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Tranny Sump Plug?

Thanks again all, for the offers of help. Much appreciated!

I'm pretty sure I've tried an M10x1,5 --the short one amongst my motley collection pictured above. As I've got several bags of nuts and bolts in all the 'normal' sizes. I was just trying different M10s in case Toyota had used some weird thread pitch. And, as I've said, I suspect the problem getting anything to screw in smoothly is because the threads on the sump itself have got a bit damaged.

Anyway, progress report time:

I left the 2,5 litres I put in first thing for a couple of hours and then went out to check for any drippage.

So far so good....

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OK, Skip. Wish me luck. We're going in with the rest....

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Another 2,5 litres in and I let that settle for another 20 mins or so and then started her up. I let it idle for about 10 mins while checking underneath for any drips. All clear again. So I went off for a drive round. Not straying too far from home, just in case. But did about 5 - 10 miles and got the transmission up to temp. Then back to the ranch to park up and check the damage.

All good again [Yes, it is the same photo from before. This is a Cheapo Productions© post]

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So, still with fingers tightly crossed, I'm hoping I might just have managed to botch something together here which will hold. Tempting though it is to get hold of a proper plug [or M10x1,5 bolt] and try to persuade that into position, I'm kind of minded to leave well alone for now and just keep an eye on it. It seems [so far!] to be working and who knows what can of worms I might open by taking that copper bolt out and trying to force a steel threaded one in. Sometimes it's better to just tiptoe away.

BTW, after my first layer of Red Silicone [which I'd squirted in between washer / nut / sump had had time to part cure yesterday, I went out and put another layer on top, covering the whole ensemble. So my ersatz sump plug doesn't look quite so... er... 'elegant' now.

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But the extra thickness of silicone should belt'n'braces what's already there. Red Silicone is designed for making internal engine gaskets. So should be more than capable of sealing any microscopic gaps round the threads of my copper bolt and its nut and washer.

Time, as they say, will tell!
 
Surely Toyota UK could supply the bolt ?
Nice interim bodge job though
 
Jeep also used Aisin Warner transmissions for some of their vehicles back in the day, I think what they called the AW4 is similar to an A340 which is similar to the A343 on Prado 90s.
 
I do approve of a nice bodge, and that one is a cracker. Best I have seen in a long while. I'm sure it will last right round to the next gearbox oil change. Wish I had thought of something so alternative - soft copper out of a battery cut-off switch and a lock nut. It is a prefect solution. I would probably just have run a tap through the sump pan to recut the wiggy bits of the thread and used one of the found bolts cut to size, but where's the fun and the satisfaction in that? Anyone could do that! This is a real individual one-off. I love it.

Now you have to apply the same off-the-wall inventiveness to fixing up the rear chassis rails and you will have a vehicle that could never be mistaken for any one else's. After that total brainwave you can't stop now! Keep at it.
 
I would probably just have run a tap through the sump pan to recut the wiggy bits of the thread and used one of the found bolts cut to size...

I like your thinking. But, unfortunately, the only set of taps I have were inherited from the girlfriend's grandad and are all imperial. I keep meaning to get myself a nice metric set, but there always seems to be something else more urgent on which to squander my pennies.
 
A tap and die 'set' is just the thin end of a very large wedge. Before you know it you'll need Metric Coarse, Metric Fine & Metric Super-Fine in all the sizes not covered by the 'set'.

Then there's BSF, BSW, UNC, UNF, BA, MET, BSCy, BSP-T, BSP-P, I could go on (with my Engineers Black Book in front of me).

To identify them you'll need a decent digital caliper that covers Metric, Inch and Fractions. Plus a decent thread gauge.

Then there's ACME (and STUB-ACME) - British at 29 deg and US at 30deg - the proper Trapezoidal thread !

If you ever work on screw jacks you'll meet 'Buttress threads'.

Soon you'll have as many boxes of odd taps & dies as I have.

Then there's Lathe work - with an endless variety of thread-cutting inserts !

There's probably a Master's Degree to be had in understanding all this variety :lol: .

Bob.
 
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A tap and die 'set' is just the thin end of a very large wedge. Before you know it you'll need...

I can well believe it. And refer the honourable gentleman to the previously posted XKCD....

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In other news, I dropped the missus off at work this morning. Only a short drive of 10km or so. But I'm pleased to report still not a single drip from my ersatz tranny plug. I hope I'm not tempting fate with these boastful tales of my epic journeys!
 
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:.

But you're a bit light at '15 standards' . . . .

The Engineers Black Book lists 51 different thread standards (who knew there was a "Stove Bolt Standard Thread" ??).

Or a "National Pipe Taper Railing (Railing Joints) Thread" ?

Or a "National Hose (Garden & Fire hose Coupling) Thread" ?

I live & learn.

Bob.
 
Just a mini update on this: my 'stuzbot Brand©' tranny sump plug has held up under 'combat conditions' so I'm happy to leave it until the 2nd tranny flush in a couple of hundred kms or so.

I can't say I've noticed that much of a difference in how the motor drives, since flushing the tranny. Maybe the gear changes are a wee bit smoother but, in all honesty, they were pretty smooth to start with. I think that, in spite of being more brown than red, the original fluid was still in reasonable condition.

And, speaking of kms; on Sunday I did my first long drive in the motor since I got it. A 100km round trip. And I've got to say, it's such a shame Toyota let these out of the factory with such disregard for rust prevention. Because, otherwise, what s cracking motor!

I glanced down at the speedo a couple of times on the motorway, to see I was inadvertently cruising along at 85mph —so effortlessly it felt like about 50. And with those big comfy seats, it was like rolling along in a favourite armchair. I can see why you long-term owners are so enthusiastic about them.
 
I can echo the above, 70mph on the Motorway is quite relaxing compare it to the 2.5tdi I had in a discovery years ago which was far more noisey.
 
I'd go down the Helicoil route. To do a "proper" job I'd take the sump off and thread and put the helicoil in. You'll need to use the usual RTV to seal the sump back on though of course.
Taking to sump off completely you'll know for sure or not if anything is left inside the sump.
You must remember when you use a Helicoil you need to snap off the tang you use to wind the insert in. Being Stainless Steel you don't want that floating around inside as the magnet's won't pick it up. Good luck
 
Mine glides nicely too on nice roads and is much more comfy than my 10 year younger car, the seats are much more huggy. The car goes about 3000RPM at 100km/h whereas the Prado is about 2000RPM at the same speed. Easy to speed though being an old school auto. Waze use just following along in idle is mandatory I think, where I am in NE Brisbane there are so many road cops out.
 
Can also Google Jeep AW4 drain plug this looks to be the same size.
 
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