Tranny Pan Gasket

[BodybyFisher]

I recall the guru stating that the tranny pan gasket is reusable does anyone recall that?

However, everything I read states that the tranny pan gasket is not reusable. Mine is leaking very badly, and it leaves a mark on the ground the shape of the pan. I believe that when the fluid was changed either 1) they used the old pan gasket and/or 2) They did not clean and dry the mating surfaces well and the leaks started.

I made up a fitting today to pump the fluid out of the tranny via the tranny cooler over the fender into a container as per JimD's suggestion.

Besides cleaning and drying the mating surfaces, using a new gasket and torquing the pan bolts to spec would using RTV on the gasket or bolts help at all or should I NOT use the RTV?

I can buy Shell Dextron III at Costco, is that OK, or should I spend the extra cash for the GM Dextron III? Any opinions?

[JimD]

Can't help you on the reuseable gasket issue, Mike. But if I had a rubber O ring type of gasket that was not obviously nicked or broken or stretched, I would reuse it. That gasket surface is not exposed to pressure. But a new gasket is cheap insurance.

Any Dexron-III specification fluid will be want you want; it does not matter who bottles it. I have read that even the later specification Dexron-IV or -V is backward compatible.

Using RTV would not hurt anything as long as you are careful to prevent RTV from getting inside the tranny. But it should not be necessary.

[Ranger]

The gaskets are definately reusable Mike. I reused mine when I did the '97 Deville and it never leaked.

I would think any Dexron III is ok.

I agree with Jim on the RTV.

[joeb]

i have had my tranny pan off twice and i am leak free with the metal/rubber gasket. i did the pan on my 98 grandprix and that had the same type of gasket but i went with the cork replacement. the original gasket had a nice kink in the metal backing so i decided to go with the cheap cork gasket and it is still not leaking 1 yr later.

[Ranger]

I recall the guru stating that the tranny pan gasket is reusable does anyone recall that?

However, everything I read states that the tranny pan gasket is not reusable. Mine is leaking very badly, and it leaves a mark on the ground the shape of the pan. I believe that when the fluid was changed either 1) they used the old pan gasket and/or 2) They did not clean and dry the mating surfaces well and the leaks started.

I made up a fitting today to pump the fluid out of the tranny via the tranny cooler over the fender into a container as per JimD's suggestion.

Besides cleaning and drying the mating surfaces, using a new gasket and torquing the pan bolts to spec would using RTV on the gasket or bolts help at all or should I NOT use the RTV?

I can buy Shell Dextron III at Costco, is that OK, or should I spend the extra cash for the GM Dextron III? Any opinions?

Or they used an impact wrench to tighten the pan bolts.

[KHE]

The gasket is supposed to be reusable - provided that it does not get damaged when it is removed. Since your gasket is leaking already, I would not reuse it - get a new one at the dealer - it is about $28 and has all the metal bushings. The aftermarket gaskets in the filter kits ar echeap cork and do not have the bushings and the pan will be damaged when torquing the bolts to the spec. If it were my car, I wouldn't risk having to do the job again because the gasket leaked. You don't need to use RTV on the gasket as it is designed to swell slightly when oil contacts the gasket. I don't recall what the service manual states about using RTV on the bolts.

Any name brand Dexron III is fine - Shell, texaco, valvoline, etc.

Are you going to idle the engine to pump out the trans fluid? I need to change the trans fluid on my '97 and my '96 soon and wondered about the method of idling the engine to pump out the fluid. The guru said as long as the trans selector was in park or neutral, there would not be any load on the clutch packs.

[BodybyFisher]

Thanks guys, I was reading the FSM and GM procedures and saw this:

Important

The bottom pan gasket is not reusable. Replace it with a new part after removing the bottom pan for any service.

I have an OEM pan gasket ready to go. I know the filter was changed at 45K miles so it's possible that a cork gasket was used and they improperly or over-torqued it.

I am planning to pump the fluid out through the top cooler port leaving the car in PARK. I will post my experience with this, I think I will replace the two screens/filters also.

I am tired of this tranny fluid leak. I had the tires rotated and balanced today, with the 2 new hub assemblies she is riding smooth and quiet..

[KHE]

If someone used a cork gasket and torqued the bolts to spec., the pan will be distorted. Most of the time, it can be fixed - when the pan is off, place the bolt area on a block of wood and use another block of wood on the opposite side and tap it back into place with a hammer. Because there is wood on each side of the pan area, the hammer never contacts the pan.

If there is not any junk in the screens, it is a waste of time and money to replace them - they can be cleaned and reused also - you might need to replace the o-rings that retain them if you remove them to clean them - the o-rings are much cheaper than the screens with the filter.

[BodybyFisher]

Thanks for that Kevin, I will keep my eyes open for a cork gasket now and see if the pan is distorted.

Thanks for saving me some money on the screens, I will get the o-rings/seals if the dealer has them if not I will leave them in place and not disturb them.

[KHE]

Thanks for that Kevin, I will keep my eyes open for a cork gasket now and see if the pan is distorted.

Thanks for saving me some money on the screens, I will get the o-rings/seals if the dealer has them if not I will leave them in place and not disturb them.

If the screens don't need cleaning, just leave them in place and it will be fine.