Oil pan gasket question
#21
Burning Brakes
that is garbage the second job i ever did was my oil pan on my L98 85 and i knew nothing and still dont but i got it done.
obviously remove oil and filter.
take off one diagonal frame brace. i took off the passenger side.
move the starter out of the way (2bolts) i set it on top of the fuel lines.
there are some wires that run beside the pan with the plastic push pin style fastners try to pinch the ends and get them out
wipe it all down if it was like my 85 its disgustingly dirty wipe it down
remove the bolts some are studs some are bolts some have heat deflection plates attatched to them.
i drew a simple diagram on a piece of paper so i knew how it went back.
scraping the cork gasket......i hated that. i used a razor blade and kept it vertical and just scraped and scraped and scraped. get is cccllleeeaaannnn.
use the felpro blue rubber gasket for your year.
i dabbed black rtv, dime size, at the rear corners. mixed reviews on this. i did it and it worked.
in my case, i did not reinstall the long plates that ran along the edges of the pan u will know what i meaan when u see them. my bolts were not long enough with the new gasket so away i went. clean bolt holes in the block if u can. i squirted wd40 in the holes as its all i had back then. now id use brake cleaner so it doesnt affect the torque wrench.
i used a torque wrench and found the specs and sequence online. this was before i had a fsm. do......not......overtighten......get a torque wrench that does inch pounds. obviously if the torque u find id in lbs ft, multiply by 12 for your lbs inch. u will need one for the small pound inch.
if u have any other questions to help u through it,, start your own thread and ill help u out.
oh, if you find u cant get the pan off, like its hung up on something, grab your breaker bar and a 5\8 socket and rotate the engine a 5th of a turn clockwise. go slow and dont be surprised if you feel the bolt tighten a bit before the crank starts to move. the pan is getting hung on the cranks counter weights as the guys said up the thread. turning the engine that 1\5 th of a turn moves the cranks position and keep going in 1\5th increments till u can get it off. for me it was in the right position.
the pan might be stuck really good. the old cork gaskets are a beech to remove. i used a broad thin wood chisel to break the seal. not recommended but u gotta get it off without bending the metal pan rails and without scratching the block. be creative. i was using a hammer and a chisel!!! not recommended!
obviously remove oil and filter.
take off one diagonal frame brace. i took off the passenger side.
move the starter out of the way (2bolts) i set it on top of the fuel lines.
there are some wires that run beside the pan with the plastic push pin style fastners try to pinch the ends and get them out
wipe it all down if it was like my 85 its disgustingly dirty wipe it down
remove the bolts some are studs some are bolts some have heat deflection plates attatched to them.
i drew a simple diagram on a piece of paper so i knew how it went back.
scraping the cork gasket......i hated that. i used a razor blade and kept it vertical and just scraped and scraped and scraped. get is cccllleeeaaannnn.
use the felpro blue rubber gasket for your year.
i dabbed black rtv, dime size, at the rear corners. mixed reviews on this. i did it and it worked.
in my case, i did not reinstall the long plates that ran along the edges of the pan u will know what i meaan when u see them. my bolts were not long enough with the new gasket so away i went. clean bolt holes in the block if u can. i squirted wd40 in the holes as its all i had back then. now id use brake cleaner so it doesnt affect the torque wrench.
i used a torque wrench and found the specs and sequence online. this was before i had a fsm. do......not......overtighten......get a torque wrench that does inch pounds. obviously if the torque u find id in lbs ft, multiply by 12 for your lbs inch. u will need one for the small pound inch.
if u have any other questions to help u through it,, start your own thread and ill help u out.
oh, if you find u cant get the pan off, like its hung up on something, grab your breaker bar and a 5\8 socket and rotate the engine a 5th of a turn clockwise. go slow and dont be surprised if you feel the bolt tighten a bit before the crank starts to move. the pan is getting hung on the cranks counter weights as the guys said up the thread. turning the engine that 1\5 th of a turn moves the cranks position and keep going in 1\5th increments till u can get it off. for me it was in the right position.
the pan might be stuck really good. the old cork gaskets are a beech to remove. i used a broad thin wood chisel to break the seal. not recommended but u gotta get it off without bending the metal pan rails and without scratching the block. be creative. i was using a hammer and a chisel!!! not recommended!
Also, probably a pretty dumb question. I'm trying to figure where the oil is coming from on the top of the engine. Does the intake manifold leak have oil flowing through it and it could be those gaskets? Thanks.
Last edited by hgoodwiniii; 12-06-2015 at 12:47 PM.
#22
#23
Ok, I will give it a go; Really looks tight under there. Does the engine need to lifted any to get the oil pan out?
Also, probably a pretty dumb question. I'm trying to figure where the oil is coming from on the top of the engine. Does the intake manifold leak have oil flowing through it and it could be those gaskets? Thanks.
Also, probably a pretty dumb question. I'm trying to figure where the oil is coming from on the top of the engine. Does the intake manifold leak have oil flowing through it and it could be those gaskets? Thanks.
Last edited by Joe C; 12-07-2015 at 06:06 AM.
