I need to replace on my 95. What I have been reading their are 2 gaskets with different thicknesses in the solid gasket. What one do I need? Or does it even matter?

 

I used the fel pro gasket that you can buy from just about any parts store. It is designed to go on dry which I did. Works well.

 

The Felpro one is the one I read that has 2 different thicknesses.

 

Save your time checking the posts and go get the gasket and getter done. Use the extra time to get the crank shaft turned to the sweet spot to let the pan slide out easily. If you have any doubts, raise the engine up a bit before re-installing. It's far more important to keep that fel-pro in the right spot than to spend time chasing posts

 

Project for this weekend. I ordered some studs from Summit this weekend. Waiting on them.

 

Not sure about different thickness. This is the one I used: http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...pan+gasket+set

If you are lucky, the crank will be in the correct spot and the pan will come right out. Also, if you plan to change spark plug wires, now will be a good time. With the oil pan out of the way, you have access to the optispark. You will still have to route the wires through the "black hole" on the driver's side, but at least you will be able to plug into the optispark without scraping all the skin off your hands.

Finally, not sure what studs you are referring to, but if you are talking about the locating studs, they come with the fel pro kit.

 

Thanks for the info. I ordered studs for the pan instead of the bolts. Figured it would be easier to keep gasket in place.

 

On the studs.

Good luck.

 

use the fel-pro os 34500 r 1-piece gasket, fits sbc engines with 1-piece rear main seal from 1986 and newer. the earlier engines with the 2-piece rear main seal had 2 thickness's on the front of the pan and you had to measure the depth of the pan lip, but the gasket kit had both seals in it.

 

There are two different thickness FelPro oil pan gaskets for L98s. I don't know about their gaskets for LT1s.

The L98 difference is not in the thickness of the rail sections. I think it has something to do with the later L98 engines with one piece rear main seals.

 

Pretty sure, not 100%, but I do not think there is enough clearance between engine and frame to use studs for the oil pan.

The oil pan has to slide forward a bit to get into place and I think studs are going to interfere.

I still put RTV into the corners of the one piece FelPro gasket....just to be sure....but up to you.

If you replace the oil filter adapter gaskets that come in the FelPro box which is a royal PITA to get the old gasket out.....I found that now the two torx oil filter adapter bolts are 1/2 a thread too long and do not fully seat. I had to use a dab of RTV at the bolt head to seal it up.

Good luck.

 

I used studs on an in car oil pan install; no problem whatsoever...but I did have the engine raised 3/4" or 1"; I unbolted the bottom stud on the engine mount, one per side, and then placed a small piece of wood between the bottom of the mount and the pad it normally rests on...not a big deal.

If your planning on replacing the pan gasket with the engine in the car, using pre installed studs and sliding the gasket and pan up onto them is much much easier than trying to hold the gasket in place, manuever the pan into place, start a bunch of capscrews, etc.

 

Did you guys have to remove the starter. The thread I read on this they did but it was the L98 motor.

How did you jack the motor up. Block under the oil pan before you pulled it?

 

Pan wise, l98 (at least after 1986)and LT engines are the same. If memory serves me well, and we all know how that goes, I'm pretty sure you can remove and install the stock pan without dropping the starter..It's been awhile since I've done a stock pan..But if you have to drop the starter, it's just two bolts...don't lose them, they have a specially knurled shank and are dedicated starter bolts, plus the battery cable and small wire on the front of the solenoid.

yes I used a large block of wood, wide and long, not necessarily thick, under the pan to raise the engine; it only needs to come up an inch or so, much more and the sensors on the back of the engine block will hit the firewall

 

I dropped the starter, oil filter adapter and pulled the flywheel cover (6 speed). You MIGHT be able to work around these items but I'd say pulled off. The only part that was a pain was cleaning up the gasket for the filter adapter. Take your time. Also be careful with the oil sensor in the pan.

Overall I would get all of that out of the way and make sure the gakset goes in right the first time. Fel-pro provides some handy plastic studs that will hold the gasket in place. Pulling the motor mount is probably easier as mention above but, I was able to use those plastic pegs as is in the back. For the front I trimmed them off and was able slide the pan under. Having the motor raised would have been easier but I already had the required sealer in the corners of the pan so needed to expedite the install.

Go for it - You'll be fine. If not you'll learn something and then be fine. Still be money ahead and either have a clean driveway or find the next leak. I found my power steering has a small leak after fixing the pan gasket, timing cover and valve cover gaskets.

These ol ladies are needy

 

an old, and I do mean old, shade tree machanics trick was to use sewing thread to tie the gasket to the pan. A short piece thru each hole held it in place. Worked for all kinda places including the valve covers.. did I say it was old? Long time ago I switched to sticky (glue? in a spray can) in place of the threads. The sewing thread is so small and thin it never cause a leak. probably not the thing to do now a days, just thought I would throw in a little history of our struggles with our hobby. On that note, we also kept golf tees in out tool boxes for vacuum line plugs.

 

If you have the manual transmission, you will have to remove the starter to get the flywheel cover out of the way. Like already mentioned, only two bolts. I slid a bucket under the car and sat the starter on the bucket. That way it wasn't necessary to disconnect cables. (Of course, I did disconnect the battery before starting the job.) One more thing, the very first thing you should do is carefully remove the oil level sensor from the side of the oil pan unless you want to go buy a new one to replace the old one you just broke off in the pan. Also if you just go ahead and remove the starter and oil filter adapter, you will save yourself a lot of agony trying to get around them. If they would have located that adapter about 1/8" further away from the pan, it wouldn't be necessary to remove it. But, unless you trim off your socket, or have a special tool, you won't be able to get to the one single oil pan bolt which is directly adjacent to the adapter.

 

Hi all, seems this thread covers the LT1 engine mostly. What's involved with changing the oil pan gasket for a 1991 L98? I had one guy tell me it's almost impossible to do with the engine in the car. I don't buy that. Should I probably consider changing the oil pump while I have the pan off? My car has 212k miles on it.

 

Hi all. Finally got around to investigating the oil leak on my 91. I was hoping it was a valve cover gasket. I pulled the valve covers and really no leak was evident from them. There is a lot of oil on the top of the engine. The intake manifold has a lot of old oil on it but not convinced this could be the source of the leak. I'm thinking oil pan gasket. How tough is it to change the oil pan gasket on a 91? Thanks.

 

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!