Bellhousing blue plate sealing

[Bob_r]

I have the blue plate off the boittom of my bellhousing, both to change the engine oil and also to rectify a small leak caused when one of the allen bollts got snagged on the back rail of my trailer.

I have noticed, not for the first time, that each of the bolt holes in the plate appear to have cutouts containing rubber seals, which  would if necessary require renewing, however, as each of the bolts goes into a blind hole, these seals don't appear to serve any useful purpose, and if anything could potentionally interfere, due to there thickness, with the successful sealing of the plate to bellhousing seal.

Has anybody else ever had thoughts on this.?

[Adrian Williams]

I don't recall mine having any rubber seals, washers yes but no seals.  As you say they wouldn't serve any useful purpose anyway so I'd get rid of them Bob.

[Gravity Fuelled]

I think you'll find that is just old sealant been pushed into the blind holes. 

I'd pick it out if I were you. Then apply a thin layer of sealant to the mating surfaces of the plate and bell housing when you refit. 

[Mark w]

There was no gasket  on mine , just sealant .

i got fed up taking it off and trying to re seal it everytime I changed the oil so I bought a gearbox drain plug and got the local machine shop to weld a threaded boss on the inside with a hole in the plate slightly larger than the plug head .  The head of the bolt was set flush with the plate . 

Neat job , easy oil change ...

[Bob_r]

thanks for the suggestions and comments, all sorted now,