jdoyle

iTrader: (27)

I was wondering if we could talk about how everyone is keeping their cars from leaking fluids. For example:

Do you use a crush washer and/or thread sealant on your engine oil drain plug?
Do you use thread sealant on your T56 drain plug?
How do you keep your 10 bolt from leaking?

I am confident that with all of the knowledge in this forum, we can keep the undersides of our cars and the areas where we park our cars clean. I am more concerned about the underside of my car though.

Thank you

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

Nothing additional is required to keep the oil drain plug from leaking, in my experience.

The rear can leak from a few different places (cover gasket, bolt holes, pinion seal), so the fix will depend on where the leak has originated.

I have no input on the T56, I'm an auto guy.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

The drain plugs should not leak. If they do, something really odd is going on or they should be replaced. The other seals (10 bolt, oil pan, crankshaft, pinion gear seals, etc.) all either have a finite life or were meant to be temporary. Part of owning any old car is to change these seals over time.

It's just part of the deal and there isn't anything yet that will combat rubber becoming brittle with time or the flexing and chemical environments seals are exposed to. I suppose everything could be beefed up like a head/head gasket, but the car would quickly get out of hand.

Now that we are of this age, I'm starting to replace these things proactively whenever I have good access to a seal. (New pinion seal and 10 bolt seal with a diff oil change, new rear main seal with a clutch replacement, etc.)

blackandgold

iTrader: (2)

I keep a bit of anti-seize on my t56 plugs, but I doubt that would stop a leak. If you're engine drain plug is leaking you need to get a new one with a new seal (little plastic or rubber ring). All that being said my trans has been rebuilt and I have a new rear so now only my engine leaks like a sieve that is all from bad gaskets, I'll be swapping the oil pan gasket when I do motor mounts.

1 FMF

iTrader: (1)

i stopped using rtv on threads and use either blue block or basic white ptfe dope. i find the blue block while messy and hard to neatly apply, it works excellent on preventing oil seepage past parts that don't seal well and/or were designed poorly. if you coat a plastic washer or metal crush washer with the blue and assemble it will not leak. the white ptfe dope is easier to use on plugs with npt threads. i'm not a fan of the "automotive" grade sealants that much anymore.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/8-oz-Bloc...7072/100151570

http://www.supplyhouse.com/Blue-Mons...FQckhgod6mUExw

Firebrian

I have the OEM stock oil pan and T56 drain plugs with multiple fluid changes over the past 4 years. No leaks. Plugs are fine by themselves.

psychosid30

iTrader: (7)

I don't use any additional sealants on the plugs, just replace them about once a year. As for the rear end, properly cleaning and sealing the rear diff cover after a fluid change should get you to your next fluid change without a leak.

jdoyle

iTrader: (27)

how do you personally properly clean and seal the rear diff cover after a fluid change? I personally have never done it before. thank you in advance for the info.

1 FMF

iTrader: (1)

clean the old gasket material off the cover and housing first, which is the hard part.
use either a putty knife or wire brush, don't get gasket material in the housing.
you can either buy a felpro gasket #RDS55072 and be good to go,
or use permatex rtv either the ultra gray, orange, or green gear oil gasket maker... but you would need to wait at least 1 hour for it to cure enough to not leak (unlike using the felpro gasket)

jdoyle

iTrader: (27)

right on thank you

psychosid30

iTrader: (7)

The only thing I have to add to that is I use a spray brake cleaner to remove any trace of fluid off of the mating surfaces before reassembly.