Leaking transmission pan

[Adam Nathan]

Having grief sealing the transmission pan on my TF 727.
I've just bought a new stock steel pan and I'm using cork gaskets. The manual says to torque to 12ft lbs and far be it from me to disagree with the manual but to me that seems way to much for the cork gasket to handle. If the book suggests that setting for maybe a rubber type, what would be the setting for cork?
What gaskets where fitted on the pans from factory?
I'm now on my 3rd gasket and a new pan and still no joy.
What do yo guys do?

 

[eric383]

Have you checked to see if the new pan is flat and not twisted? Is the mating surface on the trans clean? Also make sure the bolt holes are flat and not dimpled. Is it the pan or somewhere above and leaking down to make it appear the pan is leaking? The only time I had a pan leak was in my younger days when I used too much RTV and the gasket squished out. Good luck.

 

[Adam Nathan]

It leaked with the old pan so I bought a new one. Definitely leaking from around the gasket and nowhere else.
If I torque up to the factory specs it squishes the gasket way too much. Have gone up in stages from 2 ft lbs upwards in 2 ft lb increments with no joy.
The bottom of the trans is flat and true so somethings going on. How hard can it be to fit a trans pan successfully?

 

[MT_Mopar]

Permatex Right Stuff gasket maker is the best on the market.

 

[66Satellite47]

Just a thought, have you got all the correct bolts? The front one ones, under the converter area don't go all the way through the rail, maybe you're bottoming the bolt before a tight gasket seal is achieved.

 

[rscurtis]

You might try a gasket from a third generation Ram truck with the Cummins engine. They use a reusable rubber gasket.

 

[Adam Nathan]

Just a thought, have you got all the correct bolts? The front one ones, under the converter area don't go all the way through the rail, maybe you're bottoming the bolt before a tight gasket seal is achieved.

Definitely no probs with bolts bottoming out. If I follow the service manuals specs and tighten to the correct torque setting it'll squash the crap out of the gasket. So that's not the problem.
And if you under tighten it still leaks. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

 

[SublimeSixpack]

There are better transmission pan gaskets than cork.

 

[Adam Nathan]

Well I've just refitted the pan "AGAIN" torqued the bolts up to next to nothing and put the fluid in. I'll go check it tomorrow some time. Only difference I've done this time is put sealant on the pan side of the gasket last night, put in on the pan and allowed it to set with weight on it.
If this don't work then I think it's time to f**k off the cork gasket in favour of play doh.

 

[SublimeSixpack]

FWIW This is the Brand and type of gasket I've been using with good results (and without any sealant), maybe it'll work for you if your last attempt didn't workout. Good luck.

 

[Adam Nathan]

FWIW This is the Brand and type of gasket I've been using with good results (and without any sealant), maybe it'll work for you if your last attempt didn't workout. Good luck.

Thanks SIXPACK.
If this fix don't work I'll grab one of those. Just keep your fingers crossed for me.

 

[66Satellite47]

I've used the "rubbery" ones that look like that for 40+ years & never had a problem & re-use 'em all the time.

 

[Cranky]

I went through this awhile back and it turned out to be the dip stick tube leaking at the seal that goes into the trans case. It would leak down to the gasket and follow it around to the back and drip off making it look like the gasket was the issue. It was on my diesel and they use a 'tube seal' and not an o-ring......

 

[Car Nut]

I had the same type of leak, it turned out to be the NSS, replaced and no more leak. The fluid would run along the gasket and pan making it look like a gasket leak.

 

[BigBlock61]

I've have always used weatherstrip adhesive on the pan side of the gasket to affix the gasket to the pan. Once it sets up for a minute or two I bolt it to the trans. Bring all the bolts up snug and then go around again and tighten till you see the gasket compress to about half. Seals every time.

 

[dvw]

I have built many transmissions with old pans and cork gaskets. No problems with leaks. Unless the pan is REALLY bent my bet is something is leaking above the pan and running down. Clean the aera with brake clean and blow dry with compressed air. Now "puff" some baby powder around the trans. Watch for it to turn damp grey. Common leak sources are dipstick tube, cooler line fittings, valve body case seal and throttle valve seal, rear band anchor pin. Less common K/D adjustment bolt, tail shaft gasket, rear snap ring gasket, K/D pin plug. There are other leak sources but they generally don't run around the pan. All of these can be fixed in the car. Can't tell you how many times I've seen the pan gasket blamed and it was not the leak cause.
Doug

 

[RT K_line]

I would check the shift lever seal very closely spray it off with brake clean as said before. I've seen it many times before on torqflites.

 

[66Satellite47]

I would check the shift lever seal very closely spray it off with brake clean as said before. I've seen it many times before on torqflites.

X2, get that area good & clean, take hard look there. Check like dvw said, the cooler line fittings are another good source if you've done anything with them.

 

[Coronet 14]

Did you straight edge the pan rail

 

[Adam Nathan]

Did you straight edge the pan rail

Using a brand new pan.