Transmission Pan Constant Leak

The fipg is good stuff as long as it’s cured. Sounds like maybe the pan is bent slightly. Even so if you really put the fipg on there don’t over torque the pan and let it cure 12-16hrs it should be sealed in my opinion.

 

The tube I have says 15-16hrs to be rubber like.

 

Yeah That’s why I went with the FIPG, and that’s what I remember about 16hours on the box when I got it and looked at it. Pretty certain the shop did the work the morning/afternoon I dropped it off and then it sat over night and they called me that it’s all good a little after noon the next day.

I’m calling the shop to tell the owner it’s leaking still and I’m positive his only suggestion will be trying again with a new pan and more FIPG.

Just got home today after wiping everything good earlier this morning and it’s absolutely leaking still. With a swipe of the finger at the seems theres a good fat line of tranny fluid on my finger.

 

My next question was gonna be are you certain it’s tranny fluid, my pan was staying greasy wet like from oil running from the valve covers down the front of the trans housing then blowing back across the pan. Of course oil is brown and trans is red with a noticeable smell. After I got that oil leak sealed my pan stays pretty clean. I don’t know that it’s ever been dropped, bought it with 205k and I’ve done 2 drain refills myself. Still shifts like butter so ill prob just do drain refills every year or so without dropping the pan.

 

I a few months back had the valve covers done due to a leak dripping down to the bottom of the transmission housing. Thought it was a rear main seal but did those first. Dealer replaced gaskets and I made sure they re sealed all the half moons, spark plug gaskets and replaced the cam plugs and intake manifold gaskets. They even cleaned up the valve covers that had grease on them and no oil leak at all now. The oil below is a red ish brown, since I’m still trying to cycle new fluid in every time I do the oil to get it better without shocking it with a full flush since I’ve been doing some catch up maitnence from the previous owner.
100% certain leak is strait from tranny pan.
I’ve got the motor looking pretty mint as far as grease or any oil anywhere.


My tranny shifts like butter, no jerking or slipping. I’m trying/praying to get it to reach 300k so I’m really wanting this stupid leak to be done with as I have a almost $2k service coming up for a COMPLETE timing belt change with everything that should be done along with changing all 9 coolant hoses. This will be done at the dealer though from now on.

 

Wow now that’s a nice engine bay. Yea I did the vc gaskets, cam plugs, half moons spark plug tube gaskets and cleaned everything. Did intake gaskets too. I have the two o rings to do the oil cooler too, it has a slight seepage. Did you say you were getting a new pan? It has to be something outta wack for it to leak like that.

 

Thanks, put a lot of work into it cleaning it up and fixing little ends here and there.
Shop apparently is closed Black Friday, I think this weekend too. Monday I will talk to the owner and see what he recommends. I assume he will suggest a new pan. If so I will go from there. If I can get it fixed somehow I will update here Incase others happen to have same issue I have.

 

*Update*
Just got truck back finally with new pan and was re-sealed with Permatex black RTV from what the shop told me. Charged me $230 For pan and fluid.
This price is on top of the previous $70 charge for trying to re seal old pan and straitening it. Not to mention me supplying around another $70 of oil, washer, and Toyota FIPG that I personally baught for them to use.

Got home a few hours ago and checked the pan out. Look a little wet along the edges and so I took a white paper towel to the seams and sure enough...
It’s red transmission fluid ever so slightly seeping again! This time also from drain bolt. “I’m guessing because they probably didn’t replace with a new crush washer” which is aggravating.

Tomarrow I have a highway drive to work. If it's leaking enough to where I’m getting little specs of tranny fluid on the rear of the bed I am at a loss of what to do other than go to Toyota Dealer and most likely spend another $400 for a job that should be a couple hundred all said and done.

I’m not even sure Toyota will be able to get it to seal correctly with no leaks...
But I also feel this shop is just not prepping the surface well enough by cleaning before liftinf pan back up.
Such stupid little things becoming very frustrating and expensive

 

I personally would use Threebond 1211 in conjunction with OEM Gasket.

