Trans Pan Bolt Torque

[cs15dah]

FSM says 156 in-lbs.  I used a Napa filter and rubber gasket when I did my fluid change.  It seems that the bottom of the pan is slightly damp in one section, so fluid is very slowly leaking in one area.  Before taking it apart and redoing the gasket, how much more could I torque down the bolts to try to stop the leak?  5%?  10%? 

[Dieselfuture]

Snug always worked for me

[IBMobile]

26 minutes ago, cs15dah said:

FSM says 156 in-lbs. 

That is the same as 13ft-lb.  Snug plus, like a couple of ft-lbs, works sometimes but if you tighten the bolts any further there is the risk of tearing the gasket.  The pan may be distorted, from a pervious install, where some of the bolts where over tightened and others weren't because they didn't use a torque wrench.  If it still leaks after the "snug plus"  Pull the pan off and inspect both mating surfaces; use a flat surface to check the pan for true..

 

        When you have the pan off you may want to install a drain plug in it.  

 

Go to NAPA and get a M12 x 1.25 x 30mm drain plug, nut. and plastic washer.  Use a strong rare earth magnet on the outside of the pan to hold the nut in place, and find the area where the drain plug will clear the valve body and a large surface area for flat contact with the sealing washer.  Drill a hole 1/2" and tack weld the nut to the pan in three spots, this is done so not to warp the pan and to allow fluid to be able to drain under the nut. 

 

 

left front corner inside of pan

 

left front corner outside of pan

 

[JAG1]

I use a few 3 inch long bolts with the hex head cut off that fit into the pan bolt holes as a guide for the gasket and pan to go up in place. I do it that way to insure positioning of the gasket and not tear it. Seems to help anyway.

 

I tighten the pan bolts using an inch pounds wrench since it's needed to adjust the bands anyway. I know they are more accurate and I tighten evenly in stages because the adjacent bolts will change the torque of the one next to it . A lot of times paying for the service in the past was a mistake because they would leak. 

Edited February 29, 2020 by JAG1

[Dieselfuture]

On 2/28/2020 at 8:48 PM, IBMobile said:

Drill a hole 1/2" and tack weld the nut to the pan in three spots, this is done so not to warp the pan and to allow fluid to be able to drain under the nut. 

If I might add, put the bolt in without the plastic washer and snug it up before welding, this way it'll be tight to the pan. Ether way the sealing happens on the outside between the bolt washer and pan.

I always liked gaskets with metal inserts, this way you can't over do it, just snug it up till the bolt stops. Not sure if they offer this type of gasket for these transmission. 

[IBMobile]

4 minutes ago, Dieselfuture said:

If I might add, put the bolt in without the plastic washer and snug it up before welding, this way it'll be tight to the pan.

Good point.  I have it something like that in the article I wrote up last night. 

 

 

[Dynamic]

Rubber gaskets are notorious for leaking. I would switch to a fiber gasket.

[Mopar1973Man]

Too many people use sealant like silicone and over torque the gasket. This ends up distorting the metal of the pan, the gasket, and still have a leak you can't rid of. Rubber gaskets will typically do very well but the torque is extremely light like mere inch pounds 8 to 12 range roughly. I've got use to just using the ratchet head and not using the handle to tighten pan bolts. 

 

I've done enough transmissions lately. (Dodge and Chevy's)

[cs15dah]

Added ~10%, so torqued to 172 in-lbs. Bolts hardly turned. Maybe just over 1/8 of a turn and up to about 1/4. 

 

Will check later this week to see how it’s doing. 

[JAG1]

A Georend trans pan is far less likely to ever distort and is the only one of its kind with a low point drain plug. They are a couple hundred, but well worth it with gasket and filter they send too. They are well worth it because they help strengthen the transmission casing. I was very impressed did both my trucks in two saturdays no leaks. Other truck has the MagHytec trans pan with a drain, but the Georend is the best out of the two. Both have the trans temp sensor adapter or connector.

[cs15dah]

Never mind....

 

 

Edited March 6, 2020 by cs15dah
Deleted

[Evan]

I've good luck with rubber gasket. 

I start all bolts on bench just through rubber gasket. 

Then raise pan to tranny then just start all bolts then snug all bolts in a cross pattern then snug again after all are snug.