More Stinking Leaks - Oil Pan

[Spike Strip]

Again, first oil fill on a rebuilt motor --

Oil was leaking from the engine pan drain bolt... I went to get another plug today at TLC and they told me the stock drain plug should be 14mm. Is that true ? ... The one that's in there is 19mm, so it looks like a fix maybe was installed... ? btw, there was a copper gasket on the plug.

Anyway, as you can see in the pic, there's a "hole" in the threads, pretty close to the top... I don't know if this is a rust hole, or could it be how the insert is held for insertion ?

Would RTV on the plug thread hold till I get a new pan ? Or are there other fixes ?

 

[Joshua993]

Hard to tell from the pic, but that doesn't look like a heli-coil. It is possible that is was tapped out though, which would cause the sidewalls of the thread area to be thin. If that is the case and the plug was ever over-tightened they mayhave cracked - leading to a hole eventually. I would be hesitant to put rtv on the plug - if any broke loose it may end up getting sumped. A heli-coil insert might just do the trick now though.

What is the engine this pan is attached to?

 

[Spike Strip]

2F motor ...

And upon closer examination, I can see a low-spot "dimple" outlined in green, that's letting the oil get by... I'm gonna take a file to the surface and see if I can't smooth it out...

 

[Joe_E]

I believe the older pans had a bigger plug size if I remember. Or was it all new ones have the small plug?
I have a parts rig that used to run that had a hole in the threads like yours that leaked all over the yard. I remember thinking about what was up with the plug size as well when I got the new one from Jay Marks.

 

[klinetime574]

Copper gasket is the wrong thing to use.

Needs a toyota red gasket, they seal better

Part number 44 in this diagram

try using the toyota gasket first to see if it stops the leak

 

[cfdlighthouse]

2F motor ...

And upon closer examination, I can see a low-spot "dimple" outlined in green, that's letting the oil get by... I'm gonna take a file to the surface and see if I can't smooth it out...

is there threads missing in that depression in the red circle where it looks like oil is pooling??? if so that may be the culpret

 

[Spike Strip]

Yeah, threads are missing where the oil is seeping... That with the "groove" in the sealing surface is causing the leak... How do I build up that area? Can't file down 'cuz the area is lower than surrounding pan. JB Weld ?

 

[cfdlighthouse]

Yeah, threads are missing where the oil is seeping... That with the "groove" in the sealing surface is causing the leak... How do I build up that area? Can't file down 'cuz the area is lower than surrounding pan. JB Weld ?

no jb weld.....please no

you can buy a helicoil kit or some other thread replacement kit to rethread the existing thread failure....just seal the helicoil with some sealant/epoxy???

the other option is drop the pan....cut out the current drain plug and weld in a new bung....basically a threaded sleve....

or find a new or new to you pan....

good luck

 

[Spike Strip]

I've got a new pan on the way, but it'll prolly take a couple of weeks to get here... Just want something that'll hold so I can fire the motor and make it 500 miles to the first oil change...

 

[amaurer]

I just happened to stumble here from the 40 forum...

The missing threads are normal, just the way the pans are built. Even my 3b has that. Like you, someone overtightened my plug at one time and made a nice dimple.

The solution is to just drop the pan, stick a screwdriver in the hole from the back, and bang the divot out.

 

[Spike Strip]

amaurer,

Searching, I came across your thread on the same thing... LINKY

Did you end up pulling the pan ? I'm trying to avoid that as I have a new one coming and I'm just looking for a quick temp fix ...

 

[amaurer]

amaurer,

Searching, I came across your thread on the same thing... LINKY

Did you end up pulling the pan ? I'm trying to avoid that as I have a new one coming and I'm just looking for a quick temp fix ...

Yes, I pulled the pan and beat the divot out.

However, prior to that, I just used some ultrablack RTV on the underside of the gasket. You have to let the pan drain for a good while if you're going to have a chance of cleaning that surface off long enough to get some RTV to set up. That worked fine for 3000 miles.

 

[Joe_E]

Maybe a narrow layer of teflon tape near the back of the plug (so there is no risk of any getting inside the pan) if you are just trying to stop it long enough to break in the motor?