Stripped/snaped trans pan bolts

|What is the best way to deal with a transmission pan that has 1 stripped |bolt hole and 1 snapped off bolt side by side causing a steady drip?

Drill & Tap for larger sized bolts for those two positions. Use stainless steel bolts to be sure they don't rust.

Lg

For the stripped bolt another option would be a helicoil. No way to do anything without drilling.

Thanks for the replies, that was what I thought. I drilled it out and bought a tap/die set today. Found out it already had a helicoil in it so the bolt is twice the size of the original, but it works. Also looked up the torque specs and have a torque wrench, it's done and no leaks. Thanks again.

A lot of times there's not clearance to do this. Also he didn't say it was rust, I've seen just as many snapped off bolts as a result of some moron cross-threading the bolt in.

Lawrence what you need to do is carefully using a center punch and drill, try to drill as large hole down the center of the snapped off bolt as you can, then use an Easy-Out (screw extractor) and see if you can get the bolt out without runining the thread.

Then for the stripped hole, buy a HeliCoil kit and using the drill and special tap in the kit, install a Heli Coil. I would not recommend using stainless steel bolts here, just use standard Grade 8 anodized bolts and be sure to torque to specs.

Sometimes if your really lucky the bolt hole is in a position where the back is accessible and you can put a nut back there, and use a standard bolt.

Ted

Ouch that drives me nuts, I was workin on my 95 Geo Prizm and had 2 aluminum bolts break just taking the plastic covers off the bottom. Then later 2 more broke and so rusted in it took for ever to drill out.

If the bolt breaks then get a bolt remover tool. They do not always work but it beats retaping.

Aluminum maybe lighter but I have only had 1 steel bolt break on me.

|A lot of times there's not clearance to do this. Also he didn't say it was |rust, I've |seen just as many snapped off bolts as a result of some moron |cross-threading |the bolt in. | |Lawrence what you need to do is carefully using a center punch and drill, |try to |drill as large hole down the center of the snapped off bolt as you can, then |use an Easy-Out (screw extractor) and see if you can get the bolt out |without |runining the thread.

That sounds like a lot of trouble. Then instead of tapping, how about just drilling all the way through and using a nut on the bottom side, with a star washer attached so it won't loosen? That is, the bolt goes in from the top, the nut is facing the road.

I've noticed these transmission pans are a bit different on all of the cars I've worked on. On my present Sable, there is -plenty- of room to fool around with the transmission sump. On my Mercury Tracer ( glorified Escort ) there was much less than enough *wiggle room.* I think that the location and design of the fluid sump is what determines the best approach to this. It also doesn't hurt to coat these nuts/bolts/etc. on a regular basis with some kind of lube when you're under the car to keep corrosion down.

|Then for the stripped hole, buy a HeliCoil kit and using the drill and |special |tap in the kit, install a Heli Coil. I would not recommend using stainless |steel |bolts here, just use standard Grade 8 anodized bolts and be sure to torque |to specs.

OK.

|Sometimes if your really lucky the bolt hole is in a position where the back |is |accessible and you can put a nut back there, and use a standard bolt. | |Ted

Thanks Ted, made a note of it.

Lg