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Transmission Plug Stripped / Pan Replacement

Discussion in '1st Gen Tundras (2000-2006)' started by DarkMint, Apr 3, 2022.

  1. Apr 3, 2022 at 3:56 PM
    #1
    DarkMint

    DarkMint [OP] just gettin by

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    When attempting to do my 2nd transmission fluid drain and fill, I couldn't get past the first stage of the procedure: removing the drain plug. I took a 14mm wrench and attempted to unscrew it, it began moving with just a little arm pressure, I expected that. However, I found that when I continued to turn the bolt it wasn't "coming out" of the threads. The bolt is having intermittent times when it feels "loose" and then will "tighten" again, and it's just not coming out.

    Attempting to tighten it back up is yielding the same results. Same plug loosening and tightening behavior as when I was trying to loosen it out.

    Trans fluid is not leaking out more than a tiny bit when the plug is in its "loose" position. I've turned it to be "tight" on there hopefully to prevent leaks.

    The last transmission drain/fill was done by me, I'm pretty sure I tightened it to 15 ft/lbs considering it didn't take much effort to start moving the plug by wrench.

    1) Is this a stripped transmission plug or some weird gasket issue with the plug gasket catching on plug threads?
    2) How did this happen?
    3) Is this safe to drive on if it's not actively dripping but not technically torqued down?
     
  2. Apr 3, 2022 at 4:00 PM
    #2
    assassin10000

    assassin10000 New Member

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    If not leaking, it's not a problem to drive.


    You'll probably want to drop the pan and fix the threads. Either by re-threading (thread chase), drilling and tapping the next size up or removing the old threaded section and welding a new one on.

    Or just get another trans pan. Depends on your tool/skill sets.
     
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  3. Apr 3, 2022 at 5:12 PM
    #3
    SouthPaw

    SouthPaw The headlight guy

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    I’d be watching it very closely. That thing could vibrate loose and you wouldn’t know it until it’s too late.

    I had a motorcycle oil drain plug do the same. The PO must have tightened the plug to 150lb because when I removed it, it came out along with all the threads.. lol. I removed pan and used a oversized drain plug. They sell self tapping oversized drain plugs but I opted to use a tap since the pan was off already. Worked like a charm.
     
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  4. Apr 3, 2022 at 5:41 PM
    #4
    Tundra2

    Tundra2 Zoinked

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  5. Apr 3, 2022 at 5:50 PM
    #5
    Jack McCarthy

    Jack McCarthy Truck repair enthusiast; Rust Aficionado

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    This happened to me once but I didn’t reuse the plug to tighten, I instead bought a new plug and gasket and was able to rethread it with new plug thankfully. Alternative is to tap a slightly larger bolt hole and use an alternative larger plug. Hopefully one still small enough to fit the crush gasket.

    I have no idea what caused it as I’m pretty careful and only tighten it enough to crush the gasket and get it hand snug tight.
     
    DarkMint[QUOTED][OP] likes this.
  6. Apr 3, 2022 at 6:50 PM
    #6
    FirstGenVol

    FirstGenVol Brake Czar

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    Happened to me and I had to replace the pan. Still not entirely sure what happened. When I did the previous drain and fill I remember it felt off when I was tightening the drain plug but I used a torque wrench. Fast forward to the next time and it would do exactly like you described. It would act like it was tightening and then get loose, rinse, repeat. Eventually I realized it was toast. The strange part is that I could never unscrew it. No matter how much I loosened, it never came out.

    I wouldn't feel great about driving it like this. You may have to replace the pan like I did unfortunately. It's not too difficult but it is tedious. If you end up having to do this let me know. I found a great tutorial.
     
  7. Apr 4, 2022 at 4:38 AM
    #7
    NetGnome

    NetGnome New Member

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    Removed lots of rust.
    Try hitting the plug with a hammer to loosen up threads and then try to remove it.
     
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  8. Apr 4, 2022 at 1:40 PM
    #8
    DarkMint

    DarkMint [OP] just gettin by

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    Yeah this bugger is toast... Whacking it with a hammer didn't work, sticking a knife between the plug head and pan surface and prying while turning didn't work. Looks like I'm gonna need a new pan. I've never tapped or rethreaded anything before.

    Long shot but does anyone out there make a better trans pan to minimize this from happening? I think it's the shitty threads in the pan itself that cause this problem.
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2022
  9. Apr 4, 2022 at 1:41 PM
    #9
    DarkMint

    DarkMint [OP] just gettin by

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    @FirstGenVol I could use that tutorial. Got a big trip planned for 3 weeks from now, this was supposed to be easy maintenance beforehand. Ugh.
     
