Drain plug kit woes

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wander2039

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Went against my better judgement and bought this:

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail...8&ppt=C0142

This is on a 4L80E I think 7.5-8 quarts pan capacity. The inner bolt is leaking, the outer piece seems fine with the nylon washers. The inner bolt only came with a flimsy rubber o-ring. Couldn't get it stop leaking with the o-ring so I tore it out and cinched the bolt down. You can still see the ATF coming around the bolt, hasn't dripped in 2 hours though. Going to check it in the morning but I see a drop I'll be at a cross roads.

Is there anything viable to stop the leak without draining the 8 quarts? RTV? Not even sure I can find a nylon or copper washer. Draining those 8 quarts won't be fun!
 
Originally Posted By: Eric Smith


Is there anything viable to stop the leak without draining the 8 quarts?


No. Drain into a clean catch pan. Not hard. Remove pan. Use RTV or permatex sealer and allow to cure. Some guys use JB Weld but I am not sure how it holds up to oil.
 
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My avalanche's factory pan has the unremovable seized bolt. Rather than add a drain bolt kit, I bought a new dorman pan with a bolt included. This pan looks better than the stock pan as the drain is funneled lower that the rest of the pan. The stock pan was a raised bolt area. Pan was around $50 for a 4l60e.
 
I don't see removing the pan would help any, maybe if the outer bolt was leaking. JB Weld would work but that would defeat the purpose of the bolt. I see the bolt you're referring to. Unfortunately it's less that $50 from rockauto and $66 from OReilly's! Going on a trip next Monday so won't have enough time.
 
Originally Posted By: Chris142
How about a couple wraps of teflon tape?


thats what I do with mine.
 
McMaster-Carr has just about anything mechanical, including washers made of teflon. If you order it before close of business today, there is about a 90 percent chance it will arrive at you door before the close of business the next day. And they have a special deal with UPS because they are UPSs largest customer. Shipping via UPS from McMaster-Carr usually only cost 5 or 6 bucks and they pass that savings on to the customer.
 
Originally Posted By: Highline9

Originally Posted By: Chris142
How about a couple wraps of teflon tape?


thats what I do with mine.


x3!

I installed one of the B&M type kits in my 1997 Taurus, and after tens-of-thousands of miles, never had one drip. However, the B&M is a pipe-thread type inner hole, and not a bolt with washer as the type you have. See here for what I used:
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail...6&ppt=C0377
Open up the larger view and you can see the difference.
Note: -These can be had cheaper at Summit and Jegs, but those are not corner walk-in stores for convenience.


I honestly don't know why the style that you have would not work as well; the rubber o-ring should seal the lube between the face of the outer bolt and the head of the inner bolt, but apparently it's not working in your case. The larger teflon washer should seal against the pan; the little o-ring should seal between bolt faces. Have you cranked down on the o-ring so hard that it's split when compressed? This may not be readily apparent when "relieved" and in your hand, but appears only when installed with too much force.

Consider the pipe-thread type if you have no success with repairing yours.




P.S. - this is really a maint topic so I'm moving it ...
 
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Why not just slip a quality O ring over the bolt, cut the old one off. I doubt you'd loose more than a few drops.
 
Originally Posted By: Eric Smith
I don't see removing the pan would help any, maybe if the outer bolt was leaking. JB Weld would work but that would defeat the purpose of the bolt. I see the bolt you're referring to. Unfortunately it's less that $50 from rockauto and $66 from OReilly's! Going on a trip next Monday so won't have enough time.


Sorry, thought it was the outer bolt. Just drain the ATF out and use white loctite on the inner threads and let cure for 2 hours. Then pour ATF back in.
 
Teflon tape excellent suggestion.. if it works. Put it on what I could this morning will check after work. I should of waited and got a B&M probably wouldn't of had a problem. If I used another o-ring I'd be afraid that after stretched wouldn't be much good, could be wrong. Knock on the wood the outer bolts and factory gasket isn't leaking. Never seen white loctite interesting.
 
Originally Posted By: Eric Smith
Teflon tape excellent suggestion.. if it works. Put it on what I could this morning will check after work. I should of waited and got a B&M probably wouldn't of had a problem. If I used another o-ring I'd be afraid that after stretched wouldn't be much good, could be wrong. Knock on the wood the outer bolts and factory gasket isn't leaking. Never seen white loctite interesting.


White loctite is liquid teflon. Easy to use but works best when you can let it cure a couple of hours.

http://www.all-spec.com/products/56707.html
 
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Siphoning would be a chore when the dipstick is 5 feet long. Now a couple feet like the Focus wouldn't be bad. Drain's plug are just faster, easier and cheaper.. if they don't leak.
 
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
To anyone else thinking about installing a transmission drain bolt, my advice is to use a siphon instead.


Or buy an aftermarket pan with one already there.
 
The tape seemed to have work. Not a drop around the plug after 8 hours. Wonder how it'll hold up to the heat though. Not sure on a permanent repair it'll probably be 4 years before I do another changeout.
 
Originally Posted By: Eric Smith
Siphoning would be a chore when the dipstick is 5 feet long. Now a couple feet like the Focus wouldn't be bad. Drain's plug are just faster, easier and cheaper.. if they don't leak.

If you have a good fluid extractor likes Mityvac 7201 then doesn't matter how long the dipstick.
 
You have the nylon washer on the outside of the pan under the head of the outer "bolt" right?

Teflon tape will only help if it is a tapered thread.
 
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Originally Posted By: spasm3
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
To anyone else thinking about installing a transmission drain bolt, my advice is to use a siphon instead.


Or buy an aftermarket pan with one already there.


Yeah, but an aftermarket pan by Dorman is something that I would have to be pretty desparate to buy.
 
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