MTX drain plug ?'s

[jthod]

Well, my 6 month old axle seal is leaking. I watched the guy at the tranny shop do it, and he used a large socket to put it in, and had a hard time doing it.

Anyways...I'm going to replace it Saturday at our NebSHO tech meet, and while I'm at the tranny thing, I'm going to put in a drain plug and take out the Mobil 1 and replace it with MaxLife DEX/MERC. (had that in before the M-1, and like it much more)

I've already got the threading tools and a good drill bit for the 10x1.5 exhaust manifold studs. I've even got an extra bolt, I think it's just a hardened bolt, not stainless. Could I use this and cut the bolt short and use is as a plug? I would probably use an o-ring for better seal. Or would teflon tape work better?

How convenient that this happens 3 days before I was going to take it on a 600 mile road trip. :shakehead I love my SHO....I guess.

 

[itwonder]

The guy probably bent the seal banging it in. When I installed mine, I just tapped around the ****** perimeter until i got it seated. It is a little tough to get started. Use anerobic sealant on the ******.

I just followed the shotimes article and tapped the transmission pan with a 1/8" pipe thread tap. Then I used a 1/8" brass plug fitting. Pipe fittings have tapered threads, so just a little sealant on the threads is all you need.

 

[turbo79]

Slightly OT, but in the SHOTimes article it says to use 3.1 quarts of fluid, and yet in the Ford OEM drivers manual it says that the capacity of the trans is 5 quarts. I'm going to add a drain plug, but don't want to underfill. Anyone know the story on this?

I also think I'm going to safety wire the thing in just in case...

 

[yamahaSHO]

If you fill it the way you're supposed to (IE fill until it leaks out the fill hole with a level surface), you can't underfill it. FWIW, I've never used more than 3 quarts... I generally don't even make it to 3 quarts.

 

[jthod]

so how about the plug, am I good to use what I said?

 

[yamahaSHO]

I would get a 1/4" NPT plug from Home Depot and drill/tap for it. Most standard 1/4" taps are tapered just a bit. You could get away with just that if needed... That's what I did.

 

[Ishodu]

If its not a NPT tap it not the right thread for NPT plug. Use an National pipe taper plug 1/8" works great make sure to get the 1/8" NPT tap.

 

[jthod]

huh?

Ok let me rephrase, I have:

1-10mm x 1.5 thread tap (used for exhaust studs)

1-correct size wrench for the tap

1-bolt with the same threads

Will threading the tranny with that tap (not cutting threads all the way throgh), and using that bolt cut to length, be sufficient for a drain plug?

 

[mtascill]

I'd go with the brass plug like others have recommended. Won't rust and much less likely to damage the soft aluminum threads you're about to tap into your trans. I've had a 1/8" brass drain plug in my 95 for years now and it's worked great. Just a little teflon tape to seal up and protect threads. It's worth the trip to for the brass plug!

Check out the SHOTIMES article on the trans drain plug installation, that's the one many of us have followed.

 

[jthod]

I'd go with the brass plug like others have recommended. Won't rust and much less likely to damage the soft aluminum threads you're about to tap into your trans. I've had a 1/8" brass drain plug in my 95 for years now and it's worked great. Just a little teflon tape to seal up and protect threads. It's worth the trip to for the brass plug!

Check out the SHOTIMES article on the trans drain plug installation, that's the one many of us have followed.

17 mile trip, after driving 360 miles already today...

I know, the brass will be better, but that's what I have on hand, and money's tight.

I've got the procedure down, but I'm just hoping to save a little coin.

 

[mtascill]

Fair enough, 17 miles is a long way. My real concern is for the next time you remove the plug, you'll want to go real careful then.

 

[jthod]

If it's got teflon tape on it, won't it both seal, and somewhat protect?

I know, Steel Bolt + Aluminum threads=Bad news, but it's not like I'm doing this every 3,000 miles. If I'm lucky, I won't need to do it for another 20k.

I think of it this way, if I do F it up, I can always get a bigger plug

 

[mtascill]

Yep, that's what we're hoping for. The teflon will **** the bolt, hopefully for removal as well as installation.

Either way, doing the drain plug is the way to go. It's a little extra work the first time but way better than the alternatives.

Best of luck on your project!

 

[jthod]

Thanks, now the axle won't come out of the tranny... (other thread)

 

[Ishodu]

If you use the tap and threads you plan on using, it will leak. The threads are cut straight and the oil will travel down the threads. With a tapered plug the threads on the plug and the hole you tap have both got the same taper. When you screw it in with tape or sealant on it the thread clearance get tighter the farther you screw it in to the point of almost no clearance where the sealant takes over and the oil cannot leak past.

 

[itwonder]

If you cut straight threads, you'll need to make sure that bolt you have has a ****** head. Then you can use a gasket on it, like an oil drain plug. The only thing that worries me is the transmission case is not all that thick, and I'm not sure you will have the minimum 3-4 threads needed to make straight threads reliable. Since we're talking about $5 for the recommended 1/8" NPT tap, drill bit, and brass plug, I recommend going with what is well proven.

 

[jthod]

Well, I decided to bite the bullet and do it the right way, and expensive way. $22 for plug, tap, and correct size drill bit.

Maybe I'll rent out the drain plug kit, and the exhaust stud kit like Bill does the shim kit.

Thanks for the advice every one

 

[Ishodu]

Make sure you don't tap the hole too deep. The threads will become too loose. Once you got the tap in 3/8 of a inch or so try the plug if its too tight to get 2 turns by had tap a little deeper until you can turn the plug in 2 turns with your fingers then your done. Tape up the threads or use paste, if using tape make sure you put the tape on so that it follows the threads so that it will not peel off when you screw it in. Also dont tighten it too much its only aluminum.

 

[jthod]

Just exactly what I did!