Corvette1221

I have a Z06 that has an oil leak. After researching this on the forum it sounds as if there are others out there that have this issue.

Originally I spotted a little oil leak and didn"t think much of it as I checked the oil and it wasn"t loosing that much. However recently, (after the warranty ran out, its a 2006) I checked the oil after only a few hundred miles and it was a few quarts low.

So I am pretty sure it is the oil pan gasket that is misaligned.

Here is the question, as I do all my own work on my other cars, it appears that the car suspension needs to be removed to remove the oil pan? Is this true or can it easily, I hope, be removed with relatively little work as with other conventional cars.

While I have put engines in two of my other cars I have never had to work on a Corvette until now. I am tempted to buy the shop manual for procedure, but thought with all the knowledge on this forum someone might know?

Please help

svoshop

Its not letting me post the pictures. Here is the step by step from alldata. It calls for 6 hours labor.




Oil Pan Replacement
Removal Procedure









Remove the front suspension crossmember.
Drain the oil.
Remove the oil filter.
Remove the left rear transmission cover.
Remove the starter motor assembly.








Remove the right transmission cover.








Disconnect the engine oil level sensor electrical connector (2).








Remove the transmission lines from the rear of the oil pan.








Remove the transmission lines from the front of the oil pan.








Remove the rear oil pan bolts (2).
Remove the bolts from the clutch housing to the oil pan (3).
Remove the remaining oil pan bolts (4).
Remove the oil pan (5) from the engine block (7).
Important: It maybe necessary to rotate the oil pan to remove to gain enough clearance to clear the oil pump pick up tube. Remove the oil pan gasket (6) from the engine block (7).
Installation Procedure









Important:
The alignment of the structural oil pan is critical. The rear bolt hole locations of the oil pan provide mounting points for the transmission housing. To ensure the rigidity of the powertrain and correct transmission alignment, it is important that the rear of the block and the rear of the oil pan are flush, or even. The rear of the oil pan must NEVER protrude beyond the engine block and transmission housing plane.
Do not use the oil pan gasket again.
It is not necessary to rivet the NEW gasket to the oil pan.
Apply a 5 mm (0.2 inch) bead of sealant GM P/N 12378190 or equivalent 20 mm (0.8 inch) long to the engine block. Apply the sealant directly onto the tabs of the front cover gasket that protrude into the oil pan surface.









Apply a 5 mm (0.2 inch) bead of sealant GM P/N 12378190 or equivalent 20 mm (0.8 inch) long to the engine block. Apply the sealant directly onto the tabs of the rear cover gasket that protrude into the oil pan surface.








Position the oil pan gasket (6) on the oil pan (5).
Using 2 bolts (4) to hold the oil pan gasket in place, install the oil pan assembly (5 and 6) to the engine block (7).
Finger tighten the 2 bolts (4) to hold the oil pan assembly (5) in place.
Notice: Refer to Fastener Notice . Install the mounting bolts (2 and 3) for the oil pan assembly.
Tighten the oil pan mounting bolts (2) M6 to 12 Nm (106 inch lbs.) .
Tighten the oil pan mounting bolts (4) M8 to 25 Nm (18 ft. lbs.) .








Reconnect the engine oil level sensor (2) electrical connector.








Install the right transmission cover and bolt.
Tighten the transmission cover bolt to 12 Nm (106 inch lbs.) .








Install the front transmission cooler line retainer and bolt.
Tighten the transmission cooler line retainer and bolts to 12 Nm (106 inch lbs.) .








Install the rear transmission cooler lines retainer and bolt.
Tighten the transmission cooler line retainer and bolts to 12 Nm (106 inch lbs.) .
Install the starter assembly.








Install the left rear transmission cover and bolt.
Tighten the transmission cooler line retainer and bolts to 12 Nm (106 inch lbs.) .
Install the oil filter.
Install the front suspension crossmember.

dvandentop

it is not a fun task plan on an all day project for the most part

above instructions are right from the manual without pics but if you are somewhat mechanically inclined should be able to figure it out without the pics

Corvette1221

Thanks for the post. I sent my email address toyou in a private message. I would really like to get the pictures so I have all the information possible to do this job right.

Thanks,

Corvette1221

lane_change

Quick question since I am doing this today in the garage....did you guys just use a jack, jackstand, etc...on the bellhousing to support the engine as you lowered the subframe away? Just seems like a lot of weight bearing down on the bellhousing-engine bolts. Is there any way to put a second support on the front of the engine around the balancer to help share the load?

lane_change

I got the pain removed, cleaned, etc...I need to apply the small bead of silicone/RTV to the gasket/block/pan/etc....but does anyone know exactly where to apply? There is no images here, but I want to make sure that I do it right, and I also want to make sure that I don't have another damn oil leak. Anyone got any info quickly?

Thanks,
Scott

Smf_zo6

Doing some searches, is there any write ups for this with pictures

rio95

Pays to have a good mechanic buddy. He did mine super quick during header install. Doesn't leak a thing now! He just drops the cradle a little. Made it look super easy. Probably took him 30-45 min once it was lifted.

Michael_D

Hey is there some trick to getting the tank lines out of the pan? Feels like there's an o'ring or spring fighting me and am avoiding prying on it at this point....

548chevelle

Remove the bracket that's holding the middle of the lines. Just took my lines out to put headers in.
Also what are the transmission covers?

Michael_D

I have the bracket removed. The lines want to come out, but there is resistance. I have learned through many hours of aggravation to not pry on something, unless you know you won't break something.

The tranny covers are those little black plastic things on the bell housing.

Nowanker

Done mine twice removing/installing headers...
Once the retainer is off, there's nothing holding the lines into the pan.
Probably the O rings just have hold of them.

Michael_D

Great, thanks! I'll pry the bastards out...

Z.06

From my experience with Freddyvette on my car, it is possible to drop the pan without removing the front crossmember. Just lower it down on the 4 crossmember to frame bolts/nuts. I like to keep a jack under the subrame for safety.

From the same experience, my lower pad gasket was in perfect shape, such that I did not think I could improve on it by installing a new gasket. SO we cleaned the RTV on the four corners of the pan and applied new RTV there and reinstalled the pan with. We retorqued the pan bolts to spec for all of the bolts we could access with a torque wrench, and used a "feels good" torque for the rest.

Agree with 548chevelle on the bracket holding the lines to and from the dry sump oil tank. The lines are curved and can be sprung out of their receivers after the bracket and the end coupling attachment bolts have been removed.