Anyone use teflon tape on their oil drain plug?

[martyi]

I am about to do my first oil change on my 2006 Honda and purchased a Fumoto valve to replace the drain plug and make future oil samples and changes easier.

Since the Fumoto is a permanent replacement for the oil plug, I was concerned that after a long time and many pounding miles, it might get loose. I have used teflon tape many times to make sink, bathroom and other water/hose type connections and was wondering if putting a wrap or two on the Fumoto threads would do any good. I am also concerned about the teflon tape and the high heat in the oil pan. I do not want it to break-down and swirl in my oil.

Has anyone used a teflon tape wrap on their oil plug before? I would not bother with this at all except the Fumoto will be there from now until I get rid of the truck.

 

[Ugly3]

Sounds like an application for Permatex Loctite not teflon tape.

 

[Kestas]

I use it a number of places, but not the oil plug. I use it on the diff plug, and the pipe-threaded plugs like the block drain plugs, oil pressure sender, and threaded coolant connections.

 

[Gary Allan]

Teflon can take the heat of any oil pan ..at least in an engine that is expected to continue running. It's stable @ 400+/-.

Teflon is a sealer ..and not (as others have said) a thread locker. It could surely be used to assure that you'll be able to remove a plug (like Kestas where the plug might be prone to seizure from lack of use) where you don't have a specific compound on hand for such use.

Most oil pan plugs don't use the thread for the seal ..they use the flat of the bolt head in conjunction (usually) with a washer/gasket. Sorta like a jar lid. The thread provides the preload on the sealing surface ..not the sealing surface itself.


That all being said ...go ahead

 

[donpilot]

Teflon is a thread LUBRICANT, not a sealer, and aids in removing a bolt or pipe at a later date.

 

[Ray Garlington]

"Teflon is a thread LUBRICANT, not a sealer"

gosh, after all these years using it to seal pipe threads, I find out it can't do that.

 

[H20024.6L]

martyi; I've used Fumoto's on many vehicles, including 2 Honda's that also needed the Fumoto Adapter (used a crush washers on the Honda's), and never had any come loose. I definately am not into over tightening it, but none of them have moved at all on me. IMO, you will be fine without tape.

 

[racer12306]

i dont think it is that much of an issue, but if it makes you feel better, loctite would be the way to go.

teflon tape and paste are thread sealants. neverseize is a thread lubricant

 

[martyi]

Okay guys, thanks for the good info and tips. I think I'll try the Fumoto without doing anything with the threads. I will watch my garage floor real close for a while and if I notice a leak I'll try something else, or install a new washer.

 

[Tones]

Teflon is used as both a gasket/sealant material, and a bolt coating, among other uses.

Keep the teflon tape for your sink. At my work, teflon tape is not used for lubricant piping because strings of it can get where they are not supposed to. Granted probably not a problem here because it will just stick to the intake screen, but I wouldn't use it.

 

[Ray H]

Teflon tape is both a thread sealant and a thread lube to prevent frozen couplings of corrosion-prone plumbing. (not every issue up for discussion on BITOG comes down to "either/or")

 

[Gary Allan]

(visions of SNL skit)

It's a dessert topping!!

It's a floor cleaner!!


..it's both!!

 

[1sttruck]

There's a bunch of different products, here's one:

Permatex® High Temperature Thread Sealant
Locks and seals threaded fittings. Resists leakage, vibration loosening, moisture, hydraulic fluids and diesel fuels. Lubricates threads for easy assembly and disassembly. Won't shred or wear like Teflon® tape. Parts may be repositioned up to 4 hours after application.

Suggested Applications:
Oil PSI sending units and sensors, oil and coolant lines, fuel fittings.

 

[brianl703]

I believe the teflon tape I used to install the temperature sender in my 1988 Mustang GT caused it to stop working after a couple of years. I think it prevented it getting a good ground (teflon, after all, is an insulator) and it got worse as time went on.

The next sensor I installed, I used some white thread sealant by Permatex that smelled a bit like isopropyl alcohol. I figured that it would get displaced as I screwed the sensor in, allowing for a good ground.

 

[1sttruck]

One of the high temp thread locking compounds looks and smells like plumber's teflon goop for threads. I used the plumber's teflon paste as I had some, it works on hot, high pressure fittings, and it's pretty cheap compared to the little tubes of stuff sold in auto parts stores.