tanya_charbury

Hello everyone,

If you remember me from last year, hello again ... I'm still trying to make a "go" of my used-Audi-parts and used-ZF-transmission business, and when I'm once again a formal paid-up vendor I'll be able to elaborate without being improper on here.

Meanwhile, today, I'm writing to ask a question, Ever since I started working on ZF 5HP-24A transmissions, I've been using the official ZF green wax-paper transmission oil pan gaskets. Problem is that, as the years go by, and mechanics overtighten the pan bolts and generally beat up on these transmission oil pans, it's getting harder and harder to find ones that can be called "straight and true" by any reasonable standard.

During one recent service on one of my C5 A6 4.2 V8 cars, the pan was in exceptionally sad shape. It had been, and was, leaking badly. I didn't have a good pan in stock; if I did, I'd just swap it out. That day, and in the near future, not. My tech ended up getting her hands on a rubber (not paper) style pan gasket that I'd inadvertently bought some time ago, and didn't use because ... well, I don't like using non-ZF transmission oil pan gaskets on general principles. Anyway, my tech tried it, and the leak was gone, statically and dynamically. She agreed with me that, given a transmission oil pan that is in good shape, it's better to use the ZF transmission oil pan gasket. But in this case, the pan had such large deformities that the paper gasket couldn't seal the gaps, yet the rubber gasket could. I love that car, and hope to find it a nice transmission oil pan, but meanwhile the rubber gasket is useful.

My guy tech separates the work between "right" and "right now" and I find that mental model to be useful. The rubber gasket is a "right now" thing.

My girl tech has asked me to stock up on some more of those rubber transmission oil pan gaskets in case we are ever in such a situation again. Better to stock up on good oil pans, I know, but I'm not going to get into a long explanation here as to why I'm not simply doing that.

Problem is, I can't find these rubber-style transmission oil pan gaskets. Autozone doesn't have them. ZF, obviously, doesn't. FCP Euro doesn't. Blauparts doesn't. I don't even know what brand to go Google.

So I'm asking for help in finding more of these rubber-style gaskets.

I suspect many good people on here will feel compelled to tell me that that's the wrong question to ask. Feel free to say so, but meanwhile I am nevertheless trying to find a source for these rubber-style gaskets, so if you can help me with that, thank you!

georgeb944

I don't know if you want to get into the import/export business, but check this site out...

SING TE INTERNATIONAL ENTERPRISE CO., LTD.

Good luck... their gasket 119512 seems to be what you are looking for.

tanya_charbury

Wow, I'm impressed. And Taiwan is my favorite version of China. I just might. :-) Thank you!!

georgeb944

Also found this, from Mexico...


https://stuntpart.com/producto/e25276/

tanya_charbury

Wow! Gracias! (or as Nevada folks say: "Grassy ***") :-)

Cool though ... it's a big planet with lots of useful people. Good reminder. Thank you!

4Driver4

I've never used anything but the rubber gaskets and never had an issue. I think for internals (o-rings and seals) I'd want ZF, but the rubber gaskets have been reliable overall.

tanya_charbury

That's very reassuring to me. Thank you! I was feeling guilty about using them at all.

BernieBenz

Hi; Tanya,
Glad to hear from you and know that you are keeping your NV Business afloat.

Why use hard gaskets at all now days, except maybe for head gaskets?
There are many good silicone fluid gasket materials available.
I use architectural silicone caulk from the hardware store for all of my gasketing requirements, except where gasoline is in contact.
The only special requirement is that the mating surfaces must be clean and dry, no oil residue.
Try it, just buy one tube for all gasket requirements.
Regards, Bernie

tanya_charbury

Wow, Bernie, I didn't even think of that. Thank you!!

tanya_charbury

My relatively conservative tech is starting to look at me suspiciously as I pass on the insightful suggestions I've gotten on this thread. I get the sense she'd like me to take a two-pronged approach, where some of the energy pursues the outside-the-box thinking I've seen here, and the other ... goes traditional. So as to the latter ... I need good oil pans. Please sell me some.

Out west, the junkyard chain named "Pick N Pull" has some lovely people working there, but they are not gentle as they prep a car for the next stage if it's demise, which is: putting it out in a yard where, the hope is, customers wander around, find cars they like, and then remove parts, take them to the cashier, pay and leave.

Understandably, the prep folks are tasked with draining the fluids, and they value their time more than the viability of re-use of a particular part. Their approach to draining the oil pan is to punch a hole into the bottom; fluid runs out, done deal. Ditto as to to the fuel tank. I hope I'm never on a date with one if the prep staff and then I need to go to the bathroom; old habits die hard.

So, I have an ample supply of ZF 5HP-24A oil pans. Problem is, they have massive holes punched in them. The few non-holed pans I have are bent. All the good ones went into customer-bought transmissions or transmissions for my own fleet of Audis.