Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Drain plug leak

[bmcgarry]

I have a engine oil drain plug leak and cant seem to get it stopped. Installed a new plug and gasket,put a oil & gas proof sealer on the threads & gasket. After a few weeks the leek came back. I've checked the thread on the pan and they are ok, I did notice the pan was concave at the plug surface. Anyone have a cure for this ???



Bob 96 4x4

 

[Wally]

Mine does the same thing have just learned to put SMALL amount of RTV sealant on threads reinstall and let dry for few hours before adding new oil. I tried new drain plugs, different washers, and so far this is my only sure fire fix good luck

 

[Forrest]

Congrats Garry ... you're another victum of the dreded under designed drain plug. I've got a couple pics on my readers rig. The top of the plug is thin & after normal use, does the concave bit & cracks & leaks.



I replaced mine with a finger touch from Genos. Oo.

 

[SRehberg]

Mine had the same problem when I bought it from another party. I did the samething, I installed Geno's drain valve that has the lever so it makes it really easy to change the oil. I went one step farther, I installed a small "O" ring at the base with a small amount of RTV, no more leak in almost a year. The one thing that was suggested by others on the forum, was to drill some holes in the new plug from Geno's so it doesn't leave any oil in the pan. I put 4 holes evenly spaced about where I calculated the bottom of the pan would be, thereby not having some dirty oil left. The only other cure is to change the pan, and that gets expensive if you have it done.

 

[Bob4x4]

The Fumimoto drain valve is the easiest fix for the concave pan syndrome. It has worked for me on many Jiffy lubed trucks,



Bob

 

[HEMI®Dart]

I have had the fumoto finger touch plug in for 3 years. I have had no reliability issues with it. It makes changing the oil a snap and mess free.



Except it leaves A QUART OF DIRTY OIL IN THE PAN!



I DRILLED IT like a few members suggested and it still leaves A QUART OF DIRTY OIL IN THE PAN!. I end up bleeding a quart off because it's overfilled.



I pulled it out for good and am going to use the heavy duty plug from Geno's.

 

[Dreher]

I also have the same concave seating area on the oil pan and I had the leak that goes with it.



I stopped my leak by adding a gasket between the oil pan and the factory washer. I currently use 1/16" sheet cork for the gasket but I have also used rubber washers and paper gaskets in the past. I cut the gasket slightly larger than the flange on the plug, the punch a hole in the center with a sharpened piece of 3/4" copper pipe. Torque the plug to 25 ft/lbs and it's good to go. I have been using this method for the last seven years and it doesn't leak a drop.



I learned of this fix from a member of this forum before it was TDR, but sadly, I cannot recall his name to give him the proper credit.



Bob

 

[K5IP]

My copper gaskets always leaked. The last time I bought one from Dodge, they had an upgraded unit. It is black and appears to be of a very hard plastic material.

No more leaks.

Rog

 

[GAmes]

I read about the quart of oil left in the pan so decided to drill some holes in my finger touch plug. I discovered that the oil pan has 4 holes drilled in the threaded insert in the pan, which would explain why hemidart still had oil left after he drilled the holes. . they didn't align with the holes in the pan. I marked mine and drilled it, so next oil change I'll find out how good my calculations were.

 

[Otts Machine Shop]

Drain Plug reply

Mine leaked to

Nobody has said anything about the spot welds around the plug hole keeping any washer from sealing properly.

I had my Machinist make me a larger washer with a groove for an O ring just outside of the spot welds. End of problem for me.

Dick









96 2500 5spd 190k KDP 14 to 15 MPG @ 21000 gross Fuel return line comming soon

 

[Extreme1]

Mine leaked to

Nobody has said anything about the spot welds around the plug hole keeping any washer from sealing properly.

That's the problem I had with mine. It never leaked until Dodge "new and improved" the drain plug gasket. The first time it had a fresh pan full of synthetic so I didn't want to drain it. I got it to stop leaking by overtorquing the plug (I could see the bottom of the pan starting to twist!)



The next time I did drain it I had already installed the Mag-Hytek rear diff cover. If a little steel filled epoxy worked to make the diff cover seal with less than perfect housing, I figure it would work to fill the spot welds on the oil pan too. It did.