Transmission sealing-Home Stretch?

[3rdGen_to1stGen]

I apologize if this has been covered before.

It's been quite a lot to get my transmission to stop leaking. Best I can tell now there is just a minor leak from the pan flange. Doing last service I installed a few time-certs and installed a mag-hytec single deep pan.
I should have just replaced all of the screw holes because if you don't there's always one and it's usually the last one you torque.
So I have enough to finish the job this time however when I installed this new pan I thought it would be a really good idea to use the Mopar Chrysler gaskets so I used a brand new one.
After going to this trouble I don't wish to wonder if there was a better gasket to use for people talk about lube locker and others and although it might only make a minor difference and there's no reason the OEM gasket should not do a fine job I've also been told that due to the dimensions of this pan it's not optimal. So I guess my first question is what is?
I may later have some questions about a good bypass oil filtration deal that doesn't mount front and center of the engine compartments like the Amsoil one. Preferably I'd like it if it was a dual head manifold of some kind but I don't know such a creature exists. Trying to extend my oil life a bit and the fleet guard double layer is a good filter but it can only do so much.

That's my two question maximum. Thank you very much for any help.

 

[BigPapa]

Have you replaced the dipstick tube seal? These will leak and look like a pan gasket leak.

 

[Ozymandias]

There are two OEM gaskets, cork or o-ring style.
Which one did you use and how did you install it.

And how much do you torque your pan bolts that you strip them all the time.
I never stripped a single one in twenty years with these transmissions.
More torque doesn't mean a better seal at this point, it's actually counter acting.

If you want better oil filtration than drop in a Fleetgard LF9028 that is built for extended intervals. No need to mess with the hardware under the hood.

 

[3rdGen_to1stGen]

Have you replaced the dipstick tube seal? These will leak and look like a pan gasket leak.

No, but I will now Just to eliminate that possibility Thank you!

 

[3rdGen_to1stGen]

There are two OEM gaskets, cork or o-ring style.
Which one did you use and how did you install it.

And how much do you torque your pan bolts that you strip them all the time.
I never stripped a single one in twenty years with these transmissions.
More torque doesn't mean a better seal at this point, it's actually counter acting.

If you want better oil filtration than drop in a Fleetgard LF9028 that is built for extended intervals. No need to mess with the hardware under the hood.

I do not recall You torque value that I used but on the Cummins forum and from other sources I remember talking it to the specified value with a calibrated torque wrench that I borrowed from work.

It may have been me that caused this problem but I'm not sure. I had some people attempt to rebuild my transmission sometime ago story for another time and I tried to torque it when I noticed it was leaking and I did not achieve torque.

I use the rubberized/plastic (the one with the 2 sealing beads that run the circumference) Mopar gasket with the Mag-hytec pan. I believe the pan had a leak before that though. My plan was to fix the leak by installing a brand new gasket during my next transmission service installing Time-Serts where needed and if I could go back I would just do them all. Currently though they all made their torque value I'm just apprehensive that the last bolt I torque of course won't make its torque value based on whatever's going on, mother was a mistake I made or a mistake that the transmission shop made when I first noticed that it was leaking.

And the next time that pan comes off I am going to do them all and I was also hoping to get the best possible gasket I can.

 

[bigceltic]

I was sure that my pan was leaking and tried a couple of times to stop it - different pan gaskets, sealants and that did not stop it... and then thought it was the trans dipstick, etc ... BUT it turned out it was leaking at the 8pin plug on the side! Not sure what trans you have but you may want to check higher up.

As far as extra oil filtration - I had the Amsoil one which I mounted to the frame rail under the passenger seat and it worked well. I removed it recently when I was thinking to go with twin turbos but for the 10+ years I had it on there, it worked well. Did not help with extended intervals based on UOA, though... at least in my case.

 

[RussellSullivan]

I’ve always preferred the expensive Mopar gasket. I put a very light coat of high temp silicone sealant on both sides of it. Install and torque to 125 in. lbs.
I once stripped the threads in a hole. Was able to repair it by tapping deeper threads and using a longer bolt. Then painted the bolt head and location on the pan for future reference.

 

[3rdGen_to1stGen]

I was sure that my pan was leaking and tried a couple of times to stop it - different pan gaskets, sealants and that did not stop it... and then thought it was the trans dipstick, etc ... BUT it turned out it was leaking at the 8pin plug on the side! Not sure what trans you have but you may want to check higher up.

As far as extra oil filtration - I had the Amsoil one which I mounted to the frame rail under the passenger seat and it worked well. I removed it recently when I was thinking to go with twin turbos but for the 10+ years I had it on there, it worked well. Did not help with extended intervals based on UOA, though... at least in my case.

Yes sir mine too.
I changed that Range Sensor as it was certainly leaking, the biggest leak was the shift lever shaft seal, also changed.
It does not leak bad but, it still leaks enough to make me want to make it stop.

 

[3rdGen_to1stGen]

I’ve always preferred the expensive Mopar gasket. I put a very light coat of high temp silicone sealant on both sides of it. Install and torque to 125 in. lbs.
I once stripped the threads in a hole. Was able to repair it by tapping deeper threads and using a longer bolt. Then painted the bolt head and location on the pan for future reference.

Same. One has a deeper bolt and about a few have time serts which work quite well. Just want to eliminate all possibilities at next service.

Although, I did not use the red RTV on mine.
The Moper gasket sealed my ATS rear diff cover great.

 

[3rdGen_to1stGen]

So far it sounds like the best thing for me to do at the next service is get the rest of the time serts in, change the dipstick gasket just because, and either stick with the Mopar gasket (maybe with a bit of gasket maker, maybe not) or something else. Still wonder if there could be a prime gasket for this. Mag-hytec did send a paper one. Perhaps that, cork or something less rigid than the Mopar for this pan.

Thanks for the responses!

 

[Ozymandias]

Also the Set screw for the front band tends to seep a little over the years.

Do not use any additional sealing compound with the o-ring gasket or it will leak definitely.
It has to be installed dry as a bone.

You can use RTV only instead of a gasket to check where the leak really is.

The MOPAR o-ring gasket served me well for the last 20 years or so, never a leak. Pan bolts hand tight with a 1/4" ratchet, just snug.

As a side note, I once got a PML pan which came with (for my liking) to short bolts, just about 5 threads (1/4") left to hold with the gasket. I did not like that and went for longer bolts.