Tranny pan drain plug location easy to strip?

[QwikKotaTx]

I am on drain and fill #2 and this time I did not get the torque wrench to click on about 20 ft-lb. I made the mistake of using a large 1/2" drive 10 to 80 ft-lb torque wrench instead of my smaller one and I don't think it is accurate at the low end of the scale. The crush washer appears to be flattened but the plug keeps spinning with not much torque. It is not leaking but it is worrisome. The overflow plug seems to have a lot more thread engagement area. I have read some accounts of the plug stripping and not the pan but I kind of doubt that based on how thin the pan is. Most state the plug will not come out without a fight and just spins. A new pan is quite expensive and I don't believe there is enough meat in that spot for thread repair such as a keensert. Any advice?

 

[Jivewalker]

Can't believe no one chimed in. Maybe if there's enough threads you could get some teflon tape or similar on it until you figure it out? Might get you by for a little.

 

[4gambler]

20 LBS is torque AT DRY THREADS !!! ALWAYS ALWAYS use a shorty wrench. Snug and then a little quick umph but stop real kuik thats it if no torque wrench.

More realistic torque about 13-15 lbs max.

 

[the_fornicator]

You can try a helicoil kit? It involves tapping the hole a touch bigger and then installing the helicoil to down-size hole size i.e. to the size of the bolt. It's a bit hackey but otherwise, your only option besides replacing the pan itself is to tap a size bigger and using a bigger drain bolt.

 

[4gambler]

On my motorcycle i dont even use a ratchet. I use 12mm socket and a nut driver new copper crush washer. Never had a problem. I always sharpie top of bolt for kuik pre ride inspection. Gotta do a good inspection cuse when off roading solo 15 miles from truk u can be really screwed om those REAL rough trails. KNOK ON WOOD so far.

 

[1jzgte]

the hex bolt is easy to strip as well.. made the mistake of either not: A. inserting the hex key as deep as possible -or- B. using an improperly sized hex tool

Are you sure its the entire bolt spinning or the tool unable to grab a stripped bolt?

I stripped my camry's 6mm hex bolt and while i was able to torque it down to what i felt was tight enough and not leak with a new washer. I slathered it with some CRC brake disc quiet red goop all aroudn the bolt and pan to "prevent" the bolt from backing out.. its been months and so far no drips or leaks over the summer.. so is it currently leaking?


good luck to you

 

[QwikKotaTx]

This is the hex head bolt style drain plug towards the rear, not the overlow plug that uses an allen key. That area seems to have a lot more meat on the threads. It is not leaking just worried it may come loose. It definitely spins, not loose, just not tightening up like it did last time.

This is not the first time using a torque wrench has gotten me in trouble where most people who don't over analyze everything like I do just skate by using a wrench and go by feel. I didn't want to use my 3/8" inch-lb torque wrench as 21 ft-lbs is a the top of it's scale. I have 6 damn torque wrenches...

 

[Bumbo]

Your post / experience description is taking me back to the time I stripped it on my ATV… it sounds like you diddled it, and the more you fudge with it the worse it’s going to get.

I know people say not to use the torque wrench, and sounds like you are well aware of what you did wrong (too big of a wrench, low end of the scale, lubricated threads). That said, I still use a torque wrench when doing mine because I am an over-torquer, but I use a 1/4" drive with a scale in inch pounds, set lower than the actual book value.

 

[spartacus]

Some one on the forum had posted, to set the torque at half the value and once you hear it click then raise it to spec torque that way you know if your torque wrench is functioning properly. I have a few of them and calibrate them using a known torque value of a bolt and then going through all of them to see if they are within spec of each other. For oil or differential i just go by feel, have done enough of them to know that it's good and snug.

 

[4gambler]

Oiled threads never at stated spec. I have a torque wrench and wheels get torqued to spec. Everything else SPECIALLY DRAIN PLUGS under stated spec. Once a fastener gets snug and u tighten past a crush washer compressing u are FIGHTING THREADS STRENGTH.


I did make a bonehead mistake last year. On my ranger truck the oil pressure sensor was leaking. So i did not note how the unit looked before removal. Not knowing it had tapered pipe style threads at the time and also at the time did not know to only go to 12lbs. I was tightening trying to get sensor to bottom out with oil filter adapter and all of a sudden i hear a crack. Mother effer. I thought i had destroyed the engine block and paniced. Got on my bike and pedaled my azz off to oreilleys praying sensor was cracked. Replaced sensor not as tight this time and turned the key oil spitting out slowly hauled azz off driveway to park on street. Once i saw oil filter adapter is repleaceable i calmed down. Ordered it and was nervous tightening the new oil filter adapter to engine block threads 2 inches inside block did not go crazy on those 4 10mm socket head bolts. LESSON LEARNED !!

