Transmission gasket replacement

[Kim K Kaiser]

After finding leak arpund rim of trans pan.  I ordered a gasket.  

I was checking to see if there are any pitfalls or suggestions to getting it right.

I assume drain pan from the drain bolt, then pull the pan and replace.  Will anything drop or fall from the underside of the pan on removal that i should be concerned with.

[Kim K Kaiser]

ok,, thanks for the information,,   i will give it a go...

[Kim K Kaiser]

i got the pan off and cleaned it up,, the old gasket took some time to get off the pan.  everything looked clean and covered with dripping transmission fluid..i cleaned up the pan real good with no dirt or debris nd put the pan back on before the darkness got me..

i checked the manual for true on those bolts and it said a 5/16 at 18 lbs.  well, mine had 1/2 bolt, and it said the drain was 40 lbs.. 

so i became confused as to whether 18 lbs was correct so i thought i would ask to make sure i got the right torque figures.. 

what would the torque for the bolts be, and is the drain plug at 40??

[Kim K Kaiser]

Ugh.  I think i got it.  The 5.16 bolt is the shaft size not the head size.

[Kim K Kaiser]

well, i replaced the gasket,  and dumb ass me, read the wrong listing for bolt tongue,, i found the drain plug torque of 40, and the entry right above.. said 13,, that was the day before i put the pan back on.. so, next day, i went back and looked again, and read the wrong dam entry and it said 18,, so i put 18 in,, well you guessed it, it crushed the gasket,, so, back to oreilly,,  got new ones coming tomorrow with 13 currently embedded in my head... 

on a good note, so far, the replaced valve covers are not leaking as of now as of the change the other day..  and the fuel pump back bolt doesnt seem to be leaking anymore as well after pulling it and putting some gasket seal on the threads and putting back in.. so hopefully, two minor seepages are tackled.. .... i say with fingers crossed

for me  2 outta 3  is pretty good,, bak to the pan tomorrow

[Jason Edge]

Carpenter's say "Measure twice, cut once". Mechanics might say "Read twice, torque once!" Perhaps, you should add a step "Read twice, write it down, torque once!" With that I am surprised 18 inch/lbs crushed the gasket. That is only 1.5 ft lbs.  I could see 5, 10 or maybe 18 ft lbs crushing the gaskets, but 18 inch/lbs should absorb that torque .. I would think.  I would make double sure you are reading and setting your torque wrench correctly.  

[Kim K Kaiser]

Well,  i kinda thought inch pounds but it says ft lbs at top of column.  Or, am i reading the chart wrong,  its under the hydra matic transmission chapter.  Attaching photo to verify

[Kim K Kaiser]

book photo of torque,, am i looking at the right entry??

[Jason Edge]

That is 13 ft lbs. You stated "18 in" and I read that as 18 inch lbs and thought you were referring to inches. When the shop manual lists inch lbs (e.g. the valve covers) it will specifically state inches. So yes, 18 ft lbs could crush the gasket when it should be 13 ft lbs. As I had stated in another thread, you want to gradually increase the torque. For 13 ft lbs I would torque to 5 ft lbs, then 10 ft lbs then 13 ft lbs using a back and forth torque pattern.   

[Kim K Kaiser]

ok,, good,, I'm sorry for the typo that confused your answer and understanding,i guess iw as thinking i was putting 18 lbs in the torque wrench,, so again, sorry for that confusion., but i am glad that i am on the right page and the right items,,,,thanks again for re reading and setting me strait,,,,,i will get this figured out one day,, 

[Kim K Kaiser]

Quick question on transmissuon pan.  I got off for second time,  looked were leaks came from.  And was looking to see if pan flatt.  

Should all the bolt holes have a little rise or should the be flat flush w the flat surface,

The re leak occured at the split gasket, felt like that was good reason for leak.  But other one was were it leaked before. Front right corner,  so,  do i need to flatten bolt holes for uniform flat surfacr all the way around?

[Jason Edge]

Should be flat. Over-tightening them, just like oil pan and valve cover bolts, will pull the pan down around the holes meaning the gasket cannot seat adequately seal the two surfaces. I cannot think o any two mating surfaces on these cars, where you have 3 mating surfaces where they are not designed to be flat.  

[Kim K Kaiser]

Ok,  thanks,  so just get a ball peen hammer n strait edge and tap the bolt holes down flat?