Subject: Re: [TR] oil pan plug

From: Geo Hahn <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 26 May 2013 17:22:18 -0700

Gary --

That's a taper thread so it should seal well with nothing added though some
Teflon tape can help a bit and possibly make it a bit easier to remove.
But...

Are you sure that the plug is the culprit?  Where that plug is situated is
a low point so drips/leaks elsewhere will finally appear as a drop on that
plug.

Is you dinner sized puddle a true puddle of wet oil on a solid surface or
is it the oil mark on a piece of cardboard or other absorbent material you
have under there?  A little oil can go a long way and a drip on cardboard
or such will spread overtime to leave a large stain even if the quantity of
oil is small.

Geo

On Sun, May 26, 2013 at 4:55 PM, Gary Nafziger <[email-masked]> wrote:

> Newly overhauled tr-3.  Wrapped the oil pan plug with teflon tape and
> tightened up to what felt solid.  It's been leading while just sitting over
> winter.  Have a dinner plate size oil puddle at least.  I purchased the
> Moss
> ball valve type spigot to install so I won't need to bother the threads in
> the
> future.  I'd like to get a good tight seal on the valve.  Looking for
> suggestions on what to use for a good oil blocking seal.  Just wrap with
> thicker and thicker teflon tape?  Is there a plumbers putty/caulk that
> might
> work.  If so does plumbers stuff work ok with the engine heat?
> Just wondering
> gary n.
>
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---

From: WBEECH <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 26 May 2013 19:31:12 -0500

Go to you local FLAPS and buy and oversize oil plug, should not need Teflon
tape.  Be sure to get a new copper washer with it too.

Bill

Sent from my iPhone

Moss
the
might
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From: Dave Massey <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 26 May 2013 20:33:36 -0400 (EDT)

There are many who will advise against using teflon tape on an application
where the threads that shed off can block oil passages.  You can find, at most
any hardware store, a teflon paste pipe dope.  This past has the teflon you
want but the particle size is small enough to pass through any critical area.

But you should be able to tighten the plug up enough to stop the leak.  Take a
closer look and see if the weld is cracked.  The leak may be from somewhere
else in which case no treatment on the plug will stop the leak.

Dave Massey

-----Original Message-----
From: Gary Nafziger <[email-masked]>
To: triumphs <[email-masked]>
Sent: Sun, May 26, 2013 6:59 pm
Subject: [TR] oil pan plug

Newly overhauled tr-3.  Wrapped the oil pan plug with teflon tape and
tightened up to what felt solid.  It's been leading while just sitting over
winter.  Have a dinner plate size oil puddle at least.  I purchased the Moss
ball valve type spigot to install so I won't need to bother the threads in
the
future.  I'd like to get a good tight seal on the valve.  Looking for
suggestions on what to use for a good oil blocking seal.  Just wrap with
thicker and thicker teflon tape?  Is there a plumbers putty/caulk that might
work.  If so does plumbers stuff work ok with the engine heat?
Just wondering
gary n.

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---

From: Tony Drews <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 26 May 2013 20:41:59 -0500

I second the "don't use teflon tape" message.  The pipe sealant stuff 
that Dave mentions is the way to go.  No teflon tape anywhere on my 
race TR-4, pieces come off inside the pipe / engine.

On other thought - a totally drip-free Triumph may be bad karma.  :)

Cheers, Tony Drews

---

From: "Alex&Janet Thomson" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 26 May 2013 21:42:53 -0400

If it is a pipe thread type of plug, use a thread sealant called RectorSeal.
It is used for LP, Natural Gas and various types of petroleum joints. It is
gasoline and oil resistant and will stay somewhat pliable. Also, buy a new
plug. Those threads do wear every time you remove and reinstall.  Make sure
to check that the threaded area of the oil pan is not cracked or breaking
away from the pan itself.

 If the plug is a straight thread style, it probably has a flange that
requires a gasket. Some engines use copper or aluminum gaskets. Toyota used
to use a fiber gasket - that worked fine as well.

Alex Thomson

-----Original Message-----
From: [email-masked]
[mailto:[email-masked]] On Behalf Of Gary Nafziger
Sent: Sunday, May 26, 2013 7:56 PM
To: [email-masked]
Subject: [TR] oil pan plug

the future.  I'd like to get a good tight seal on the valve.  Looking for

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From: "Dave" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 26 May 2013 22:53:44 -0500

you may have seen some of my earlier posts about a fuel pump leaking, and 
replacing it.  here is a synapsis of my journey.

late tr3b, had sat for at least a few years; not sure really.  car was in 
pretty good shape and had been restored at one time.  we think it was 
restored and then stored in a storage unit.  something happened; the owner 
quit paying storage and the car was abandoned.  it eventually ended up in my 
hands.

I pumped out as much old gas from the tank as I could, but there was still 
some left.  After cleaning out the fuel lines the whole way, I managed to 
get it to run just on starter fluid.  I had disconnected the fuel line to 
the carbs because I didn't want any of that crap to flow into the carbs.

getting it to run in short bursts, I saw gas flow from the fuel pump out of 
the open fuel line, so I figured the fuel pump did in fact work which I had 
not expected.  So I put some new gas and a couple bottles of carb cleaner in 
the gas tank, started it up, and let it run for a few minutes.

one of my cautions is that I will run a "new" engine for just a few minutes 
and then shut it off, and look around for leaking fluids.  the first time I 
started up an engine that had actually just been sitting for many months I 
did not realize the water plug had been removed.  warped the aluminum head 
because I did not notice the puddle under it.

well done this time as well - the fuel pump was leaking quite a bit. 
fortunately, due to a previous misadventure I had a new in box fuel pump.

as so often happens, a long weekend and busy time at work intervened so it 
was a few weeks before I was able to replace the fuel pump.  The car would 
not run; would not pump gas.  I figured bad pump, made a new cork gasket for 
the old pump (at the sediment bowl), and put it back in.  I'm getting good 
at replacing fuel pumps, btw.  still would not run.

a good time to have dinner and think about things.  and get a good nights 
sleep.  next day I put in my electric fuel pump - this has never let me 
down; I always keep it around; it always works for me when other pumps fail.

no gas and no run.

time to start checking the lines.  I'm getting gas from the tank, but 
nothing out the business end.  disconnect lines one at a time and the pump 
does indeed work.  no gas in the front carb fuel bowl.  check the carb and 
the little thingee that moves up and down and lets gas in is stuck. 
remember the old gas?  whoops.  fix that and put gas in the fuel bowl. 
check the second carb - same thing.  hook things back up and it runs.

remove the electric fuel pump and reconnect the old one with the new gasket. 
car runs just fine.

so I guess I still have a spare.  and recommendations on how to clean the 
"new" one that was only in there for a few minutes?

hope you enjoyed reading this saga.

the blog continues at www.ranteer.com/davescars/tr3b