When replacing the gasket to the tranny pan do you just lay that sucker on the pan & line up the holes in the gasket with the pan & bolt it up or is there like a sealent you put on the lip of the pan & then place gasket on top of sealent to get it to stick on while you are bolting it up? I only ask because I had a real hard time when I was bolting up the tranny pan & getting the gasket to sit correctly while I was holding it with one hand & tighten the screws on with the other hand all while the car was on jack stands & I had about a foot of clearance. Its in place & secure no leaks but was wondering if I should have used some sort of sealent on the gasket?

 

You could use stuff like Gasketsinch which is what i use when gaskets don't want to stay on surfaces or even a dab of silicone all around helps. I like to use aluminum silicone made by Kimball West when i'm dealing with gaskets i've never had a problem or leaks.

 

Makes sense. But my question was did I miss a step?. Was I supposed to use some sort of sealent when I put on the tranny pan gasket? Or was I supposed to remove some sort of transparent layer on the gasket that revealed a sticky side? Everything I had read in the FSM/ HAYNES manual said install tranny pan gasket with no mention of a sealent.

 

You should always...ALWAYS replace the gasket in situations where the original gasket seal has been broken. Lontar has an outstanding write-up for this.

 

It depends on the gasket...Usually pan gaskets--no sealent is needed...More importantly is...
1.)are the old gaskets paper or polyurathene (spelling) rubber? If the old gasket come right off no problems.. You want to check both surfaces (trans and pan) to make sure all parts of the old gasket where removed. If rubber no problems, if the old one was paper-very important to keep surfaces smooth and no lumps for fluid to leak out of new gasket
2.) more importantly you DID remember to torque the bolts to spec right?? I've Never done a Nissan but they are probably a dozen 8 or 10 MM bolts???? You have to make sure those are torqued down to specs. If you don't torque them properly you will inevitably have a leak. Also don't torque all of one side. Like lug nuts alternate sides when torquing and have all bolts started before torquing any of them all the way down.--You should be fine without sealent.
Sorry, I looked on alldata couldn't find the specs. Call the dealership-Their probably 10-20 foot pounds.

 

there is no need, but you could use it... I know that I didn't use it when I flush my tranny.... the rubber (new gasket that IS Required) will stick to the pan and tranny once the car gets to normal temp...... if you have no leaks you are good to go, remember to visit the screws again after a few days just in case........