rtracy

Has anyone here on the forum had trouble getting there oil pan gasket to seal? I have replaced my oil pan gasket for the third time and it is still leaking at the front, where the oil pan meets the timming cover. I replaced the oil pan gasket with a one peace fel-pro. Fel-pro says not to use any gasket sealers so I didn't. Am I missing something? Any ideas??
Thanks, Ray

nutz4c4

What year is the block?

96GS#007

You don't use any gasket sealer on the gasket, but per the Factory Service Manual (FSM) (not a cheap Haynes) it should be installed with 1 large dab of RTV placed at each transition...from the block to the timing chain cover and from the block to the rear main.

A FSM is money well spent.

rtracy

Now that you ask, I'm not sure what year it is because I had a short block built for me. I do know that it is a two bolt main. So I would say that it isn't even a vette block witch would lead me to believe that I might not even have the right gasket. Would a camaro gasket be the same?

rtracy

Does the factory manual show a one peace gasket or does it have the cork sides with rubber front and rear? I called three different auto parts stores and all they had listed were the one peace. I think the one I had on my old motor was the cork sides. Maybe I should try a camaro gasket do to the fact that the block I have in the car now is a two bolt main. Do you know if they are the same gaskets or not?

rtracy

Well, thanks for the posts. I'll have to try something. I wounder if I was to get a gasket from like a 79 chevy 350 or some year that they had the cork sides, whether that would work better? Has anyone on the forum done there own oil pan gasket and got it to seal?

Pete K

Although it goes against the service manual, I never install a 1 pc oil pan with sealant in the corners. I have been fortunate and not had leaks. Be aware that felpro makes many 1 pc pan gaskets for the small block chevy. If you have a 2 pc seal crank and are using a later, factory type replacement gasket, it will leak. The reverse is also true. Confirm your parts before proceeding.

96GS#007

One piece.

FWIW, OEM was one piece from at least 1990 forward.

LT1 Camaro gasket is the same as the LT1 Vette gasket.

OEM part number: 10108676, ~$30 + shipping from Chris May at Superior Chevrolet.

96GS#007

Why in the world would you do that?? If you have a one piece rear main seal, use the one piece gasket. By switching to the old style gasket, all you're doing is introducing more leak paths.

Chevy has a few hundred thousand L98s (later ones), LT1s, and LT4s out there with one piece gaskets and they sealed up just fine. Mine is leak free as well...

rtracy

The reason why I would do that is because although I enjoy working on cars I am getting tired of putting one piece oil pan gaskets on and haveing them all leak. I thought that maybe there is a clearance issue. I have also called my short block builder and they sayed that they are all the same gasket, it doesn't matter whether it is a camaro, impala, or corvette. They all take the same one piece gasket. I do know the gasket I removed was not a one piece.

rtracy

GS96, do you use any sealer in the corners when installing an oil pan? Although mine is leaking on the archof the pan.

96GS#007

Yes. As I mentioned in my original post, I put a dab at each corner where the gasket transitions from flat to up over each "arch".

I'm beginning to think you may have an oil pan that's warped. Is it a new pan?

neat

I fought an oil leak in that exact spot on my old 1992 corvette. I eventually sold the car, with it still leaking. The guy who bought it from me eventually discovered a hairline crack in the block that was causing the leak. I've never heard of a block cracking where mine was cracked, and I attributed to it to a once in a lifetime casting flaw.

It's a long shot, but maybe that is the cause of your problems as well?

I tried 5 or 6 different techniques to get it to seal. From a dry gasket, light silicone, gobs of silicone, etc... I even tried tieing the gasket to the pan with sewing thread, thinking I might have been slightly knocking the gasket out of alignment on install.

Good luck, and let us know what you find.

nutz4c4

I may be wrong but I do remember something about different width on the "arch" of the timing cover. The one piece gaskets are difficult to get in there ... especialy if your doing it in the car. I always use a little dab of sealer at the corners. By the way this is not a plastic timing cover is it? Had an issue with a couple of those leaking at the side and following the cover down to the "arch" of the pan and dripping there. Mechanic replaced 2 oil pans because of it. Still leaked until I replaced the timing cover. He aint my boat mechanic no more! Anyway make sure where the leak is b4 you throw more time and money at it! FWIW... SCE makes an excellent 1 piece gasket,2$20 bucks from summit.

rtracy

It's not a new pan but you wouldn't know it.

rtracy

I'm thinking about removeing the motor so I can get a better look at it. I have been looking at it with a mirror and flash lite and it looks to me like it is comeing from the oil pan. There is oil with a dusting on the bottom of the timeing cover but it is dry not wet like the oil pan.

rtracy

My timming cover is aluminum.

96GS#007

Easier to disassemble the front of the engine.

Are you sure it's not the crankshaft seal in the timing chain cover? A leak there can look just like it's coming from the front of the oil pan.

rtracy

I disassembled the front of the motor and the only place that I can see that may have been leaking is at the base of the timming cover.

REDC4CORVETTE

The stock oil pan gasket for the lt1 is cork on each side and rubber in the front and back.
The after market oil pan gaskets are mostly one piece.
The timing covers are different widths.
My L98 uses a one piece pan gasket and my LT4 uses a 4 piece rubber and cork.
I changed the oil pan on the lt1 to a canton which they have 2 oil pans for the same year one has a different width in the front and rear for a one piece pan gasket.
You need to find out if your front timing cover is tin like the L98 or alum like the ltx engine.
The LTX cover is wider and uses a different gasket.