[contraption22]

Any of you experts have any tips/tricks to propely seal a diff cover? I can never seem to get it right! Today i picked up some special Mopar ATF RTV to see if that helps. Thanks!

 

[turbovanman]

All I do is make sure both surfaces are free of oil, use a clean rag and brake cleaner. Apply the RTV to one surface, let it set up for 10 mins or so or until it becomes tacky. Install cover and tighten. Your all done!
Just becareful when you lay the bead that you don't get it to close to the bolt holes. You don't want the sealer going in the holes as if there blind, it will hydrolock the bolts and they will snap or pull out the threads!

 

[85lebaront2]

Mike, like they say, "cleanliness is next to godliness" be sure you get all the oil off the faces. I usually use brakekleen (I get the AutoZone generic). Make sure it is not the "envioronmentally friendly" type, that won't work. I have use the Mechanix brand from Advance with good results (my son calls it cheese whiz). Make sure the cover is flat, if not you can "reverse dimple" the bolt holes so the plate portion pulls down tight. Put a small (1/8" or so) bead on the transaxle face, going inside the bolt holes as you pass them. Carefully install the cover and start at least 2 bolts on opposite sides. If you have the bobble strut studs you can use them to keep one side aligned. Alternately tighten the bolts/studs until you have them all tight, use a torque wrench and follow Ma Mopar's values. Good luck, it should work unless you have owned a british car, then you are cursed to spend all eternity fighting electrical gremlins and mystery leaks.

 

[contraption22]

I can never get the atf to stop oozing out of the bottom long enough for me to get the cover back on!

 

[turbovanman]

I can never get the atf to stop oozing out of the bottom long enough for me to get the cover back on!

Drain some out, you should have a drain plug in the pan right???????

Put the RTV on the cover and then let it set up. This way you can quickly clean the trans case and bang it on, that way it won't leak!

 

[contraption22]

Thanks Simon and Bill!

 

[contraption22]

Thansk again for the help guys. Seems to have worked well so far. How long should i wait for this stuff to set up before i fill the trans?

 

[turbovanman]

If you let the RTV tack up, then you can fill it up right away, or if you really paranoid, wait an hour or so!

Remember rep points, lol!

 

[Dan Culkin]

Mike,

In case it doesn't work ... what I've always done is #1 to stop the oozing, I'll let the jack go way down to drain a whole bunch of the fluid out, and then jack it way up high. It works pretty well. Clean it up well, then apply RTV to both the tranny case AND the cover. You can make sure it adheres to the metal pretty well that way, rub it in well with your finger. Then stick the cover on, and you're good!

 

[contraption22]

this thing is destined to leak forever. It;s leaking again.

 

[turbovanman]

this thing is destined to leak forever. It;s leaking again.

No way, :bang head, :blah: You must have a porous casting or its coming from somewhere else. I do it the way I told you with all my customers cars and they never leak! I have even done A413 tranny pan when I didn't get sent a gasket late at night with ATF dripping and it still seals!!!!!

 

[contraption22]

I'm beginning to think you are right about this pourous casthing thing. This particular trans has never sealed

 

[Stevien1]

Check the driver side diff carrier seal. I've had them seep and the ATF "crawls" along the case to the lowest point of the trans (under the diff cover). Clean the area REAL good and spray some old-man deodorant or baby powder on the case. If it is higher up than the actual diff cover, you'll see it running down through the deodorant/powder.

Been there, done that TOO many f-ing times.

-Chuck James

 

[contraption22]

Thanks Chuck, i will give that a try. The axles have been in and out of this thing quite a few times.

 

[85lebaront2]

Mike, maybe you actully have a Harley, they don't leak, just mark their spot. Seriously, the other source or porous casting does sound likely. If you find it is a porous casting, you can probably fix it inplace. You will have to get all the fluid out, then clean the inside of the porous area completely. Use J-B weld and smooth it carefully over the inside where the fluid seems to be coming from. Wait 24 hrs, reassemble the cover, pray to the appropriate deities and hope for the best. Good luck this time.