD SWEAT. NO AMOUNT OF BRONKO NAGURSKI TURFBUILDER COLOGNE IS GOING TO COVER UP THAT STUFF.

TOM: AFTER YOU GET RID OF THE PANTS, RANDY, TAKE THE CAR TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP. HAVE THEM REPLACE THE SEAL AT THE TRANSMISSION END OF THE CABLE. IT'S NOT A BIG JOB FOR SOMEONE FAMILIAR WITH TRANSMISSIONS, AND IT OUGHT TO STOP THE DRIPPING.

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© 2006 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.


Auto repairs can be costly! Save money by ordering Tom and Ray's pamphlet: "Ten Ways You May Be Ruining Your Car Without Even Knowing It!" To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.
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