Tranny pan/plug

so my drain plug is officially spinnin and begging a very slow drip. going to need to top the fluid off and start the whole check level procedure again.

i’m beginning to think that 21 lbs/ft
is the wrong torque on these drain plugs, i saw 16 on another thread, yet both how to’s definitely state 21.

regardless, i need to act fast here. i’ve read all about different oversize plugs etc. unless somebody can convince me otherwise i’m thinking swap the pan.
has anybody found a after market transmission pan ANYwhere? all i can find is OEM. rockauto doesn’t even carry.

additionally what is yalls preferred sealant and brand pan gasket while we’re at it?
i believe the nut inside the pan broke loose, my plug washer is oem, torque was spot on, not cross threaded but just flat over torqued at 21 lb/ft

all voices welcome

 

Welcome to the club, 21 ft lbs stripped mine also. With the threads being wet with oil the torque value must be less.

I bought one at a dealer web site. It was about $85 shipped.

I like Fel Pro or Toyota gaskets with no sealants, haven't used any other brand to compare.

I'm betting the drain plug stripped.

 

Did you replace the crush washer on the level plug and drain plug? There are both part #

$7 35178-30010

35178-30010. It is my opinion these crush washers do not reuse well. They are just that - "crush" washers and are very soft.

 

I did the exact same thing. I stripped the plug at 21lb/ft. I got a new pan/plug, crush washer, and oem rubber seal for the pan.

Put everything back together and torqued it just below 21 lb/ft and left it at that. Like 15 lb/ft but I can’t remember. Like it was mentioned before the plug threads have oil on them so they can be torqued a little lower.

You could probably find a cheaper route but I just decided to replace everything and it’s been fine.

Hope you work it out.

 

yeah, i’m a bit anal about it.

thanks for the input. this is one of the reasons i like doing my own work, and yet here we are. no sealant no issues huh? good to hear!

 

yep, seeming like i’m going to be biting the bullet. i’m at the point where i’m going and getting a new 3/8 torque wrench to replace my harbour freight special, just eliminate everything.
thanks again.

also, did any of y’all reuse your old fluid?

 

I thought the trans bolt torque was 15 ft/pds, I always torqued mine to 10-11 ft/pds because they will easily strip

 

yeah i’m reading that more and more in comments of various threads. i unfortunately followed this:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/diy-full-flush-for-automatic-transmission.68462/

annnd snap it went.

 

After reading about people stripping the pan bolt, when I change out just the pan fluid, I put on a new washer and slowly tighten it by hand, I could feel the washer crimp and snug up, and that’s when I stopped with the pressure.I don’t think I could have felt that with my torque wrench. So far no leaks.

 

Hand tight with a wrench is all you ever need on drain plugs,never had a single problem or leak in 40 years.

 

This. I have never used a torque wrench on a drain plug, ever.

 

Exactly.

 

I'm not sure but maybe the threads on the pan can be retapped at the same pitch. That sucks because I know those trans plugs are very susceptible to stripping i only go to 10 ft/pds. Cause I'm scared shirtless to strip them

 

I got new fluid just to be through since I had replaced everything else. But I don’t see why you couldn’t reuse the old fluid if you wanted to save some cash.

 

I purchase a 1/4 drive harbor freight torque wrench and it never felt quit right. After using it a while I took it to work and had our calibration department check it. It was read 21 in lbs high at the low end and about 40 in lbs high at the high end. High enough I was lucky I never broke any bolts. Being it didn't feel right I was always setting it on the low side. Anyway, I took it apart, put it back together, had it checked again and it's now with-in a few in. lbs. Harbor Freights certificate of calibration is meaningless, not worth the paper it's printed on.

 

I use the old beam style Craftsman torque wrench

 

I am shocked!

 

21 ft lb was too much for mine too. For me the plug was what stripped and the pan was fine. Unfortunately I only noticed this after ordering a new pan and plug. I had just dropped the pan and replaced the gasket, so I only replaced the plug and all was good. Never have gone to 21 again.

Unless you need to drop your pan, I suggest looking at the plug to see if that is what stripped before dropping the pan.

 

I would hope it’s just the plug, yet when trying to tighten it just keeps spinning, never goes hand tight. I’ll feel some resistance and then it it breaks loose and keeps going. I suppose the threads on the plug could be flattened in one place and therefore don’t bite causing it to misalign again.
I would hope that all pans are made to be harder metal than he plug. Seems logical to strip the plug before the pan. But I don’t know.

I topped my fluid with a leftover bottle, did the level check procedure until I can get the extra money together to do the whole thing properly. After this I have a hard time trusting any precarious procedure like the level check or torque. Hell with using a torque wrench again

 

Same here. Some people overthink this shit. Probably people out there that torque their license plate to specs as well.