Leaky drain plug help
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 365
Likes: 30
Leaky drain plug help
Ive got a 65 396....the oil plug leaks and no matter how tite ...it will slowly do a drip drip drip. Can i use teflon tape ? Or is there a fix it all aftermarket plug out there? Sounds silly i know but man this is driving me batty. Thanks. 
Team Owner
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From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
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Do you have the gaskst in place. Do not over tighten the bolt. You will strip the threads. Then you will have a bigger problem.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Charlotte NC
If you are using the hard plastic white gasket...I would go to GM dealer and get the new design which has a rubber seal made into it. I use them and generally...never get a drip. UNLESS you are wanting it to be factory with that white plastic gasket.
DUB
DUB
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2012
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From: Wilton Ca.
Be sure you have a gasket. If not, get one either in copper or nylon. If so, you may just need a new one.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
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Likes: 9,398
From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
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2015 C2 of Year Finalist
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Greenville, Indiana
The plug doesn't seal on the threads so any kind of thread sealer will do you no good.
The mating face on the pan with the drain plug gasket my be rough, gouged or distorted in some way. Next time you drain the oil, put some metal blue on the drain plug flange. Then run a fine thread bolt in the drain hole with a nut on it, back the nut off and read the metal blue. That should tell you what you need to do if the plug flange itself is the cause of your drip.
You may need to run a flat file across the surface or you may need to massage the sealing surface with that bolt you screwed in the hole.
I use copper gaskets. The drain plug shouldn't have to be any tighter than good and snug. How tight is that?
The mating face on the pan with the drain plug gasket my be rough, gouged or distorted in some way. Next time you drain the oil, put some metal blue on the drain plug flange. Then run a fine thread bolt in the drain hole with a nut on it, back the nut off and read the metal blue. That should tell you what you need to do if the plug flange itself is the cause of your drip.
You may need to run a flat file across the surface or you may need to massage the sealing surface with that bolt you screwed in the hole.
I use copper gaskets. The drain plug shouldn't have to be any tighter than good and snug. How tight is that?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
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From: Charlotte NC
OOOPS. Thanks for correcting my post...hate when that happens. "WHAT WAS THAT SOUND????" OH...it was my brain having fart again.
DUB
