Transmission pan glued on with rtv

[atikovi]

Like Clinebarger said RTV is a cost cutting measure nothing more. Think about how the manufacturer applies the RTV, the unit is brand new and totally dry, the unit is upside down and a machine applies the RTV in a few seconds. It is easy and cheap, once the unit has fluid in it RTV is pretty much useless.
To the folks who refer to Blue Goo, Hylomar is not intended to replace a transmission pan gasket, it is fine for places that can use an anaerobic sealer and flanges and as a non hardening gasket sealer.

I always read that the more surfaces a part has, the more points of leakage there are. When using a physical gasket, it has two sides, both of which could be leak points. When using a form-in-place gasket, the RTV basically bonds the pan to the transmission so in effect it has zero sides and no leak points. Yes of course that assumes proper application. Yes you may want to let it drain overnight if fluid is leaking on the sealing surface. Yes in a shop where time is limited a gasket might be a better choice.

 

[clinebarger]

For anyone needing to cut the RTV seal on a flanged pan....I use a Pan Seal Cutter HERE

 

[D60]

For anyone needing to cut the RTV seal on a flanged pan....I use a Pan Seal Cutter HERE

"A close assistant in car repair".....

Hmm, is this legal??

 

[nthach]

"A close assistant in car repair".....

Hmm, is this legal??

It looks strikingly close to a SST Toyota calls for to break the RTV bond for their oil pans.

 

[Trav]

I always read that the more surfaces a part has, the more points of leakage there are. When using a physical gasket, it has two sides, both of which could be leak points. When using a form-in-place gasket, the RTV basically bonds the pan to the transmission so in effect it has zero sides and no leak points. Yes of course that assumes proper application. Yes you may want to let it drain overnight if fluid is leaking on the sealing surface. Yes in a shop where time is limited a gasket might be a better choice.

I dont know about you but I wont leave a transmission open any longer than I must to do whatever I am doing.

 

[clinebarger]

It looks strikingly close to a SST Toyota calls for to break the RTV bond for their oil pans.

Mine is a Toyota SST tool which was @ $100 several years ago. In fact I used it today on an A960E in a 2006 Lexus GS300 that some hack used Ultra Grey RTV on....What a MESS.

The funny part is....The pan wasn't leaking per the customer complaint that they had resealed several times. It was the Electrical Harness Passthrough O-ring.

I take either a Putty Knife or a Handled Gasket Scraper depending the room available, Hammer it in at a corner of the pan as corners are a lot easier to straighten back out if needed.
You can now use a pry bar to push the Seal Cutter between the case & pan, Use a Brass Hammer to hammer it across the length of the pan rail.
Usually one side of the pan is enough to start breaking the seal loose.

This particular car is a perfect example why you don't use RTV where it's not called for as it turned into 45 extra minutes of work over a misdiagnosis!!!

 

[HankHill]

And that's your call, But I absolutely despise RTV being used on Transmission Pans, Sure I'll do it on Chrysler Units that call for it....But never on something that calls for a gasket.

I build transmissions professionally....The failure rate of OE pan gaskets is minuscule.

I have never seen a car come from the factory with RTV only for the trans gasket. I am not a mechanic. I have only been under around 100 cars. So, how do the reusable gaskets work so well sometimes 4-6 times without issue?

 

[HankHill]

Sure, they rarely fail, they just start seeping after a few years which sometimes progresses to a slow leak. The few times I do use a gasket, I make sure to use an appropriate dressing to prevent that.

I used the original, re-useable transmission pan gasket on my Taurus up to 284k when I sold it. I dropped the pan about 7-8 times over my time with it. If you clean both mounting surfaces with brake cleaner and dry both surfaces well, and clean the old gasket with a solvent (yes I did it several times, it did not hurt the gasket) it will last forever. If it breaks of fails in anyway, yeah, I would just buy a new one from Ford for say, $40?

 

[CDX825]

Just serviced the transmission on my newly acquired 2011 Ford transit connect. Pan came sealed from the factory with RTV. I installed a new pan with a drain plug and used a gasket to seal it just because I had the gasket and didn't have time to wait for RTV to set up.

I have no problem using RTV to seal a pan if its done right. The 6.9 diesels in both my 84 and 86 and the engine in my B2600 all came from the factory with RTV sealing the oil pans. My brother works at Ford and by the sounds of it they use RTV to seal various parts of the engines during assembly.

 

[Jetronic]

For anyone needing to cut the RTV seal on a flanged pan....I use a Pan Seal Cutter HERE

That's what I've always used on Hyundai oil pans... which use RTV

 

[nthach]

I have never seen a car come from the factory with RTV only for the trans gasket. I am not a mechanic. I have only been under around 100 cars. So, how do the reusable gaskets work so well sometimes 4-6 times without issue?

Toyota used RTV on the A340/341 for the Lexus LS400/SC400, as well as the Supra. The aftermarket kits have a gasket that fits those.

 

[HankHill]

Toyota used RTV on the A340/341 for the Lexus LS400/SC400, as well as the Supra. The aftermarket kits have a gasket that fits those.


View attachment 82644

Yup, now I've seen it. Never worked on any of those.

 

[D60]

Mine is a Toyota SST tool which was @ $100 several years ago. In fact I used it today on an A960E in a 2006 Lexus GS300 that some hack used Ultra Grey RTV on....What a MESS.

The funny part is....The pan wasn't leaking per the customer complaint that they had resealed several times. It was the Electrical Harness Passthrough O-ring.
{snip}

I'm just curious - was your complaint with the hack, or the Ultra Gray, or both? I only ask because Ultra Gray should stand up to ATF, no?

Not arguing or challenging, just trying to learn.

 

[supton]

Toyota used RTV on the A340/341 for the Lexus LS400/SC400, as well as the Supra. The aftermarket kits have a gasket that fits those.


View attachment 82644

I like how, at the top, under "Installation is in the reverse order of removal", the installation "hint" that one should put in ATF and check the level. Seems like something that is a bit important to do, bit surprising that it's just a "hint". But they use that word elsewhere, instead of "thou shalt" or similar.

 

[MattPersman]

They DO make an RFE gasket. Mopar does it came out in 2019 it’s nice I use them on all my repairs or reseals now

Part # 68425659AA

 

[clinebarger]

I'm just curious - was your complaint with the hack, or the Ultra Gray, or both? I only ask because Ultra Gray should stand up to ATF, no?

Not arguing or challenging, just trying to learn.

They used way to much RTV, They also brushed the bead against a some of components in the trans which of coarse didn't stick & ended up in the filter.

Ultra Grey stands up very well to Oil, Gear Oil, & ATF.

 

[The motor guy]

For anyone needing to cut the RTV seal on a flanged pan....I use a Pan Seal Cutter HERE

That looks good. I think you have to be mindful of how far you pound it in though. I believe on my transmission the valve body hangs down a bit.

 

[clinebarger]

Most RWD transmission valve bodies sit below the pan rail, I've used my Toyota Cutter on many Chrysler RFE units without issue.