KLUTZ

A "Can I" question here folks.
Before we went away on our cruise in mid December, I installed a new oil pan gasket on my Auto. transmission on my '79. I followed the procedure for tightening the bolts and thought I had it right. I didn't get a chance to add the transmission fluid until last weekend though. Well, I put about 1/3 of the jug in and it started coming out the front driver side area of the pan; no where else but there. I tried to torque the bolts in that area down a bit more but it would not stop running out. I know I cleaned the area completely on both the pan and the transmission area before putting the new gasket on so I'm not sure why it is leaking. It did not leak before I changed the gasket even though it looked like it had never been changed.
My question is, can I take it apart again, let the gasket dry a bit and use some of the blue gasket sealer on it? or.. do I have to order another new gasket, wait a week for it and try again without sealer? I have read both for and against using a sealer on them.

Thanks

lvmyvt76

The pan may be bent, did you check it on a flat surface and peen the holes back down????

KLUTZ

No, I didn't do that as with it not leaking before and the pan being stored in a safe place.. I assumed going on as it came off would be fine and it would be true. Since I have to take it off again anyway, I'll check that out. Can I re-use the same gasket? Can I use a sealer?

Hammerhead Fred

Year's ago mine too leaked after fresh gasket install.
Tried it dry again after inspecting the pan and making sure the holes were flat but still leaked.
Third time used new gasket plus Form-a-gasket #2 - no leaks.
Just my experience - others will certainly differ.

73, Dark Blue 454

First, feel around the dipstick tube where it enters the tranny,..see if it's wet in that area. The leaks can fool you.

diehrd

My first thought is the gasket slipped out of place when you put it together. Drop pan and check it ..

KLUTZ

The fluid was running down from between the bolt under the shifting lever toward the front driver side bolt and pooling at the front corner. I just came in from dropping the pan and the gasket was perfectly alligned. I'll put the pan on a flat serfice (Dining room table?) and check for trueness then check the bolt holes to see if bent at all. What ever happened to good ole cork gaskets? I may end up using a sealer anyway just to be sure. Can't hurt I suppose?
Thanks for the responses...

scottyp99

I like Permatex High-Tack. It can be a chore to remove, but it always works.

Scott

AzMotorhead

I bet its not the pan.
After installing pan and before you fill it up. Spray a little Arid xtra dry around the pan and around the shift lever shaft. Once fluid starts to seep it'll be evident as to exactly where its coming from.
Once the Arid Xtra dry dries it leaves a white powdery film leaks become very noticable as they leave a wet trail.
More often the shift shaft seal is the culprit for the leak. If your eng & trans are set as the factory built these cars, the drips from the trans will almost always collect at the front of the pan

diehrd

I have to admit , that is the first time I have ever herd of using a hygiene product quite that way ........................


And Ya might as well as spray them pits while your at it kill 2 birds with one stone

REELAV8R

How do you clean that stuff off scott? I'd like to use it if there was a way to get it off with a solvent of some kind.

Haggisbash

A sheet of glass is usually a good surface to use for checking flatness.

scottyp99

Brake cleaner and a rag takes it right off. Also, I like to make my own gaskets whenever I can, and I have found that when using the FelPro Karropak gasket material, if I ever need to remove the gasket, the gasket comes off fairly easily, and the High-Tack stays on the gasket, leaving a clean gasket surface, requiring only a superficial cleaning. The gasket almost always looks like it could be re-used, but I always use a fresh gasket and some more High-Tack, just on principle. Some other types of gasket material will be difficult to remove if you use High-Tack on them, but I have found that the Karropak is great for just about any gasket except head, intake, or header gaskets. (I've never tried it, but maybe someday I'll try to make my own intake gaskets using Karropak) I like to use High-Tack on just about anything that sees gasoline or oil, but for anything exposed to coolant, I use the Ultra Gray RTV (also with a homemade Karropak gasket). Stuff works like a charm.

Now, before you go calling me a dinosaur, or a Bubba, my Dad always swore by Indian Head Gasket Shellac, and made his gaskets from cereal boxes, so at least I'm not that bad!

Scott

JimT

I use only the thin, paper gaskets with little to no sealant. Get them from a tranny shop.
Never leaks. I don't use the rubber gaskets, cork gaskets, or a lot of sealant.
Just be sure the pan is flat and both surfaces are clean.....
Good luck.

cagotzmann

My 1978 has the same leek. I tried to seal 3 times with no luck. I then determined the leak is not from the pan but a seal in the transmission in the housing area of the torque converter. I removed the inspection plate and stuffed some paper towels between the torque converter and the transmission. The paper towel turned red in about 24 hours while the seal on the pan was nice and dry. Worth looking at.

scottyp99

There are few things here worth pointing out: The OP's transmission was not leaking. Then he removed the pan, and reinstalled it with a new gasket, and now it leaks. That is a pretty good indicator that the trouble is somehow gasket-related.

I just can't resist saying this: If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Scott

leadfoot4

Just a "heads-up".....Assuming that you didn't use a suction device to draw 2-3 quarts of fluid up the dipstick hole, and out of the tranny first, you had fluid spilling out of the tranny as you dropped the pan. This fluid, usually, also winds up going into the bolt holes of the tranny case. Unless you either blew out these holes with compressed air, or even a Q-tip, when you re-install the bolts, it squeezes the fluid out of the holes, both oiling up the surface of the tranny case (which you just thoroughly cleaned), as well as drenching the gasket. This wet gasket then won't seal.





(ask me how I know.....)

KLUTZ

That is very interesting, and a definite possibility. I did remove the Pan again yesterday morning, cleaned again. Checked for trueness (which appeared good) then re-installed with Permitex 2 gasket sealer. I added 3 litres in the afternoon and as of today. Not a leak in sight. .
I'm curious though, why did only 3 litres fill to the full mark on the dipstick? It seemed more then that went into and missed the catch pan then that.
Thanks again for all the responses.

leadfoot4

I'm not sure what the English to metric conversion is, but IIRC, it takes 4 quarts to fill the tranny to capacity......after the engine is started the fluid circulating and up to temp.

scottyp99

33.8 ounces in a liter, 32 ounces in a quart, pretty close.

\Also, I have the sneaky suspicion that Permatex #2 is just High-Tack in a tube. Can anybody confirm or deny that?

Scott