Plumbers Tape on Diff Fill Bolt - M.net question
 

Does anyone foresee any problems that may be encountered w/ this? I see a slow leak from a poorly helicoiled fill bolt that's stripped. It can tighten but eventually loosens if given enough torque. I don't think the diff gets very hot where it will burn off the tape, right? I was thinking first:

1) plumber's tape
then
2) oversized bolt
then
3) JB welding it

Would prefer trying the most conservative then going on to other things right now.

The white stuff will melt in petroleum. They make a special pink teflon tape for use with petroleum products. Use that.

Is it a wound wire-type heli-coil or one of the solid machined type? If it is the wire, it still may leak if it leaks on the "outside" of the helicoil. It may mot be leaking on the "inside" where you will be taping it.

That being the case, teflon tape should be fine. There is a "pink" tape that handles a higher heat and more chemicals than the generic stuff.

I'm assuming it's the wire-type since the threads of it are unwinding and looks like a slinky.

Thanks for the info guys.

Don't JB Weld anything you would possibly want to remove later.

Chris

they also make a liquid teflon tape, if you can find that in the petroleum resistant flavor i'd try it before anything else.


and (brain 8-18-08) i'll add this because i'm told it's a common problem; if you use tape make sure you wrap it in the direction of the threads. if you don't it will more or less fight to come out as you put the bolt/plug in and won't seal as well.

From what I understand about JBweld is that it will just chip off eventually. Or you can just use a torch.

If you want to go through that much trouble to take off a fill plug have at it.

There's plenty of ghetto ways to fix any given problem. I've never had to deal with a helicoil (knocks on wood). I'm just letting you know you might run into problems if you use JB weld.

Chris

After reading up on some things, I've changed my mind. Forget the teflon.

For a stripped differential fill hole, is it better to use:

1) Permatex Thread Sealer
or
2) Permatex Threadlocker Red

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...8L._SS500_.jpg

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...AL._SS500_.jpg

Threadlocker is to hold in a bolt to prevent loosening. Thread sealer is to prevent leaks, but is intended for intact threads.

If your threads are fooked, you can try the sealer, but if it's stripped, it still may not hold. Have it drilled and tapped out for an insert (helicoil is a brand, there are others), or make an adapter; i.e. the hole is drilled and tapped for a larger thread, the insert/adapter is put in with threadlocker (or JB Weld), and the plug is put in the insert/adapter with sealant.

You could tap it out for the next larger NPT size and put in a normal pipe plug as in your transmission.