Front oil pan leaking….

Anybody got any secrets to solving the front of the oil pan leaking, I have 2 of them doing it and I don’t want to pull the engines, But I have to fix it I can’t stand anything leaking. My Stage 1 has been doing it for years, the other one is a fresh build and I don’t over tighten the pan bolts so as to not squish out the gasket, my oil pressure seems to want to push them out, maybe using full synthetic oil is the culprit? I only have 50lbs at startup and 25-30 idle, so nothing overkill.

 

Clean with brake clean...remove blots...clean the threads sealer on them..... .push/smear sealer in the gap..go onto the cover and pan rail...go back about 3in behind the timing cover

 

Synthetic isn't the issue....ivecran royal purple for 20+ years In my pops car....it sits on concrete for months at a time......bone dry

 

I did my timing cover a couple years ago and it seeps a wee bit now. If I ever decide to tear it apart again, I would probably just use that Ultra Black stuff again, instead of the lower gasket piece. I just don't feel like going through all that again right now.

 

Yea

Yea, that’s exactly what I’ve done on the first car, giving it a day or so to cure well before I start it up and see if it worked, but I am scepticle.

 

Usually what causes the front to leak has nothing to do with the gasket, sealers used or not used, witchcraft, voodoo or any other mystical force.

It was tightened incorrectly.

Because of the design of the oil pan, with that wonderful bend in the front of it, you MUST torque the front 4 bolts first.. that process will pull the pan forward.. if you don't do this, and tighten those front bolts after even one of the bolts in the block are tightened, it simply bends the front pan rail. And that is the genesis of most leaks there.

Here's my process for stock oil pans- with any type gasket- (assumes the block upside down on an engine stand)

1. Clean the block rails, oil pan rails and timing cover gasket sealing area with lacquer thinner.
2, Test fit the pan, with the gasket in place. Make sure you can start all the bolts, especially the front ones.
3. Coat block side of the gasket with Permatex Aircraft sealer.. ya, that gooey, sticky brown stuff... install the gasket on the block. align it with a couple bolts and let it sit for a bit to get good and tacky..
4. Throw the rear rubber seal over your shoulder, and apply a liberal bead of Permatex "Right stuff" sealant to the rear main cap, paying special attention the the joints at that cap, and at the timing cover/ block intersection. Just a dab of sealer will do it in the front.
5. Now apply the Aircraft sealer to the pan side of the gasket,letting that gooey stuff seep into the gap in the front of the gasket..
6. Install the pan, get all bolts started. Snug the front of the pan down first.. to get it in good contact with the gasket, without bending it.. lightly seat the rest of the pan bolts.. Not tight, just run them down.
7 Torque the front bolts- 13 ftlbs.
8 Torque the rest of the bolts, start in the front, and go to the rear on both sides.. 13 ft lbs.. use a torque wrench, it's tighter than you think, and the oil pan rail is designed for this torque, it's much stronger than something like a valve cover.

I can't remember the last oil pan leak I had on the break in stand or the dyno..

Good luck
JW

 

All good advice JW, I’m wanting a fix for one that’s in the car, but I may have it solved, I loosened it pushed the front back into place and used sealer then bolted it back down and let it sit for 2 days to cure. So far so good. One is over 10 years old and the other is new, I followed the same procedure as you minus the Aircraft sealer, next time I will for sure.

 

Jim: Your forgetting about mine. Still leaking. I know you went out of your way to repair it.

UticaGeoff

 

I'm surprised you even need to put the bolts in with that brown stuff. I use it for freeze plugs.

Serious question- when pulling the pan after after normal run time, are you able to separate the pan with out warping it? What does it take to clean the surface after? I'm sure your not using a roloc...

 

Ya, that was a tough deal all around.. good luck getting that taken care of. In car oil pan R&R is always a hit and miss thing.

JW

 

Sure.. use a wide, thin chisel in several points along the pan.. it will pop off after you get it loose enough. You have to take an xacto knife and cut the right stuff, at the rear seal. Just stick the pointed razor thru the seal in that area, and run it from edge to edge.

Razor blade scraper, and then lacquer thinner dissolves that sealer, wipes right off.

JW

 

For some.

Hey Jim, can you re-post the the unedited version of your post so I can make a LOT of corrections? The real facts, backed-up by pictures, don't lie.

 

Motor all properly repaired in the car thanks to Bob.

UticaGeoff