marks146

I'm about to change the pan gasket on my 1996 and after reading many posts on this job I'm left with the impression it's not recommended to use RTV or gasket sealant on the pan gasket during assembly.

I'm wondering why? Is there some reason it's best to install the Fel-Pro one piece gasket dry? This is what the instructions that came in the package recommends doing.

I'm an old school'er so if I didn't read up on this project I would have likely put RTV gasket cement on both sides of the gasket prior to replacing the pan.

I still might, unless I can be talked out of doing it.

By the way, the original pan had a few dents and the drain plug seeps a little oil even with a new ring gasket, so I was looking for a new pan. Oil pans with the oil level sensor hole are just not available. Does anyone know where one can be found?

Thanks,

ColaBear

Hello marks146,

I did my 96 pan about a year ago and did it dry per the instructions. I wish I would have put RTV (or the Right Stuff) at least in the corners where the gasket goes over the front and rear crank journals like the FSM calls out. I have a small leak from the pan (front and rear) which I will now have to pull it back down and re-do to fix it.

You might try Fle-Bay at some of the vette salvage yards for a replacement oil pan with the oil level sensor hole. Some of the vendors on the forum may carry one but they will be big bucks like $319 from CC but you can’t tell from their web site if it has the oil sensor opening. You would need to contact them.

leesvet

Yep,

w/cola

Search FleaBay for the pan. Then if you do not see your part exactly, look at the "sellers store" and the "contact seller" buttons and go directly to their website. Most have large online sites with whatever you need. FleaBay postings are usually a fraction of what they have for sale. A word of caution...leave your bank card in the other room...once you see the "stuff"...its easy to create projects for the car !

I was/am guilty of buying under the pretense of "I'll need that, maybe not right now but I'll sure need that someday..". Theres always some way to justify buying stuff for the Corvette!

IIWM, I'd use glue anywhere that the pan was warped or some damage was nearby. That distorts the pan just enough that it is no longer flat and cannot pinch the dry gasket between every bolt. So there are wet spots...
use the glue around bends, corners and a smear along the whole thing won't hurt anything especially since its coming off again soon to fit the new pan. Trick is to keep every mating surface as clean and dry as you can until bonding when using the blu-glu.

96GS#007

RTV in the corners. These shots show Permatex RTV, but "The Right Stuff" is really what you want to use.

marks146

Exactly where you show the RTV is where mine leaks. I think the PO ran off-road and the oil pan hit something. This must have broken the seal causing this minor but annoying drip.

Who makes "The Right Stuff"? Can this be found in Advance Auto or should I start looking online?

Thanks for the help, guys.

93LT1

Yes, Advance auto sell's it.

hemivett

Its available locally. h http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...ier=34502_0_0_

ColaBear

The Right Stuff is made by Permatex. You can get it from most places like Wallmart, Autozone and Advance Auto Parts.

marks146

I found it locally. I'll pick some up tomorrow.

I'm going to drop the pan Friday and see if I can bang out the dents. Maybe I can fix the drain plug with an over-sized plug. I think it may be stretched. When I changed the oil it didn't look or feel quite right when it came out. Once it's on the bench I'll be able to decide what to do.

I'm going to use the 2X4 under the motor mounts method to make room to slide the pan out. Once I get the filter mount and starter out of the way, are there any surprises I should watch for, besides oil dripping on my face. Is there enough room up top for the engine to lift? Do I have to watch for pinch points like maybe the auto-trans dipstick, or EGR valve?

Thanks again, all.

hemivett

If you do use that gasket sealer without a gasket, it will be garaunteed not to leak. Just make sure you have everything done, that you want done, cause its a bitch to get off. You have to cut it apart with a razor knife. h

ColaBear

You need to pull the oil level sensor, started, oil filter and dip stick.

You may need to rotate the crank to help get the pan off. I had to take the flywheel inspection cover off of mine as the back 2 pan bolts where hidden by it. That also meant dropping the exhaust and pulling the driver side cat off.

It depends on your set up. I was able to pull my pan without jacking the motor up.

marks146

There will be a one piece Fel-Pro gasket used. It's the RTV I was unsure of.

marks146

Just the dip stick, not the tube, correct?

There's a few circular rubber seals included in the box with the pan gasket. Are they for the oil filter adapter, or something else. There's no reference to their intended use.

Snow Friday, so I'll probably start the job tomorrow.

Regards,

corvette95

If you are re using your stock pan, you don't have to remove the passenger cat or drivers cat, I just put A canton oil pan on mine and removing the converter was the hardest by far, the worst. Also, do you plan on installing the gasket to the block then installing the pan, if so, some gasket assembly glue is recommended.

corvette95

I did not use rtv per instructions and have a drip

ColaBear

@marks146,

I did not need to pull the oil dip stick tube, just the dip stick. There is a welded in tray in the oil pan that the dip stick runs through so removing the stick helps when removing the pan.

ColaBear

Some have been able to remove the pan without pulling the driver side cat. I had to on mine to get to one bolt on the dust cover.

On mine, the dust cover is over the back 2 bolts of the pan and I could not get a wrench on them.

The stock LT1 has 4 studs and nuts (2 in the front and two in the back) which are a pain then putting the pan back on. They need to be removed to use the little blue gasket alignment pieces which come with the pan gasket set. I just replaced those 4 studs and nuts with 4 bolts and flat washers.

If you do need to remove the driver side cat, there is 3 bolts at the manifold cat junction and there is a welded on bracket that bolts to the block. You do not need to remove both of the bracket bolts. Just loosen the top bolt as the bracket is slotted (at least mine was) and remove the lower bolt. (Plus you have to pull the exhaust out to get the cat off.

STL94LT1

The first time I replaced the oil pan gasket on my 94 I use a GM gasket and RTV, it leaked. The second time, Felpro gasket, no RTV, and no leak.

ProjectC4

I used that rubber or silicone newer style Felpro with just a little RTV in the corners like it said. It leaks in the front corner. I should have used more. My '84 came down with just removing the starter and possibly the flywheel inspection plate. My plate was missing when I took the pan down so I don't know if it would have been in the way. I have seen posts on here that said to clean all mating surfaces with Acetone. That seems like a good idea.

corvette95

Thanks!