  10. Apr 4, 2022 at 2:20 PM
    #10
    DarkMint

    DarkMint [OP] just gettin by

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    Actually I'm just gonna take it into a shop nearby. My job is about to ramp up in the next 3 weeks and I NEED it at the end of those 3 weeks. Truck-wrenching time will be very limited unfortunately.
    I'll be driving the truck to the shop with the plug "tight." Fingers crossed nothing goes wrong on the way there. Looks like my cranking on it has resulted in a slow drip leak, even with the plug "tight".

    Anyone got an easy link to a new transmission pan?

    @FirstGenVol It might still be helpful to anyone who stumbles across this in the future to have that tutorial.
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2022
  11. Apr 4, 2022 at 3:12 PM
    #11
    BubbaW

    BubbaW Been Real

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    Given thought to letting that shop do your O2 sensor. They'll be right by it.
     
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  12. Apr 4, 2022 at 3:15 PM
    #12
    DarkMint

    DarkMint [OP] just gettin by

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    Good thinking! I'll bundle that in there!
     
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  13. Apr 4, 2022 at 4:01 PM
    #13
    FirstGenVol

    FirstGenVol Brake Czar

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    Might as well have them replace the transmission "filter" while they have it open.
     
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  14. Apr 4, 2022 at 4:02 PM
    #14
    FirstGenVol

    FirstGenVol Brake Czar

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    Part Number Part Name Price Quantity Total
    35106-34040 Trans Pan $116.32
    35330-60030 Transmission Filter $43.80
    90119-06513 Bolt W Washer $1.17
    35178-30010 Trans Pan O-Ring $2.45
    90341-10011 Drain Plug $2.46

    Double check all this of course but this is from my receipt from October 2020.
     
  15. Apr 4, 2022 at 4:17 PM
    #15
    Radarninja

    Radarninja New Member

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    I had this similar issue on my Tacoma,
    Used a calibrated torque wrench to tighten and it actually stripped the threads out. Had to replace the pan.
    I used to be a stickler for torque values and on some things I still am.
    But for the majority of things I use ‘feel’.
    Good luck.
     
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  16. Apr 4, 2022 at 7:08 PM
    #16
    DarkMint

    DarkMint [OP] just gettin by

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    I appreciate everyone who's chimed in to assist. I called the shop, they will be replacing the pan for me with a new one. I am providing the new pan, parts, filter, and fluid. Thanks for the part numbers @FirstGenVol. @Radarninja Yeah from now on I'm definitely going on "feel" for the trans plug on future drain/fills. Just enough to crush the gasket will be good enough for me.

    I have a funny feeling that 15 ft/lb's is actually too much. Should probably be 20 Nm (Japan = metric), whereas 15 ftlb is closer to 20.34 Nm. That 0.34 Nm might just be too much which causes so many plug threading issues when we home-mechanics do drain/fills. It seems like a pretty common issue.

    Since I've decided to avoid drilling and re-tapping the threads or finagling anything like that, I've ordered the below:
    35106-34040 Trans Pan
    90119-06513 Bolt W Washer (Bolts for the transmission pan itself I believe, notorious for snapping during both removal and torqueing down)
    90341-10011 Drain Plug
    35178-30010 Drain Plug Gasket (Wasn't sure if the drain plug came with a gasket, my local Toyota dealer parts dept said it doesn't come with gasket)

    Looks like prices have gone up since Oct 2020. My receipt below.
    Parts Receipt.jpg

    Buying parts from my local Toyota dealer's website, they call the transmission pan bolts "Transmission Drain Plug" which is confusing and made it harder to track down. I believe these are the finicky bolts that hold the trans pan in place. I have faith in FirstGenVol's parts receipt though. On the website's diagram it's labeled "35106F".

    Parts Diagram.jpg


    I have the transmission pan gasket and transmission strainer/filter already on hand. It seems like I have everything necessary for the job. Next step is to pick up the parts from the dealer and then move the truck to the shop.
     
  17. Apr 4, 2022 at 7:33 PM
    #17
    shifty`

    shifty` The Second Shortcoming of Christ

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    I suspect it may actually be a typo, and it was supposed to be 15 Nm.

    Hate to say it but this may be another one of those cases where "feel" trumps documentation.
     
  18. Apr 4, 2022 at 7:57 PM
    #18
    DarkMint

    DarkMint [OP] just gettin by

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    Oh yeah for future drain/fills I'm working off feel and keeping a close eye on the crush gasket, gonna go super slow.
     
