Transmission pan....use gasket or FIPG? (1 Viewer)

[flintknapper]

1997 Land Cruiser
298K miles.

Have never dropped the pan on the transmission, I've always done drain and fill fluid replacements or an occasional fluid 'exchange' using the transmission pump. But never a filter replacement (or cleaning) so its time now (if not overdue).

Additionally, I am about to add a sending unit to the transmission pan for a temperature gauge I am going to install. While I am in there....I will probably bump up the main line pressure.

So initially....I will want to use a pan 'Gasket', in case I need to go back into the transmission (to return line pressure setting).

But after that....what is the recommendation here? Use FIPG or stay with the gasket (combination of both)?

Any preferred FIPG?

 

[bajaphile]

FSM and all Toyota's I've owned call for FIPG. I agree that it is a bit of a pain to deal with FIPG if you might need to go back in.

For the final FIPG, I really liked the Permatex "The Right Stuff". Very easy to use, it firms up in a few minutes so you have to work kinda quick.
Amazon.com: Permatex 85224 The Right Stuff Gasket Maker, 7.5 oz. PowerBead Can: Automotive

 

[tominboise]

I'd use one or the other, not both. Although you could glue the gasket to the pan so when you remove it,you only have to scrape the pan side.

If I was doing a permanent deal, I'd use FIPG.

 

[duggy]

FIPG

 

[cc93cruiser]

FIPG Sucks when you are trying to bolt on 20 bolts by yourself and having to deal with the tackyness/messy FIPG.. I have used Fel pro gaskets from a A44f transmission on my a442fs and it has been a breeze by myself.. I cleaned the hell out of pan (mating surfaces) and put the gasket on pan along with the bolts snugged up through the pan holes-gasket will hold them secure. Then put the pan up to the tranny surface and start snugging the bolts 1 by 1... fel pro part number 18696

 

[Tools R Us]

Have always used Permatex Ultra Gray with success.

 

[duggy]

FIPG Sucks when you are trying to bolt on 20 bolts by yourself and having to deal with the tackyness/messy FIPG.. I have used Fel pro gaskets from a A44f transmission on my a442fs and it has been a breeze by myself.. I cleaned the hell out of pan (mating surfaces) and put the gasket on pan along with the bolts snugged up through the pan holes-gasket will hold them secure. Then put the pan up to the tranny surface and start snugging the bolts 1 by 1... fel pro part number 18696

These help out tremendously with holding the pan up and not messing up the gasket/RTV

Amazon.com: Fel-Pro ES 72865 Oil Pan Snap-Up: Automotive

(Most likely not the right thread size, but you get the idea from the link)

 

[flintknapper]

Looks like FIPG for the final installation then.

One last question: I've never had the pan off....so I have no idea how thick it is. I'd like to TIG a mild steel 1/8" NPT bung onto it, to accept the sensor I am going to use. I'd just feel better with a welded on bung than trying to seal just the sending unit through a hole in the pan.

Can anyone give me an idea the thickness of the metal? (It is steel....right?).

 

[dirtyboots]

It would be a clean install for someone to tig a bung, if you happen to put it in the wrong spot for whatever reason, or a meteor ricochets up under and knocks the sensor and bung, etc., you'd be out a pan or down for another removal? Just thinking outside of the box, it seems like a great idea..have you considered hooking the sensor up off of the trans cooler lines, T ing off of a fitting?

 

[icorradoi]

Did this recently on my tranny ('96 Cruiser A343 tranny). I used Toyota FIPG without much drama. You run a small bead around the pan, press it up against the transmission, and start a couple of the bolts. Just make sure both mating surfaces are very clean before applying.

Make sure you use the Red FIPG if you go with FIPG. Toyota part # 00295-01281

The black FIPG is for engine assembly, Red for tranny, transfer cases, diffs, etc.

I would use a gasket if you're going to be dropping the tranny pan again soon, but FIPG for the final seal.

 

[flintknapper]

It would be a clean install for someone to tig a bung, if you happen to put it in the wrong spot for whatever reason, or a meteor ricochets up under and knocks the sensor and bung, etc., you'd be out a pan or down for another removal? Just thinking outside of the box, it seems like a great idea..have you considered hooking the sensor up off of the trans cooler lines, T ing off of a fitting?

Yeah, hate those meteors!

Its easy to 'Tee' off a cooler line, no doubt, but I don't think that provides the most useful information overall. I know folks will argue what spot is 'best' but I suppose it depends on what you are looking for. IF you want to see 'flash temps' from the converter put it in the supply line. IF you want to see what the fluid looks like after/when being cooled put it in the return line.

IF you want to measure the largest volume of mixed fluid (not all fluid in the pan has been through the cooler)...then I think the sump/pan is probably best. I'm not really concerned that the tranny heats the fluid as it goes through, we know that already. I'm also not concerned with the temperature in the return line (probably slightly cooler than the fluid in the pan). I want to know the general temperature of the fluid that is about to enter the transmission.

If you see high temps there....it is a warning to investigate WHY.

As for mounting a sending unit in any of the soft lines (via a Tee), I know its easy....but it also restricts the line. By default you are putting a fitting of some type inside the I.D. of that soft line which constricts the flow of fluid. Perhaps not critically, but it doesn't seem like a good idea to me.

Anyway that's my thought on placement of the sending unit.

 

[luxes]

These are awesome but be careful these are the wrong size (at least for my LX450), you will need the 6mm version ES72864!!!!!

These help out tremendously with holding the pan up and not messing up the gasket/RTV
View attachment 1431277

Amazon.com: Fel-Pro ES 72865 Oil Pan Snap-Up: Automotive

(Most likely not the right thread size, but you get the idea from the link)

 

[ToyotaTruck]

Here's my experience that I just went through. I meticulously cleaned both the pan and transmission surfaces which had some sort of gasket originally, applied Toyota Orange FIPG evenly, and torqued the bolts to 65 in-lbs like the FSM says (something like 7ft-lbs). I let it dry overnight and filled it with Toyota ATF (not cheap). It leaked like a sieve from all sides. not happy. I will be buying a gasket.

 

[AaKnight]

I run the gasket. It's 5$ at napa and is reusable. I went to replace my kick down cable and wound up with a tube of expired fipg. Would not cure. You can search for my post "fipg effing expires" the gasket is clean, quick, and has not leaked on me yet.

 

[ToyotaTruck]

It might be what happened to me as well with the FIPG expiring although it is only a month old. I used it last month to seal third members on my other rig and it worked well in that application. I bought it straight from Toyota so maybe it was old on their shelf? Oh well, live and learn. I like the black fipg and never had any problems with that.

 

[flintknapper]

It might be what happened to me as well with the FIPG expiring although it is only a month old. I used it last month to seal third members on my other rig and it worked well in that application. I bought it straight from Toyota so maybe it was old on their shelf? Oh well, live and learn. I like the black fipg and never had any problems with that.

^^^^

Works just fine on Trans Pan.

Gives you a long assembly time *15 minutes*, achieves working strength in 2-3 hours and FULL strength *becomes a hard rubber like substance in 12-15 hrs*

 

[deltapine1]

You will need the dipstick tube O ring. The existing one will be as hard as a brick bat and likely crumble into pieces when you pull the pan. If you are in a pinch most hardware stores have oring sets you can match the size to but BEWARE those are not Viton like the OEM one and heat, tranny fluid and solvents will make those cheap Buna o rings fail eventually.