Yes, that does sound like the OD relay... but I highly suggest you get the seals fixed as well. Low fluid could damage stuff pretty well.... two different kinds of seals tho? AFAIK there's only one type of seal you'd wnat for the automatic transmission. Sure it'll be different from a manual transmission, and possibly different from the earlier (3 speed) autoboxes..

About the relay. How did you check the relay? Seems to me like the cracks might not be visible to yer naked eye. Use a magnifying glass or scope or something to make sure. Your symptoms seem suspiciously like something that is electrical in origin. Make sure the wiring to the solenoid is okay, I suppose you could use a multimeter to check for a short circuit. If the wiring is okay at the solenoid, go pull an appropriate relay from a self service yard. They're usually pretty cheap. I don't know where the solenoid is on the transmission (I've got a manual), but if it's anywhere near the rear seal and the wiring is coated in ATF.. that might cause problems.

If the wiring is okay, and you're absolutely sure the relay isn't the problem, you might want to pull off the solenoid and check it (I believe you can easily check this visually).

- alex

'85 244 Turbo | ~144.7k miles | M46