Hi all, I am working to get the 77 up and running after it sat for a few years. I'll apologize right now for the lengthy description prior to the questions.

The car has been parked facing uphill for 2 yrs, needing a water pump. After I got it going I moved it to level ground, oil level ok, ATF level at lower mark after car idled for 20 min. Topped up coolant.
I've driven a couple of short trips local, and one 80 mile round trip to work. All was fine.
Went to Napa today to get wipers, parked car on sloped lot facing down hill, turned of key and engine kept running (yeah, i know what that is all about) so I took the key with me and when I came out about 15 minutes later, there was a rather large wet spot under car....hmm I think and I drive away. (After putting key back in and turning to run position)
About 2 miles later, the transmission won't shift right, car bogs down, and i pull into a parking lot, leave car running and check ATF level. Nothing shows on dipstick.
I add a quart of ATF, shut off car with shut off valve lever, restart, and back to NAPA, with transmission acting normal.
Repeat turning off key, engine running, swipe fingers thru wet spot, yup, ATF...
Get a couple of quarts of ATF, start home again, get a bit farther, transmission starts bigging down again. Another parking lot, check ATF level, it's fine. Turn off engine with stop lever. Rotate all the fuses in fuse box, start car, drive home no issues with transmission.
Any ideas?
Where can transmission leak parked facing down hill?
Turning off with engine not shutting dow, removing key, leave running, and then drive off wuth key back in run position, vs proper shut down and restart, could this have effect on transmission function?

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95 E300D gave away
77 300D, 227k, station car
83 300CD 370k, body gone away to the rust gods, engine is in a Yota pickup, going strong
89 190E 2.6- 335k, no more
79 VW FI Bus- 154k summer driver
59 VW Beetle ragtop- 175k
12 VW Jetta- 250k
74 MG Midget-78k

Where is the transmission leak? Going to have to clean it and watch. If it leaks more when driving vs sitting it's probably the front pump seal or a cooler line. If it leaks more sitting than running it's probably a pan gasket or dipstick tube seal.

I wouldn't think the shutoff procedure was related in anyway.

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