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  19. Apr 5, 2022 at 3:42 AM
    #19
    FirstGenVol

    FirstGenVol Brake Czar

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    A torque wrench has gotten me in trouble three times now including this transmission pan. I'll never use one on oil or trans pans again. There is also the fact that it's a dry torque so I think when working with fluids you're supposed to reduce the torque spec by a certain amount. Regardless, I'm going by feel from now on as well.

    You might have already stated it, but there is a specific Toyota FIPG you have to use for the transmission pan. You get like 15 minutes before it dries.
     
    Last edited: Apr 5, 2022
  20. Apr 5, 2022 at 3:59 AM
    #20
    DarkMint

    DarkMint [OP] just gettin by

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    Any issue with using the FelPro trans pan gasket? It's a rubber gasket, not the FIPG. That's what I have on hand.
     
  21. Apr 5, 2022 at 4:21 AM
    #21
    FirstGenVol

    FirstGenVol Brake Czar

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    I'm not sure. How much do you trust your shop? This is a tedious job that requires one to go slow and do it right. I'd be concerned any mechanic is going to want to haul ass.

    I should clarify my previous statement from my last post. An inch lb torque wrench is required for the bolts that hold the filter and the bolts for the pan. I wouldn't do those by feel. You also have a specific pattern the bolts for the trans pan are tightened. You also have to gently remove the old FIPG from the bottom of the transmission without scratching it. It took a long time.

    I used a paint pen to label mine.

    1013201345_HDR~2.jpg
     
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  22. Apr 5, 2022 at 5:18 AM
    #22
    FrenchToasty

    FrenchToasty The Desert rat, 6 lug enthusiast

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    What are you labeling exactly? The torque pattern?
     
  23. Apr 5, 2022 at 6:01 AM
    #23
    FirstGenVol

    FirstGenVol Brake Czar

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  24. Apr 5, 2022 at 6:29 AM
    #24
    FrenchToasty

    FrenchToasty The Desert rat, 6 lug enthusiast

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  25. Apr 5, 2022 at 7:02 AM
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    Jack McCarthy

    Jack McCarthy Truck repair enthusiast; Rust Aficionado

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    If it was me, I'd just pick up a $20 metric tap and die set from Harbor Freight and fix it myself than deal the aggravation of putting on a new pan but whatever.

    Guess you'll see how much sludge buildup is in the pan this way.
     
  26. Apr 5, 2022 at 7:41 AM
    #26
    FirstGenVol

    FirstGenVol Brake Czar

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    No I didn't snap any. Just the drain plug was stripped. But yes it's a tedious process. I also got a face full of ATF when the pan finally broke free. Good times. I'll probably get cancer later.
     
  27. Apr 5, 2022 at 7:51 AM
    #27
    SouthPaw

    SouthPaw The headlight guy

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    I'd definitely do this first. I'd leave it on the truck (if it were me) and tap it right there. Put some grease on the tap to catch the metal shaving and then flush it when you are done.
     
    Last edited: Apr 5, 2022
  28. Apr 5, 2022 at 7:52 AM
    #28
    FrenchToasty

    FrenchToasty The Desert rat, 6 lug enthusiast

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    That sounds like some serious yoga right there. I would just be worried that the threads on the pan or the plug would be permanently damaged. I think it was you that linked the oil pan tap set. I guess that would at least get you by until you could fully replace the pan.
     
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  29. Apr 5, 2022 at 11:41 AM
    #29
    tvpierce

    tvpierce Formerly New Member

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    I'm frankly surprised this isn't what the shop suggested. It's what I'd do too.

    The treads are already permanently damaged. Rethreading with a tap should be considered a permanent fix.
     
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  30. Apr 5, 2022 at 12:34 PM
    #30
    SouthPaw

    SouthPaw The headlight guy

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    It worked out very smooth on my motorcycle oil pan. Granite, I did remove it from the bike since it was extremely easy, but clearance would have been the biggest issue if I tried to do it on the bike. Glob some grease on the tap, give a few turns, back it out, give it a few more turns, back it out, glob more grease, and repeat. Some guys were even putting an air hose with a rag over the hole to blow everything out, then flush it with a gallon of oil (ATF in this case).

    If done correctly, it will hold up just fine. If it starts to leak, then you can worry about replacing the pan. I looked briefly into this and it appears the OEM trans drain plug is M10x1.25 and they do not make an oversized drain plug that small. If you do decided to drill/tap it, you will need to go to a M12X1.50/1.75. It would require you to drill out the existing drain with a drill bit (I think 13/32), tap it and thread it.
     
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