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With the help of the Brickboard, I've been tackling jobs I never would have thought of in the past: blower motor, trailing arm bushings, control arm bushings, front wheel bearings, etc. Everything has gone great until now.
I had done a transmission flush months ago, but since I had left it a way too long, I later dropped the transmission pan to clean it out and replace the screen. A had a hell of a time getting the filler tube nut on and off. I literally had to hammer an adjustable wrench to budge it - I didn't have a 24mm. (After this I saw the advice to put anti-seize on it). I put it back together with a cork gasket from Groton, and torqued it to spec, but it leaked at the gasket. I did 2 more progressive tightenings, but it still leaked. The previous service was done with just liquid gasket, so I'm guessing the mechanic turned the nuts down too tight such that the gasket pinching surface was no longer straight.
Groton shipped me another gasket, this time the thinner (paper?) variety. When I got the pan off, I put a straight edge on 2 of the bolt openings, and I could slide a strip of newspaper under the straight edge between the bolt holes. I decided to run a strip of hi temp RTV on both gasket surfaces to ensure I didn't get a leak this time.
Although the filler tube nut came off with normal arm strength using a 24 mm wrench this time, I put anti-seize on it for reassembly. When I put the drain bolt back in, I decided to use some anti-seize on it also, since it was binding coming out. I was aware of the warnings about stripping the thread on the pan, but I figured I had it all under control, using a torque wrench to reset it. I stupidly forgot however that torque settings need to be compensated for when using anti-seize. It never got past 10 ft lbs (aiming for 15) and I stripped it. I'm assuming it's the pan that's stripped, not the bolt.
The bolt was still however in the hole, and I decided that the best thing to do for now was to ensure it wouldn't leak, and deal with it later. I degreased the entire recessed area and the bolt, and filled the entire recess with hi temp RTV. I've let it dry overnight, and will do a full transmission flush today - seeing as how it may never get drained again!
Other than getting a used pan, are there any suggestions on a repair here? Can the hole be tapped to a larger size?
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