Oil return line leakage

[G]

I know this subject has been beat to death and have asked this question every 5 years or so here and on other forums but no one seems to have a definitive answer. Which surface is the gasket supposed to be installed against? The oil pan or the pipe flange?

Anyway so I was doing an oil change on my dsm and decided to experiment and try to fix the pesky leak it had. I picked up some of those new mitsu sealing washers to see if they work instead of the usual washer that's called for. Also decided to try sandwiching two gaskets together with a little toyota sealant part # 00295-01281(supposed to be the shiz) so both surfaces pan and flange get the gasket ring. I'm sure standard off the shelf rtv would work fine but I happened to have some of this and wanted to try it. With the added thickness the stock bolt is too short luckily I had some sweet high strength metric bolts with the perfect size disc springs already installed and exactly the correct thread pitch and length. I know a few of you are going to say "I used the oe washers and one gasket and mine doesn't leak /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif"

We'll see how long it lasts before it starts leaking. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

That's never gonna leak again with that Toyota silicone. One gasket would've been fine with the silicone. We call Toyota silicone 'Jesus Glue' because when it's time to remove it, you'll be swearing for a long, long time.

 

[blacksheep]

I always wondered if it was because it was a hard line. I know it has a flex in it, but unsure if that line causes pull-out somehow. I wonder if it was replaced with an AN line and fittings (SBR Satan lovers sell one), if the leaking may reduce. Just a thought...

 

[G]

On my vr4 I have that type and it doesn't leak.

 

[Terry Posten]

My method is to buy a non-turbo replacement pan from Autozone for around $60, get an male an10 steel fitting and drill a hole in the new pan and weld it onto the pan. Fabricate a female 90 deg an10 with hose barb end and you will never have a leak again.

 

[Brunoboy]

I have extremepsi AN fittings with ss line as my return and one gasket no leaks.
-shane

 

RTV is for sealing without gaskets, gasket sealant (Hi-tack) is for applying to gaskets.

 

[jepherz]

In the end, I think you've just created another spot for a leak. The toyota sealant may be fine against oil though.

Although there *may* be an "OEM correct" direction to put the gasket, both pieces are steel (same material) so I'd have to believe the seal is just there to provide extra pressure directly around the hole that you're trying to seal closed.

 

[turbowop]

If the OE gasket, crush washers, and bolts don't work, the problem lies elsewhere. Perhaps the pan surface right there is not flat?

 

[Brunoboy]

Agreed^

 

[H05TYL]

I eventually discovered my leak wasn't from either of the flanges but from a tiny pinhole in the flex itself, the leak was so little the pipe itself was only mildly greasy, not enough to think the leak was from that point, but over time enough oil had run down to form a noticeable drip from the flange.

I removed the flex section and replaced it with a length of hose with a t-bolt clamp on each end, didn't have any spare gaskets so I just used a smear of rtv on each flange (and on the bolts) and it hasn't leaked since.