Need advice on sealing transmission pan

After trying two different brands of cork gaskets that leaked, I'm using this RTV sealant for my transmission pan.

$12 Permatex 25228 The Right Stuff 90 Minute Black Gasket Maker, 3 oz, 1 Count (Pack of 1)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07R4C3KJB?ie=UTF8

I actually had tried this sealant before, and it leaked. I attributed that to making some sloppy mistakes. So this was my 4th attempt.

I thought I did a good job with it. I sanded both surfaces with like 800 and 2000 grit sandpaper, wiped and brake cleaned it dry. I applied a 1/8" to 3/16" bead of sealant, both ways around all bolt holes, and lifted it into place carefully with minimal smearing, hand tightened bolts, torqued after 90 mins, and the next morning I filled it. It leaks on the rear edge and slightly on the sides. I tightened the bolts a little more, no help.

The pan surface looked flat, but I can check again more carefully. On a previous attempt I cleaned the bolt holes and bolts somewhat, but not this time. I can try cleaning them all with a tap and die. I can do a thicker 1/4" bead of sealant. Or a different model of Permatex (they have like 12 models) with a different curing time. I know some people say use Toyota FIPG, but is that ancient formula really better than one of Permatex's newer ones?

It's possible some transmission fluid dripped on it while I lifted it into place, so I'll wait longer for the valve body to drip less (it never really stops) and spray with brake clean to try to get a period of time where I can lift the pan into place without the sealant getting dripped on. However there's likely going to be a drip onto the sealant. Any way to clean it off if that happens?

Any other tricks?

The pan is discontinued. 3510635060

 

Does it always leak in the same spot (after all 3 failed attempts)? To me that would indicate a problem with the pan, or transmission case, and it would be unlikely changing sealant types would do the trick.

That being said, Toyota's Red FIPG is what I would go with for an RTV product.

 

I don't remember. I think it was leaking in various spots. I'm stuck with this pan anyway and need to make it work.

 

Sounds like that pan bolt holes have a ridge so the rest of the pan isn't sealing against the transmission case.
You can get this, will help bolt the pan up square and flat.
https://www.atfspeed.com/billet-pan-stiffener.html

I use it on my A340 that I just rebuilt, with a cork gasket. Easier to maintain with the cork in there.

 

I'll give it a try! Did you use the farpak fiber gasket they include? How did you torque it?

The ATP cork gasket came out in pieces when I removed it after a few months. Maybe the 65 inlb torque cut it up?
The Fel-Pro (fiber?) gasket was a little thinner and I went easier on it, but it leaked badly even when I tried tightening the bolts.
A previous mechanic put in an unknown gasket from the parts store, maybe a Fel-Pro or Mahle, which only leaked a little and was on for years.

 

The Toyota stuff is good.
But Permatex Automatic RTV is fine too.

I personally like to let the RTV cure over night before I add fluid.

 

Farpak is a nice quality gasket, torque right to spec after chasing all the bolt holes and new hardware has flanged bolts which are nice and wider than factory.

 

On my oil pan….cork gasket used….

Had to do job twice bc of the prying I did on a corner to get OP off

I placed pan on flat surface and saw the gaps/lip bent up

Thankfully, 2nd night of wrenching proved to be successful….no leaks
GL

 

I may have done the same thing. I'll see about laying it on a flat surface and test for gaps with a feeler gauge.

 

I was so pissed when I discovered ^^^

 

Anyone know if the currently produced pan 3510634020 or 3510635100 is compatible? It says it's only for 1999 and later. Toyota's database was wrong on this type of thing already, specifically a newer throttle cable (transmission pressure cable) fit perfectly. Some of the pan diagrams look identical, dipstick on the right side as needed, 19 bolt holes. But the diagrams and pics don't look consistent for the same part number, some pans looking deeper or the dipstick on the wrong side.

 

I'm having the same issue, although mine is leaking only at the rear half, so it may be I wasn't diligent enough in cross tightening. Just in case, what did you end up doing?