The following users liked this post:
hgoodwiniii (12-08-2015)
#24
goodwin, post detailed pics of your leak areas. id recommend cleaning it up as best u can with a shop rag and then watch for where it comes.if its at the rear of the engine and you cant get in there to clean it, do as best you can, but your leak is probably the valve covers, oil pressure sensor, or the china wall of the intake.
its highly probable that you have many leaks, and the worst one is down at the oil pan. thats what my situation was. the old cork gets dry and cracks and leaks. when i fixed the oil pan, the rest was just seepage.
but u should reslly start your own thread then pm us to join it.
its highly probable that you have many leaks, and the worst one is down at the oil pan. thats what my situation was. the old cork gets dry and cracks and leaks. when i fixed the oil pan, the rest was just seepage.
but u should reslly start your own thread then pm us to join it.
Last edited by VikingTrad3r; 12-07-2015 at 10:01 AM.
#25
Burning Brakes
VikingTrad3r,
Did you have to remove the motor mount bolts and lift the engine up any?
Did you have to remove the motor mount bolts and lift the engine up any?
#26
oh, remove the "inspection cover as well. its the real thin, large, tin piece between the tranny and tge oil pan. 4 bolts. dont overtighten!!!!!
did u get your car jacked up high and safely supported with redundancies?
#27
joe is right here u dont have to raisr the engine
also you may get licky and not have to turn engine by hand if your crankshaft stops in the right place. mine was good and sounds like joes was too. like i said, if you do, its like a 1/5 turn, then try, another 1/5turn, that should do it.
on the tools, i got a kit of torx bits and nut drivers. there are also these buts you can get for a drill that allow you to attatch a socket to the drill.
sooooo fast. this is a major difference between doing work at home and at the shop. they use air powered tools and things like removing bolts happen really fast. ive started to use my little ryobi electric drill for everything. i enjoy fixing the car, get a sense of satisfaction, but i get really mad when i sit there like a monkey clicking away a wrench for 1 minute. times that by 16 bolts on a cylinder head and i sit there yoinking a bolt just waisting time.
instead, if i have to quickly break the bolts free with a wratchet, i do, then i switch to the drill and its amazing. done in 2 minutes instead of 16.
when the time comes to reinstall, i turn my drill to the lowest "torque" setting, the rotating thing on the drill that sets the clutch determining how far in the "screw" goes into the wood) and givr. then i use my torque wrench and do a pss over the bolts in the right torque sequence. voila. soooo much faster.
The following users liked this post:
skullandbones (12-08-2015)
#28
Burning Brakes
Ok, thanks. I have not started yet but will shortly. Thanks.
#29
Racer
It's nice to have a walk through for a job you haven't done before. This is my first vette, a 1991 convertible. So this is a welcomed preview to my oil pan project.
Thanks Viking!
WEK.
Thanks Viking!
WEK.
#30
you are welcome. the guys on here have saved me thousands of dollars. the oil pn was my second job after doing the water pump gasket.
im only a year ahead of you. learning curve is steep and i have spent my fair share of wondering if i was getting in too deep. (like right now my heads are off and im waiting for my new head gaskets to arrive...i am still not sure if im going to get the other side of this job!)
you guys can easily pull off your oil pans. the two biggest pitas for you will be busting the pan loose, i remember feeling like there must have been more bolts or it was cemented in place! mine was oem original cork. a reaaallllyyyy stiff plastic chisel would be awesome for that job. you could whack it with a rubber mallet and use it to split the cork seal and not worry about it damaging the metal. I ended up doing this but with a metal chisel tapping it in between the block and the oil pan, it's a pain in the ***, so the more prepared you are mentally the better.
when you get frustrated, just remember that people do this every day and so can you.
and second, stripping the old cork, just takes time and a razor blade held at 90 deg to the surface. grab a little box of them.
i wouldnt waste the wd40 or brake cleaner on the cork gasket...just use soapy water as you slowly scrape it away. if there was like a real stiff sharp plastic spatula that doesnt bend that would have been great.
i saw this guy who used a spinning multi fingered plasticy thing to clead a head surface recently. i think id use this on the pan rail surface. not the block though cause you would get gritty debris up into the engine.
also, when you scrape the block,, on your back under the car, use some rags, or saran wrap, or tinfoil, around the pump pickup. you will see what i mean when u get in there but the scrapings will fall onto these areas that need to be covered.
try real hard not to have any debris clinging to the oily surfaces.