 

Replace the pan. Its light trying to restraighten an aluminum can that has been crushed in. It doesn't work very well.

 

Your experience is the exact reason why I do all my own wrenching now. There are good shops and mechanics but there's lots of bad ones as well. You can't 100% rely on the dealerships either because they screw up on a fairly high frequency too. Drop the pan, clean it up really good, reseal it with some Toyota Red FIPG, and torque the bolts to spec. And, use a fresh crush washer on the drain plug. I really hope you don't go to the dealer and pay for this job again. Hell, if you lived near me, I'd help you out for lunch and a couple beers. Good luck!

 

Temp on that is not rated very high, I don’t know...

Pan was just replaced

I do most mine as well but time lately and space is just not at my disposal currently.
At this point between last years service and now, I’m probably sitting close to $1k with this still being an issue and constantly buying fluid...
I after all this money don’t want to lay under the truck at my apartment area parking lot and attempt myself for the 5th time opening it up, leaving it open to fully drain and then clean the piss out of it and then resealing.
I don’t know what I’m gonna do now. Just aggravated. I’ve worked on my car and motorcycle in the past with much bigger jobs but have never had such an annoying issue before...
Please excuse my venting here

 

-60 C (-140F)
250 C (482F).. Aluminum turns to shit @ 260f (126C).. so I guess? what temp range is suitable then?

it offers an effective temperature range of -60°C up to +250°C and provides an outstanding mechanical resistance against vibration. Recommended for all automotive, motorcycle, watercraft, snowmobile and ATV engine applications thanks to its resisitivity to engine oil.

 

Toyota’s FIPG, and Permatex RTV says the same stuff. I don’t think it’s the gasket sealer that has been used but the prep work from the shop that I want to GUESS is the issue.

 

Another update....

Truck was taken to Toyota now. Informed them of my issue.
Tech who worked on my truck has 20+ years experience so I’m told and has the same tech ID number when I was there for my rear axle seals and the job was done VERY well months back.

Pan was re-sealed by this guy and he decided to use the old pan I brought in too as the new one that the previous shop tried resealing again with Permatex was VERY gunked up and hard to get off. Also FIPG was used again as I can see it’s red again.

Just got truck back and so far all the seems are bone dry and looks like it’s finally sealed up. $500+ later totaling almost a grand all said an done due to other shop. Sucks, but glad it’s finally done right.
I don’t know if I should demand my $170 refund for the new pan the other shop had me buy as it’s now sitting in my garage caked with RTV due to them poorly not being able to seal it right...

 

If you paid for the unsatisfactory repairs to the "other" shop with a credit card you can dispute the charges with the credit card company... not too difficult to do, just time consuming.

 

I’ll contact first and request. Obviously it was how their tech was doing it. So I don’t see why not, unless he just wants to be shitty about it, if so I may go that route the. even though I don’t want to. It cost me a LOT of money for their inexperience unfortunately.

 

Glad to hear its fixed, major bummer at the money your out of though.... thats the main reason i do every job within my mechanical know how myself.. I can't stand ppl using my money to do half a** jobs and or just don't have the skill to do it properly.

 

Lesson learned. If you have the time, space, tools and patience to handle you're own automotive work, do it. You know who's going to do the best job working on your rig? It's you because you're not in a hurry. You'll take your time and make sure it's done right. There are good shops and good mechanics but there's lots of bad ones as well. Paying mechanics flat rate has got to be the worst thing they every came up with for the customers. Mechanics are rewarded if they work fast and get the job done under what the book says it will take. I don't know about you guys, but I tend to make mistakes when I'm working quick.

 

Another update...
So about 1 month in, took a look underneath just because
And noticed light sweating/ever so slightly seeping again from the rear of the pan.
All I can do now is laugh in amazing bafflement.
4 times, and all this money later, I think I’m just gonna leave it until it eventually drips BAD
Officially giving up on this stupid thing