Also, whilst I was looking up stuff, I noticed this. States it's discontinued, however it does not state it is no longer available. In other words, for ha-ha's I added it to the cart & it worked.
https://parts.lakelandtoyota.com/p/...-Transmission-Oil-Pan/3914835/3510635060.html

 

Mine also leaked only towards the rear I think. I plan on holding the pan up against glass to confirm flatness all around with a feeler gauge and see about bending it back into shape if needed. Check the transmission housing for flatness with a level and feeler gauge. Tap and clean all holes. Try the farpak gasket and pan stiffener above that I bought. If no good, try it with the nasty RTV gasket again.

I tried ordering that pan from three Toyota dealers who had it listed as available, and they all cancelled. None of them even marked it as out of stock afterwards. When you say "it worked", do you mean you added it to your cart, you ordered, or they shipped it?

 

Both surfaces need to be clean and free of any debris/old gasket crap or its going to have issues.

When I did mine, first I used

$11 FOSHIO Plastic Razor Blade Scraper Include 2PCS Scraper Tool and 100PCS Blades for Gasket Remover, Labels Decal and Adhesive Remover for Windows and Glass,Blue

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076BBW1WM and then followed with this

8 Pieces Bore Brush, Wire Brushes for Cleaning Drill Driver and Steel Part, with Stainless Steel Brass 1/4" Hex Shank

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09JC6GHF3

For the gasket material, straight up Toyota trans pan FIPG (Part No. 08826-00090). I used it on the transfer case when I rebuilt it and also on the trans pan. No leaks and just followed the FSM. No issues.

I did have the transmission off the truck so of course it was much easier.

 

Ok. So maybe it'd be the same scenario. You know how on the page that has all the diagrammed parts listed, as you get to the bottom they start listing the "products not available". Since this part number was not like that, I figured maybe they have one/two left. & no. I did not order it. Just added it to the cart. Thought maybe it'd give me guff if it wasn't available. I don't think it's the right one for my truck & I'm not ready to go there anyway.

Did you use the Farpak set & if so, did it work?

 

FWIW, I had to order a new pan for the 99 T4R A340F I put in when I did my 4WD conversion. I used this - https://autoparts.toyotasalinas.com/products/product/pan-sub-assy-transm-3510635110. No issues at all. Regardless of what pan you use, just make sure you follow the fill procedure and you'll be fine.

Fill it to the cold level on the dipstick. Once at the cold level, get in and start. Shift through all your gears and shut off the engine. Do another check of the dipstick (its going to be below the cold level now). Fill to cold level. Get in, start and shift through the gears. Repeat check with engine running. Once at cold level with the engine running, drive and get it up to operating temp. Recheck with engine running. Fill until its in the hot range.

FSM fill in case my gibberish process is confusing lol

 

Hey, that scraper looks pretty handy. I so dislike using the typical gasket scrapers because they're metal.

 

Yep, no marring vs the old school scrapers. The copper brushes are also really good and make short work of removing any leftover the plastic scraper misses. The brushes are essentially a one time use deal so don't expect them to last. Low speed instead of full speed when using and material wont go flying into the valve body.

 

I have been around the block with this a few times, this is what works for me, FIPG yeah i like it, it works, some down sides, it gets up into the threads for the bolts and if not properly cleaned out can increase torque value when reinstalling fasteners or worse strip out the aluminum threads, you must clean out all old sealant. Another issue is each bolt has a body bound locking split washer, which after years of heat cycling go flat and lose their locking feature. So I drove off all the old lock washers on the pan bolts, installed new split lock washers from hardware store, made sure mating surfaces where super clean, chased out all bolt holes with a metric clean out tap, sprayed both sides of cork gasket with gasket sealant (red very sticky) installed gasket and pan installed bolts, tightened bolts until split lock washer went flat then stopped over two years no leaks. This worked for me I know not by the book (fsm) just a different way to get the job done.
R/

 

Oh no, that could be part of my problem! I checked one bolt, and the lock washer is flattened and warped. How did you drive them off?