Transmission fluid dripping out of bottom center of radiator, how do i remove the radiator. 1999 chevy venture

Chevrolet recommends that the transmission fluid be changed every 50,000 miles, but Chevy intended the transmission to be serviced only by authorized repair shops. For this reason, the HHR does not feature a transmission fluid dipstick. However, the HHR's transmission fluid can still be checked without exotic tools.

It is important to check the fluid level only after the fluid has circulated throughout the transmission by shifting through the gears. Failing to allow the fluid to circulate will result in a false fluid level reading. Turn the engine on and shift through each of the transmission's gears with the brake pedal depressed and the parking brake applied. The car should be allowed to idle in each gear position for approximately five seconds. Turn the engine off, then climb underneath the passenger's side of the vehicle. A small plug is located on the passenger's side of the transmission. Remove this plug with a wrench. Turn the engine on and observe whether any fluid drips out of the transmission plug's opening. If fluid does begin to drip from the plug opening, the transmission does not require additional fluid. Turn the engine off and install the transmission plug.

If fluid did not begin to drip out of the transmission's plug, transmission fluid must be added. Turn the engine off, then remove the black breather cap from the top of the transmission. The circular breather cap twists into the transmission. Twist the cap in a counterclockwise direction until it detaches from the transmission. Because of the lack of clearance between the breather cap's opening and the bottom of the vehicle, transmission fluid cannot be poured into the breather cap opening. Attach a fluid pump to a quart-sized container of new transmission fluid. Insert the pump's hose into the transmission through the breather cap's opening. Turn the engine on, then actuate the pump until fluid just begins to drip out of the plug's opening on the side of the transmission. Screw the breather cap onto the top of the transmission, then install the plug with a wrench.

Yea! A Metro owner. Welcome. Well, you have such a big, burly wrap-around engine in there, it's gonna be hard to see the...lol, just kidding.
So, it's an automatic, I presume? There aren't that many places for them to leak, fortunately. The obvious places are the pan gasket for the bottom pan on the transmission/transaxle case, the two cooling lines coming out of the case and going to front of car to a fluid cooler either mounted in front of the radiator or in the radiator assembly itself, and the two drive axe seals. There is a hidden seal on the front mainshaft, but if it is leaking, fluid would come out on the lower plate between the transaxle and the rear of engine. The plate may be or have an inspection cover to remove, but the fluid would be dripping out the very bottom there and fluid would be present inside the inspection cover.
That should cover the main leak prone areas. Sometimes a dipstick tube's O-ring may fail and oil seeps out around the tube.
Good luck with the metro. Once you find the leak, it should be pretty apparent how to fix it. Installing driveaxle seals would be hardest, or most involved.

The 1998 Chevy Malibu does not have a transmission dipstick. Instead there is a check plug located on the transaxle, near the pan, adjacent to the engine oil drain plug.

Note: the vehicle must be kept level when checking the transmission fluid level.

Place an oil container under the check plug and remove it. Observe the fluid as it drips into the pan, indicating correct fluid level. The fluid level should be at the bottom of the check hole. Double check to make sure the car is level. If no fluid drips from the check hole, some fluid should be added via the red cap. But add only a little at a time until the fluid is at the bottom of the check hole.

YOU NEED TO DRAIN THE COOLANT SYSTEM. REMOVE THE AIR CLEANER ASSEMBLY.YOU NEED TO UNBOLT SWING AWAY THE ENGINE TORQUE STRUT MOUNTS FROM THE UPPER RADIATOR SUPPORT.LOOSEN THE THE THROUGH BOLTS IN THE STRUT MOUNTS FIRST TO AVOID DAMAGE TO THE RUBBER BUSHING.YOU NEED TO REMOVE COOLANT FANS AND REMOVE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR FROM THE LOW COOLANT SENSOR IN THE RIGHT RADIATOR TANK.DISCONECT THE COOLER LINES FROM THE RADIATOR CAP ENDS LINES PREVENT FLUID LOST.USE DRIP PAN TO CATCH FLUID.BESURE TO TAG OR NUMBER TRANSMISSION COOLER LINES SO THEY CAN BE INSTALL IN THE ORINAL POSITION.REMOVE THE COOLANT OVERFLOW JUG HOSE FROM RADIATOR AND REMOVE THE UPPER AND LOWER RADIATOR HOSES THEN PUT EVERY THING BACK VISA VERSA.BESURE REPLACE ALL HOSES, TOP HOSE AND BOTTOM RADIATOR HOSE REPLACE THERMOSTAT AND RADIATOR PRESSURE CAP.IF YOU BEEN HAVING OVER HEATING PROBLEMS REPLACE THERMOSTAT ALSO.

You will need to clean the entire area that has trans fluid upon it then run the engine fow a few minutes to determine where it is leaking from

you have 4 water lines, they are 2 radiator hoses (top and bottom) the bottom one runs from the lower part of the radiator to the water pump, the top radiator hose runs from the upper part of the radiator to the thermostat housing

2 heater hoses, they go from the water pump to the firewall.

if you know which one has a hole then you should take the van to a parts store (if you can safely drive it that far) and show them, they can get the right one for you... and sometimes you can talk someone into putting it on for you.

as for the fluctuating gauges you probably need new sending units for the temp gauge and fuel gauge

fill your radiator (with water if the weather isnt cold so you save money) and start your car. Pay attention to where the fluid drips out at this will help you pinpoint the location of the leak.

I would not worry about antifreeze in the transmission. The pressure in the tranny cooler will not let any coolant get in. If it was leaking you would have tranny fluid in the radiator. You may have some freeze plugs that have pushed out or a cracked block or some coolant passage above the transmission. Get it pressure checked

change the thermostat. the transmission cooler is part of the radiator itself,and if there is an internal leak in the radiator,it is possible you have dexcool in your transmission fluid.the transmission will show issues if that is the case.heve the transmission fluid looked at,check the coolant and change the thermostat and have the cooling system pressure tested especially if you have been losing coolant.

You have what is called a closed cased transmission. You have to crawl underneathe to get to the tranny and remove the upper bolt close to the side of the case (more towards the bottom of the transmission). When you fill it, you fill it till it starts to drip out of that hole.

Looking for a picture for you.