I've had a terrible time trying to get transmission drain pan bolts on. Car has leaked ATF after sitting overnight.

Symptoms are:
1. Although bolts turn and seal pan, I am getting no tight fit. Bolts are gaining no resistance (torque) after a certain point. (I've unscrewed bolts and no stripping apparent on grooves)

2. Once I started car noticed leaking between passenger side bolts (middle bolt and bolt closer to enginge)

3. Upon waking this morning and looking under car, about 3+ quarts of ATF leaked overnight.

This has happened after drain of torque converter, transmission pan, and replacing trans. filter.

I do not know which unit you are working on, but most of the 722.xx series pans only require about 5-6 lbs. of torque. This figure is specified in newton meters in the 1981-1993 maint. manual.

Do not overtighten the tranny pan bolts. Doing so can cause leakage.

Did you also use a new pan gasket?

Are the holes on the transmission pan dimpled or distorted in any way?

Paul, thanks for your reply. I didn't notice anything unusual. You can tell from the holes on the pan it has been taken off a few time. Other than what appears as normal wear I didn't notice excessive dimples or distortion. Are the holes supposed to look as good as new?

The surface that the bolt mates up to should be parallel with the flat surface of the tranny that the gasket fits against.

__________________
Jim

I just went thru this NIGHTMARE with my 300SDL. Same problems you are having.

I torqued the pan down too much, feeling no resistance, and warped the pan, cut the gasket, and deformed the ears of it.

My mistake cost me about 5qts of ATF in front of my house on the street, a new $70 pan, $7 gasket and $10 in ATF.

Just torque the bolts evenly so the gasket makes good contact with the tranny itself. No need to go overboard here, as we both found out the hard way.