Dean Prevolos

My 99 has 122,000 miles on it and I noticed some oil drops on my garage floor. I put it up on my lift and saw a very light wetness of oil on my oil pan cover and drain bolt. I wiped it clean, mad sure the bolt is tight and still have a few drops on the garage floor. I have had the car since 1999 with no mechanical issues.

Should I change the oil pan gasket and go from there if it doesn't stop?

Anyone with similar problem, please advise. Thank you.

Bill Curlee

Why dont you wipe down the oil pan and drain plug and see where the oil leak orginates from. If you have a two piece oil pan, Re-torque the oil pan bolts NOTE! The torque valye is very low. DO NOT over torque them or they will strip out!

The torque value is 12 ft/lbs or 106 inch /pounds

The bolts that secure the oil pan to the BLOCk are 25 ft/lbs.

The drain plug gas a sealing O ring embeded in it. If it is worn or damaged, replace the drain plug with a new GM Magnetic drainplug.

The LS oil pan gasket isnt a run of the mill paper or rubber gasket. Its a thin aluminum frame with an O ring seal embeded into the aluminum frame. Its very durable and seldom fails.

IF, you have a one piece oil pan, you have to remove the pan to replace the gasket between the pan and the block and that will require you to drop the K member. NOT FUN!

BC

Dean Prevolos

Thanks Bill. I did wipe everything down last week and am looking at it again today. Last week I did as you suggested with the oil drain plug.

I took a couple of pictures yesterday but can't figure out how to post them here. I see that I have to upload to a http: address? Can't I just post a JPEG?

I will go through today and see what I can accomplish. Thank you.

Bill Curlee

Just subscribe to PHOTOBUCKET (its free for minimum usage) and post your photos from there. Upload your photo to your created photo album

Just copy and paste the ( IMG Code ) into your post

[IMG] http:/ /img.photobucket.com/ albums/v402/bill327/02Z06Stainlessworksrearshot.jpg [/IMG]

Dean Prevolos

Hi Bill, I haven't driven the car for a couple of weeks now, just have it on my lift. And each weekend I look at it, wipe it down and then find small oil drops on the trans bolt heads.

I will check the trans bolts with my torque wrench.

A few years ago I had the clutch changed and the flywheel. I don't know if they removed the oil pan, why would they?

So I will check this weekend.

I also thought that maybe the PVC might be leaking. I read another post yesterday about a dealer that can't find the solution to an oil smell after each oil change on newer Corvette? Someone mentioned the PVC leaking.
Any thoughts on that? I should probably just change it anyway.

Dean Prevolos

Bill, my forum page states that I am not allowed to post attachments?

Michael1950

I have a 2004 C5 with 17,000 miles. My gasket is leaking at the oil pan. My mechanic told me he needs to pull the engine to remove the pan and replace the gasket. Any thoughts on this. It will cost $800. Plus I will need to realighn the front end

Bill Curlee

WELL,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, You have a 2 piece oil pan. The upper part that attaches to the block seldom leaks

The lower part pan that attaches to the main pan can and will leak. Usually the small screws become loose and all it takes is to retorque them. They are delicate and the torque is in INCH POUNDS!!

DO NOT over torque them or you will strip the pan out. 106 in/lbs


Oil Pan Cover Bolt (Left Side) 12Nm -- 106 in/lb
Oil Pan Cover Bolt (Rt Side) 12 Nm-- 106 in/lb
Oil Pan Cover Bolts 12Nm -- 106 in/lb
Oil Pan M6 Bolts (Oil Pan-to-Rr Cover) 12Nm -- 106 in/lb
Oil Pan M8 Bolts (Oil Pan-to-Engine Block) 18 FT/LBS


Oil Pan Drain Plug 25 Nm 18 FT/ LBS --

If it were me,, I would try tightening everything, wipe it down and see if that solves the issue.

BC

Dnealy

What about the crank seal in the timing cover? The one that the balancer slides into.

I only know this because i was in a hurry to get mine back together, didnt have time to wait for he dealership to order the new gasket, reused the one that i had just took off (keep in mind this is the one that is stuck in the front of the timing cover so its not like this things being touched with your hands or anything before i get ragged to much haha) and well, it leaks . Like I've always been told, "Take your time" lol well this one got me, now i have to tear it back down and replace a couple dollar gasket.... damn lol.

Anyways, the bottom of the pan gets covered like your describing yours is a good bit while this crank seal is leaking, along with the front leaf spring having a little oil on it.

Bill Curlee

Well,,,, your out of luck on the timing cover dampner seal. You have to rip it all apart again and replace it. YES they do go bad. I had on go bad and I had engine oil on the differential.

racebum

buy a 1/4 torque wrench to do oil pans on ANY car. it may seem like you can get by on feel but the likely hood of a gasket failing is a LOT lower if you torque properly.

while kind of a POS even if $15 harbor freight torque wrench is a major step up from a ratchet when doing oil pans.

williamb81

I had the same issue. here is a picture of the fix ~



^^^^sarcasm^^^^