Ok. VW Tiguan needed a new oil pan. Got old one off. Cleaned the old gasket. When I installed new one and followed all steps two bolt heads ended up breaking off when I torqued it to the recommended specs. Had to drill those out and tap new threads. Not sure I did the best job but the new hex bolts I put in hold snug. Still leaking oil though. Wondering how bad it is to keep driving even with the slow leaks occurring? Also wondering if I should drill the holes even bigger and tap in new threads for a M8 bolt instead of the M6 that normally goes in.
What did you use for the gasket?
Tester
The stuff that comes in the tube. Was recommended over the rubber full piece. I watched every YouTube video possible and received advice from a mechanic friend. He said I would be able to do it no problem.
I use the product I showed for oil pans.
Never used the product you show.
Tester
Good to know. So the bolt holes. What’s your opinion on those?
If you can tighten the bolts, it should be good.
Tester
That’s good to know. Yes the bolts tighten up. They just seem so bad to me. But I guess as long as there is no gaps then it’s fine?
No gaps it should seal.with the right sealant.
Tester
How do you snap off bolts doing an oil pan? Are you sure you didn’t mistake an inch-pounds spec for foot pounds?
Obviously you want to fix it correctly and have zero leaks. But the next time you get out of the car in a parking lot, look at the plentiful oil stains on every single parking space. Lots of cars are leaking a little. The only way for you to say whether your leak is temporarily ok is to check the oil.
If you can, stay with the M6 and use heli-coils. But either way, check your torque wrench and double-check your torque specs.
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Tester
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Can’t imagine using enough force to break the bolts. If so though you may have flattened the bolt holes or made them concave. They should be bumped out so there is a little spring pressure at the bolts, not flattened tight. A do over but why not just use the gasket provided but leave the bolts alone if they still work. I’ve only done a couple but no leaks. Use about a six inch ratchet and cross tighten gradually. Don’t warp the pan.
Sealant normally isn’t provided with new parts, it is sold separately.
This is Volkswagen oil pan sealant, probably not much different than Permatex grey sealant: D174-003-M2
I haven’t found any warped pans or distorted bolt holes on modern engines, they don’t use cork gaskets. Over-tightening bolts is something to be avoided.
It sounds like the problem is improper torquing of the bolts, as one must really overtighten the bolts to break them….and you managed to break two of them. Overtightening the bolts would lead to squeezing out the sealant, if sealant is used rather than a pre-formed gasket.
I don’t like using sealant as a substitute for a gasket, and would have ordered a pre-formed gasket instead. A rubber gasket works well without additional sealant, but if it’s a cardboard gasket, I’d add sealant on both sides.
I would, however use a digital torque wrench to ensure proper bolt tightening, so the gasket isn’t ruined.
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Sounds like the bolts were cross threaded.
Are you sure you don’t havre a crank seal leat instead?
Honestly I have no clue. The pan had to be changed bc it was cracked. I added a bit of oil last night before bed and checked it this morning before leaving for work. Put cardboard underneath to see for leaks. Two of the bolts have oil leaking out from them. They are right beside each other. So I’m wondering if it’s maybe the gasket and not the bolts?
If the OP was using a click-type 3/8" torque wrench, it’s very easy to over-torque the bolts. I’ve done it myself. The spec on those bolts is probably between 10-15 lb-ft which is the low-end of the range for a 3/8" torque wrench. It’s my experience that most click-type torque wrenches aren’t very accurate at the low-end of their range and manufacturers generally don’t even rate their accuracy below 20% of full range.
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Are these the same two bolts you replaced or different ones? Where are they in relation to the two you replaced?