I have a 1996 civic ex with an automatic transmission. The tranny was bad so i just put another one in. I had put 3 quarts of transmission fluid it in and i went to drive it around the block and i noticed a small trail of transmission fluid. After inspecting it seemed it had leaked out on the top where the bolt holding the tubing going to the radiator is. I tightened it up and ive driven around the neighborhood and when up to 60mph on a straight away leaving the neighborhood. Now i never put any more fluid to replace the amount that leaked. I went to take it down to the auto parts store cause because i want to get the codes for the check engine light. I had put a quart of fluid in before i went and it seemed as if it was dead on the dipstick unless i got a bad reading. I pulled out the neighborhood got up to 40 mph and it starting losing power, pulled into a parking lot, it was shaking, shut if off, started it up a min later and it would lose power within a min. Checked the level again and i use a piece of clear poly tube instead of the dipstick , put my thumb over the hole (like a straw) to match it up with the dipstick so i could get a true reading and not get fluid on the dip stick accidently off the side wall. well it was way low, but walked back to the house there was a massive fluid trail where i had pulled out the neighborhood. I notice the breather cap is missing off the top also, but from what i understand that just keeps contaniments out of the transmission. Is this something normal if by chance i had put a lil too much fluid for it to expel it? is there something i need to do specifically with the bolts etc where the lines running from the raditor connect to the transmission? There was really no kind of gasket there, just a metal washer, is there a top and bottom to that? It seemed to be ok and not push any fluid out before i added a quart but it also seemed like it was low (dipstick wise). I just went and got a bunch more tranny fluid, the car is down the street. I figure i would post on here before i go up there in hopes that maybe someone could give me insight on what im missing here. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated

 

r u sure its leaking from there because i had a broken shift solenoid base plate was cracked on half and it was doin the same thing this part should be on the passengers side behind the wheel closer the the front of the car

 

actually my car was stuck down the street, i went and got more fluid made it half way back to the house and it lost power. let it sit came back and was able to make it home, something is making the fluid not pump or is blocking the flow. i noticed that everywhere i turned in the neighborhood i had left a fluid trail on the turn, perhaps i have a bad seal at the drive axle????? would that cause me to lose power?

 

Running out of fluid for whatever reason would cause the transmission to slip (partly disengage due to lack of pressure) and "lose power". You need to get under the car and find where it is leaking.