Oil leaks again like ____
 

h3LL....

I took my car out for a drive today and oil everywhere. I didn't see any dripping on the seal but there was some on the gasket for the oil pan in front. I dropped the pan and there was oil between the gasket and the block. Also there is about an 1/8" ledge off of the block to the timing cover. Should that get filled with RTV? Should I be using any sealant between my gasket and block or gasket and pan. I am using a Milodon pan and milodon gasket. the gasket with the steel spacers in it. I would assume that the oil getting in between the block and gasket is a BAD thing.. lol

Should I buy a different pan and gasket.?

What kind of material is your gasket made from, I've had good luck with a one piece rubber gasket. There should be silicone sealer in all four corners of the pan. I would also get a gasket sealer to stick the gasket to the block first. You need to also check the torque on the pan bolts often, once oil slips in between the block or pan and gasket you'll have to pull the pan off and start all over again. Your pan is fine, when it's off just make sure the mating surface is flat.

Mike,

Just clean everything off and make sure all of the oil is gone. You can use a little brake cleaner or even paint thinner on a rag. Just get the rag wet in on spot about an inch in dia and wipe all of the oil off making sure not to get any on or around any bearing areas.

Use non hardening rtv on all surfaces, install your gaskets and then put rtv on any seams that you see and you should be fine. That might be a little overkill but it has always worked for me.

Milodon is a good pan. Just revisit the installation process, and the various side rail gaskets and end seals. I agree with Tim above, a 1 piece (I chose Fel Pro) with metal inserts works very well. I also recommend studs and locking nuts, I like "Jet" nuts because of their smaller overall size. Install this correctly after fitting the front cover and it will be dry for a very long time.

I had a rubber gasket.. When I took it apart it fell apart. So I need a new gasket at least. As far as the pan goes the bolt holes are all bowed out. I can straighten them again and make it all flat. I will try a new gasket and some RTV to see what happens.

Thanks

Mike

by 1/8 ledge b etween the block and front cover do you mean where the gasket surface is???If so you not only have a oil pan leak but probably also a front crank seal leak--

those surfaces have to line up and if they don't you probably have a mis matched or defective front cover

A closed PVC system or evac system will reduce pressure in the block, thus, reduce tendency to seep and you might reduce any parasitic loss of HP, as well.
All else being good, of course.
Good Luck!

Mike:
Straighten the pan surface before you reinstall it. Using a gasket with the metal inserts at the mounting holes helps prevent the gasket from being overtightened and distorting the sealing surface of the pan and gasket, it is a great improvement.

And especially check to make sure the pan rail surface does not slope down and away from the inside of the pan. It needs to be totally flat in all directions. I am dealing with this now as I am changing to a road race pan. One suggestion that was made to me was to check it by putting a bright light in the pan and placing it face down one a totally flat surface.

Here is an open question for anyone that may help OFM, I must admit I don't know the answer. Is the timing cover the same for a 351 as for a 302? Is the crank centerline dimension the same to the pan rail?

yes, they are totally interchangeable, done it many times......

David

Rick

Thanks for asking... I had just recently bought a new timing cover. Much nicer than the one I had as that one was for EFI blocks. this is an older style timing cover..

I am going to start ripping the front apart again and take all of the tips everyone has been giving me to put it back together again.. 10th times a charm.. lol

If you would like some help I could come up there on Thursday, my Day off????

Rick

That's a very tempting offer. Let me see if I can get some time off. I bet I can. Thanks.

Rick.

I got thursday and Friday off this week. So if you are serious in helping me regain my sanity let me know and I will send you my contact info... :>) And let me know what I can do for you in return..

Mike

Mike:

I've had a few engines where the timing cover and the block had a small "ledge/gap" as you have, put a good dab of RTV on the ledge before installing the gasket to fill in the gap........

I've also had very,very good luck with the plane jane cork oil pan gaskets and thats all I use. The advise to make sure the pan holes have not bulged up is right on, make sure they are all flat, take a hammer and something to back it up and dolly them flat again before installing the pan....

I like to "smear" a very small amount of RVT on the clean block bottom and put the cork gasket on and let it set up, then once it has dried, install the pan, that way the gasket doesn't move around when installing it.....with the cork gasket I snug the pan bolts down and then let it sit for a few minutes and re-tighten, I usually do this a total of 3 times as the cork gasket will "give" some, be careful not to overtighten, because then you smash the gasket and it'll never seal up...

Using this method, I can not remember the last time I had a leak........

I tried the one-piece rubber gasket (MR. GASKET brand) and it leaked like crazy, went back to the old cork gasket and never leaked a drop of oil on the same motor.......some have had good luck with the one-piece gasket,some haven't, I think it's a hit and miss thing with them.........

David

Thanks to Rick and his handy measuring tools, keen eye and attention to detail my leak is finally gone. Thanks again for the tremendous help. Remember I owe you one now..

I added some exhaust gaskets yesterday to the header to sidepipe connection and fixed another issue. Progress feels good.