screwed! up the oil pan

[chris88]

ok, im a noob when it comes to the toyota pickup world...this community looks like it will be able to help bigtime.
   
the car is an 88pickup EFI RWD i got for free from my grampa it has 81k on the original 22re but is still sturdy

heres the problem, i changed the oil about a week ago and noticed a leak, i tightened the drain plug and noticed the seal from around it all broken up, it was old and i forgot to change it...so when my dad and i went out to buy one and changed it but it still leaked, i got new and different seals every time i changed it. i went through this process about 4x, i never actually used the official OEM seal so i dont know if thats my problem...but it still leaks

my father wanted to be a hero so he went off and used a self tapping bolt on the pan  , thinking the original threading was stripped...so now i have an oil pan with a non OEM bolt or seal...and it leaks, i REALLY dont want to have to replace the pan and fork up more money than the car is worth for swapping it, if ANYONE can think of a way to deal with this i would be very grateful       pre-thanking anyone that helps out

             

[DeathCougar]

Did the thread of the self tapping bolt match the old thread style?

If not, and you re-tapped the tapped threads, then your only correct option is to start over with a new oil pan. Otherwise you are just going to fight and fight with it, and just make a mess of the whole thing.

[chris88]

yes...my father did re-tap the threading with a different size...now your saying its all gone from here on out? theres no good that can come from this? little explaining why? i dont want to face the fact that i might have to change that oil pan, although i did see one on ebay for $40 and a 30 day warrenty. theres nothing i can do to stop this leak? i mean its coming right from that stupid plug...thanks anyways

[881stGenRunner]

ya man your going to have to replace that oil pan for sure. Especially since he tapped the old threads with a different pattern.

[chris88]

DAMN IT lol, jeeze, so tapping a thread with a different pattern will promote leakage, i mean i didnt condone him doing it but i didnt realize it would F up everything, i cant even imagine how its ALL ruined

[DeathCougar]

well tapping threads means you have to remove material....if the threads are already there, and the plug is similar in size, all he did was make it easier for the oil to leak out past the threads.

Just replace the oil pan with a new or used one, and chalk it up to a learning experience.

btw how the hell does an oil pan have a warranty? I think thats just gibberish meant to entice you into buying it lol.

[chris88]

ha ha ha...well they "claim" a garenteed 30 days of normal use, so im expecting it to not have the same problem as mine, by the way, does anyone know i fair price to get this thing swapped out, just labor wise, i was looking under the truck and it seems difficult, i live in CT if demograpics have any affect
but if i tapped a new thread with a bigger size wouldnt that make more contact area, as in the plug having to sqeeze itself in to fit, making for a tighter fittment? i really dont know im just coming up with theories to aviod the reality

[chris88]

sorry for double posting but...
any additional info ppl? i need to get this truck up and running ASAP, so far you posters have been very helpful, ill have to visit here more often from now on...cant believe this BS, i dont think the truck is worth the effort i've been putting into it? my question from above still stands. thank you so far again i appreiciate it

[91_4x4runner]

Replacing an oil pan is as simple as can be... You remove every bolt around it, pry off the pan, put a new gasket or sealant (not all engines have oil pan gaskets) and re-bolt it. You don't have to touch the oil pickup or anything. If you do decide to swap it, you're probably looking at 1-2 hours labor + part, depending on the mechanic.

[chris88]

really? are we on the same page here? im talking about my 88 pickup, theres alot of stuff running perpendicular underneath it, looks tricky. i was reading into another read with a fellow having to remove his oil pan. in short he speaks of having to remove cross member and a load of other hoopla, im not that mechanically inclined, but if all it is is unbolting and torquing them back up i think its possable...i just want to clarify things, either way thanks