There is fluid on one of the pan bolts and a drop on the bell housing, likely from where it ran down.
The truck has had two new pan gaskets and a new pan. I even got rid of the gasket, used a whole tube of RTV, and thread-sealed all the bolts, but it’s still leaking—only in the spot where I park it. The truck is parked with the nose slightly lower, maybe by 4 inches.
It was recently at the shop that replaced the pan gasket and pan again I applied the RTV and thread sealant later. They drove it for 30 miles, kept it for a week, and parked it nose down overnight but didn’t find any leaks. I noticed the leak after it had been parked for about 3 days.
I am getting really frustrated. Could this be something other than the pan? There is still fluid on the pan bolt head before I used RTV, multiple bolts had fluid on them.
I had issues with my transmission pan. It was leaking, especially noticeable on uneven surfaces. Many of the bolts on it were tapped to a larger size, likely due to someone attempting a fix and stripping the bolts. It’s important not to overtighten them. Another possibility is that the pan could be warped between the bolts, which may let fluid seep through. Consider making a reinforcement bracket that matches the bolt hole pattern on the front of the pan to distribute the clamping force more evenly. Alternatively, replacing the pan might be a solution.
The shop had tightened the bolts on the new pan, but it still seemed off. I did my final tightening with hand tools, starting with the corners and then going around about six times, tightening every third bolt with a ratchet.
The shop seemed to just wait for it to leak again, but of course, it didn’t for them. I am baffled how using a whole tube of RTV and high-temperature Loctite on every bolt didn’t fix the problem. I thought the RTV would set up and seal any gaps if there was warping.
Well, when it comes to oil, televisions can be quite picky. It is imperative to thoroughly clean the mating surfaces. And did you add atf after giving the rtv a full day to cure? That will undoubtedly determine whether something leaks or not.
My 6.0 leaks a few drops of oil each day from both the rear main and the oil pan, but I have lived with it for years. When the transmission comes out, I’ll have someone address it. A drop or two daily is not a deal-breaker for me.
I’ve heard that the best way to get a solid seal on the 7.3 engine is to invert the drained block on an engine stand and apply the gasket and sealant while it’s upside down. It’s not surprising that the same approach applies to the transmission. Proper preparation and using the right gasket are crucial. For instance, I recently changed the rear diff fluid and used a Lube Locker gasket, which specifically advised against RTV, and it sealed perfectly. Here’s a link to their e4OD gasket: E4OD gasket Lube Locker.
The reinforcement bracket idea, suggested by u/RemarkableMud1326, seems like a good approach and might help.
I could never get two stock pans to seal regardless of the gasket so I ordered an aluminum TrickFkow TFS-1011 pan with the blue Moroso gasket very thick and zero leaks ever since.
