Hey guys. If you look at the bottom of the tranny, parallel to the ground, there is a black plate. Its right below the fill bolt. Anyone know what its for? It it some kind of service/inspecton point?

 

Clutch inspection/service port. You use it to release the throw-out bearing from the clutch retaining ring.

You should keep the rubber grommet there.

 

If you're talking about the plate held in with 4 bolts, it's the plate to take out the reverse gear so you can remove the tranny housing.

I do not recommend removing it.

 

no. it has about 8 10 mm bolts holding it up. i looked in the service manual and couldn't find out what it is for. all i found was a pic of it in the dissassembly diagram for the transaxle. it doesn't show any rubber grommet or gasket there.

my problem is, its leaking from all around the edge where the plate contacts the transmission. i've never touched it nor has anyone else ever touched my transmission. i found one other thread about a similiar issue on here and thats it. it never says if the guy fixed it. only one person replied to drain the fluid, remove the plate, clean the area throughly, use high temp rtv silicon (same as you would use on an oil pan) to make a new gasket, let it sit for an hour to cure, then refill the transmission. does that sound accurate or ring a bell for anyone? its just a kick in the stomach that i just changed the fluid 800 miles ago and now it leaks.

edit:
its the black plate in the first pic here
Transmission Fluid Change Pic

the part name is the "under cover". it can be see as #18 on page 7 of the manual here: http://www.4g63t.net/2005_FSM/GR00002200-22B.pdf

apparently its to access the reverse idler gear.