Teflon on the oil drain plug?

[Digga : RIP MJ :]

I coat the o-ring with the oil I'm going to use, no paste or anything else. Works just fine for me.

Oh yeah, and I always replace the o-ring. always.

[Julyana]

same here

[Young Ash]

My dealer used it so I do to, no problems

[Adrean]

Just the o-ring, change it with each oil change, never a leak issue. By design that is all that should be required.. if it takes tape or paste to seal you have a problem that is being masked by the tape/paste.

[Mister-E]

I use a dab of teflon paste, new O-rings, torque to spec for all three plugs each time one is removed.

[Question G]

For 38 years I've only put a dab of automotive grease on the plug thread and a new O-ring. On my new '09 Standard I thought I'd try teflon tape and the torque socket wrench. Blew out the threads on the oil pan and had to replace it. I'm now back to my automotive gease and feel like I always did. Teflon is way over kill on the oil drain plug. It's in a horizontal position and ain't goin' any where if you just snug it up with a new O-ring.

[Grown & Sexy!]

Teflon paste is not only used on pipe thread but also straight threads. It is a necessity when installing studs into an open hole on a pressurized system. When it is installed correctly it will not get into the system. You don't just dip the bolt or whatever you are putting it on in the container and install it. It uses a light coat and when using tape do not have it where it is extending over the end of the threads. In some instances it is recommended to use tape and paste also. This is a must at our plant when installing valves in a liquid chlorine system.

[dearforex]

Had it on my 2010 from the factory/dealer on first oil change.

[Powder Snow]

Hi everyone , I currently own a 07 Ultra Classic FLHTCU with 38,+++ miles on the meter. I had an extended service contract but after repeated screw ups on the stealers part (Stripped screw on primary, re-located passenger floorboards, missing valve stem caps, over filled oil x 2 (4qts in engine + fill up the filter too!...lol and others...) I decided to do my own service and maintenance. One of the things I noticed that they where doing was to put Teflon tape around the threads on the oil bolt. After all the years of auto and bike mechanics I have done it did not surprise me that by wiping my finger around the threads when I removed the bolt, I was able to remove a lot of Teflon in threaded strings. It also immediately occurred to me that this stuff does not melt or go away from heat and it did not take a lot of dot connecting to realize that it could get loose from the threads and clog the oil passages within the engine en route to the filter. Well I changed out the oil with new Amsoil 20/50 (Amsoil since 20,000 with no issues), and two days later I start the bike, warm up for 2 mins, head out on the 55 mph hwy at the end of our drive and when I reach around 3000 on the tack it starts clicking quite noticeably at 3000 rpm in both 1st and 2nd gear . After only minutes, less than a quarter mile it quiets down and disappears. Next morning the same thing happened on my way out, I then went on to ride 150 miles or so, hit 90 on a few occasions he-he and all seemed OK, so this morning I did a short run around ten miles and all is good high oil pressure and no noise.


My suspicion on the tape then and now is that some threads did actually get into a lifter possibly and clogged it part way, reducing the pressure so it still worked but at a reduced level which at 3k rpm caused it to have play or lash, hence the clicking. and I swear on these two mornings it clicked the oil pressure was around 25lbs, and normally it runs around 35+ lbs when cool and on the go first thing. I suspect that at some point during the hard run at 90 pushed it through to the filter, and all is good again. I agree Completely with those in the know about NOT using Teflon on a bolt designed for an O-Ring seal on an engine and maybe this was just that. IMO if you use the tape you take the chance, if you do not you go with design intent. Oh and by the way... notice that they do NOT include a piece of Teflon tape in the seal kits, and do NOT imply you need some in the manual either.

By the way the tape was wrapped half way up the threads on the bolt so it was NOT installed correctly even if the application was valid.

[Rachel.]

Paste for me, no tape.