 

[QwikKotaTx]

I believe I checked the torque wrench on a bracket with the same size bolt head near the tranny and it worked ok but that was a bolt that was already seated and 100k miles of fun. This is a big heavy Proto torque wrench. My inch-lb wrench is a Craftsman with a plastic handle so not as heavy and easier to feel the click.

 

[Deep_palancar]

This is not an unheard of problem in the FJ community; it's rare but it happens.

The threads are probably not stripped. There is a captive nut like device that is 'bonded' to the inside of the pan. It's not really spot welded, more of a arc bond. That bond will break and allow the 'nut' to spin. The 'nut' looks like a thick conical washer with female threads.

You may never experience a leak or it may start to loosen. As a temporary remedy you may be able to grab the plug head with a pair of vice grips and pull down at a slight angle with a lot of force while tightening and get the 'nut' to grab enough to firmly tighten the plug. That's a one time thing.

The only way to confirm and fix this is to remove the pan. If that is the problem then the 'nut' can be spot welded back to the pan at a low amperage.

Here is picture from a Tacoma pan.

 

[QwikKotaTx]

Oiled threads never at stated spec. I have a torque wrench and wheels get torqued to spec. Everything else SPECIALLY DRAIN PLUGS under stated spec. Once a fastener gets snug and u tighten past a crush washer compressing u are FIGHTING THREADS STRENGTH.


I did make a bonehead mistake last year. On my ranger truck the oil pressure sensor was leaking. So i did not note how the unit looked before removal. Not knowing it had tapered pipe style threads at the time and also at the time did not know to only go to 12lbs. I was tightening trying to get sensor to bottom out with oil filter adapter and all of a sudden i hear a crack. Mother effer. I thought i had destroyed the engine block and paniced. Got on my bike and pedaled my azz off to oreilleys praying sensor was cracked. Replaced sensor not as tight this time and turned the key oil spitting out slowly hauled azz off driveway to park on street. Once i saw oil filter adapter is repleaceable i calmed down. Ordered it and was nervous tightening the new oil filter adapter to engine block threads 2 inches inside block did not go crazy on those 4 10mm socket head bolts. LESSON LEARNED !!

I'll never understand plastic housings or connections for pressure. And a tapered fitting definitely doesn't make sense as that will crack for sure. I have also had issues with threaded holes in aluminum heads. Have to walk on eggshells around those. On my Dakota I put in a keensert where the shifter mounts but it was a little unnerving drilling out a threaded hole on the tranny while installed.

 

[QwikKotaTx]

This is not an unheard of problem in the FJ community; it's rare but it happens.

The threads are probably not stripped. There is a captive nut like device that is 'bonded' to the inside of the pan. It's not really spot welded, more of a arc bond. That bond will break and allow the 'nut' to spin. The 'nut' looks like a thick conical washer with female threads.

You may never experience a leak or it may start to loosen. As a temporary remedy you may be able to grab the plug head with a pair of vice grips and pull down at a slight angle with a lot of force while tightening and get the 'nut' to grab enough to firmly tighten the plug. That's a one time thing.

The only way to confirm and fix this is to remove the pan. If that is the problem then the 'nut' can be spot welded back to the pan at a low amperage.

Here is picture from a Tacoma pan.

Thank you for that picture. I saw that raised section on an ebay auction but figured it was just a pressed out part of the main steel pan. That probably saved me money on another pan. I will probably put some JB weld on the outside of the drain plug to make sure it doesn't back off and drop the pan in about 30k miles for another drain/fill. Looking at a picture of the underside the threaded conical piece does not extend to the outside and wrap or crimp around. Should not be too hard to remove if the threads are buggered up and I can weld on a nut of the correct size, 10mm 1.5 I believe. I've got stainless wire in the MIG right now but that is a long ways off.

 

[4gambler]

Try to tighten the drain bolt and never take it out ever again.

In the future use a flexible hose and suck it up with a pump.

Suck it and fill. Suck it and fill. HE HE HE HE !!:cheer2:

 

[QwikKotaTx]

Try to tighten the drain bolt and never take it out ever again.

In the future use a flexible hose and suck it up with a pump.

Suck it and fill. Suck it and fill. HE HE HE HE !!:cheer2:

With these large holed mesh filter/strainers used nowadays it really does make more sense to pump them out. The pan on my Ram is a disposable item! $175. For that I think I will use my electric pump I got from eBay. It damn near emptied the jug of MaxLife I put in the 4Runner. There was not more than an ounce left in the jug, I was impressed.