I have an SRM sump plate fitted to my engine and it is fixed into place with the SRM supplied socket head screws. Over a period of time the whole assembly has become increasingly incontinent due to two main causes. The drain bolt washer is not sealing very well, and oil appears to be migrating down the screw threads. First the drain bolt. Should I replace the washer with a new copper washer or a fibre washer? At the moment it is fitted with a dowty washer which I think is probably not really suitable for this task. Secondly I intend to replace the socket head screws with studs which I am led to believe are a better long term solution because they will prevent wear and tear to the crank case threads. The stud set that I have bought is stainless steel. I have read somewhere that stainless steel threads should be coated with copper slip to prevent electrolytic corrosion. Now the thing is, I want to ensure that the oil is unable to leak down past the threads, so instead of using copper slip would a thread sealant such as Permatex 59214 be an acceptable substitute? I propose to coat the gaskets with Wellseal. Would that cause any problems when removing the sump plate when I do oil changes? I normally do this when I change the oil in order to clean the strainer. Finally, should I coat the exposed part of the studs with copper slip? I am thinking that stainless studs and an ally sump plate might just also suffer corrosion problems.
John