I think you'll find what you get under there, that you are more than capable to do the job and, in the end, you will actually do a cleaner and more careful job then if you were to take it to most dealerships in the country
im only a year ahead of you. learning curve is steep and i have spent my fair share of wondering if i was getting in too deep. (like right now my heads are off and im waiting for my new head gaskets to arrive...i am still not sure if im going to get the other side of this job!)
you guys can easily pull off your oil pans. the two biggest pitas for you will be busting the pan loose, i remember feeling like there must have been more bolts or it was cemented in place! mine was oem original cork. a reaaallllyyyy stiff plastic chisel would be awesome for that job. you could whack it with a rubber mallet and use it to split the cork seal and not worry about it damaging the metal. I ended up doing this but with a metal chisel tapping it in between the block and the oil pan, it's a pain in the ***, so the more prepared you are mentally the better.
when you get frustrated, just remember that people do this every day and so can you.
and second, stripping the old cork, just takes time and a razor blade held at 90 deg to the surface. grab a little box of them.
i wouldnt waste the wd40 or brake cleaner on the cork gasket...just use soapy water as you slowly scrape it away. if there was like a real stiff sharp plastic spatula that doesnt bend that would have been great.
i saw this guy who used a spinning multi fingered plasticy thing to clead a head surface recently. i think id use this on the pan rail surface. not the block though cause you would get gritty debris up into the engine.
also, when you scrape the block,, on your back under the car, use some rags, or saran wrap, or tinfoil, around the pump pickup. you will see what i mean when u get in there but the scrapings will fall onto these areas that need to be covered.
try real hard not to have any debris clinging to the oily surfaces.
I think you'll find what you get under there, that you are more than capable to do the job and, in the end, you will actually do a cleaner and more careful job then if you were to take it to most dealerships in the country
#31
#32
here is my thread from about a year ago. it has some pics you might find usefull.
from the pics i temember now i held that metal brush in my hand and scrubbed the rail.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/c4-tech-performance/3566649-how-do-i-break-my-85-l98-oil-pan-gasket-free.html
The following users liked this post:
hgoodwiniii (12-08-2015)
#33
Burning Brakes
Oil pan gasket question (Cont'd)
I started the oil pan project today. I was able to pull the starter, drain the oil and remove the fly wheel cover.
The fly wheel cover had about an ounce of wet oil inside it.
The sides of the oil pan have wet oil and the front and rear of the oil pan have crudded built up semi wet oil. I'll take pics when I get it off.
I plan to change the oil pump while I'm here.
I put the engine with the #1 cylinder in the combustion position. I'm hoping this clears the crankshaft below so the oil pan will come out without me having to manually turn the engine. Any thoughts?
The other question I have now is do the cross members supports have to come off to get oil pan out?
The fly wheel cover had about an ounce of wet oil inside it.
The sides of the oil pan have wet oil and the front and rear of the oil pan have crudded built up semi wet oil. I'll take pics when I get it off.
I plan to change the oil pump while I'm here.
I put the engine with the #1 cylinder in the combustion position. I'm hoping this clears the crankshaft below so the oil pan will come out without me having to manually turn the engine. Any thoughts?
The other question I have now is do the cross members supports have to come off to get oil pan out?
#34
im feeling bad about the hijacking of rins thread. you should really have strted your own.
anyway, i removed the passenger side brace. when i do my next one ill remove both. its just a few bolts and opens up the area.
as for your oil in the inspection cover, take a good hard look at the rear main seal and up above that at the oil pressure sensor.
post your pics! and only use the blue felpro permadry gasket.
should look like this (sticking out of the driver side of the block)
anyway, i removed the passenger side brace. when i do my next one ill remove both. its just a few bolts and opens up the area.
as for your oil in the inspection cover, take a good hard look at the rear main seal and up above that at the oil pressure sensor.
post your pics! and only use the blue felpro permadry gasket.
should look like this (sticking out of the driver side of the block)
I started the oil pan project today. I was able to pull the starter, drain the oil and remove the fly wheel cover.
The fly wheel cover had about an ounce of wet oil inside it.
The sides of the oil pan have wet oil and the front and rear of the oil pan have crudded built up semi wet oil. I'll take pics when I get it off.
I plan to change the oil pump while I'm here.
I put the engine with the #1 cylinder in the combustion position. I'm hoping this clears the crankshaft below so the oil pan will come out without me having to manually turn the engine. Any thoughts?
The other question I have now is do the cross members supports have to come off to get oil pan out?
The fly wheel cover had about an ounce of wet oil inside it.
The sides of the oil pan have wet oil and the front and rear of the oil pan have crudded built up semi wet oil. I'll take pics when I get it off.
I plan to change the oil pump while I'm here.
I put the engine with the #1 cylinder in the combustion position. I'm hoping this clears the crankshaft below so the oil pan will come out without me having to manually turn the engine. Any thoughts?
The other question I have now is do the cross members supports have to come off to get oil pan out?
#35
Burning Brakes
im feeling bad about the hijacking of rins thread. you should really have strted your own.
anyway, i removed the passenger side brace. when i do my next one ill remove both. its just a few bolts and opens up the area.
as for your oil in the inspection cover, take a good hard look at the rear main seal and up above that at the oil pressure sensor.
post your pics! and only use the blue felpro permadry gasket.
should look like this (sticking out of the driver side of the block)
anyway, i removed the passenger side brace. when i do my next one ill remove both. its just a few bolts and opens up the area.
as for your oil in the inspection cover, take a good hard look at the rear main seal and up above that at the oil pressure sensor.
post your pics! and only use the blue felpro permadry gasket.
should look like this (sticking out of the driver side of the block)
#36
Racer
If Ron B C4 got what he needed from this thread, I think he did pretty early in the post count, he could chime in and say ya or na on starting a new thread. I believe he could use this info too. Just a thought.
WEK.
WEK.