Oil Pan Frustration

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bob7four

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Finally got the exhaust and suspension replaced that I removed to replace the pan gasket on my 69 Barracuda 318. Got the car started, oil pressure was good and all appeared well. Then I noticed a significant leak from the front of the pan. It looks like part of that curved rubber gasket got displaced when I reinstalled it. Any remedy to this without taking it all apart again? Frustration level is extremely high at this point.
 
bob7four said:
Finally got the exhaust and suspension replaced that I removed to replace the pan gasket on my 69 Barracuda 318. Got the car started, oil pressure was good and all appeared well. Then I noticed a significant leak from the front of the pan. It looks like part of that curved rubber gasket got displaced when I reinstalled it. Any remedy to this without taking it all apart again? Frustration level is extremely high at this point.
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Nope, gotta pull it and fix it properly. Sorry bud.
 
bob7four said:
Finally got the exhaust and suspension replaced that I removed to replace the pan gasket on my 69 Barracuda 318. Got the car started, oil pressure was good and all appeared well. Then I noticed a significant leak from the front of the pan. It looks like part of that curved rubber gasket got displaced when I reinstalled it. Any remedy to this without taking it all apart again? Frustration level is extremely high at this point.
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Only way I can see the rubber seal getting displaced is if one of the locating/securing nubs ripped off while pulling them through and the seal squished out while fitting, simply didn’t see it. Completely understandable considering working underneath things......if in fact a nub ripped off. Agreed, gotta pull and try again
 
I feel for ya, but it's all part of learning.
I suppose you could clean the gap and fill it with "the right stuff", but chances are that you won\t be able to clean it 100%, and the goo won't stick 1005, you still have this annoying leak, still have to take it apart, and now you got this goo to deal with.
Ok so when that happened to me;
I drained the oil,
took out two bolts at the back, and installed longer bolts, then took out all the other bolts. This allowed the front of the pan to drop down. I was able to coax the errant seal to rotate into place, then RTVd it into place, check the back and RTV it, then re-install the pan.
But I have headers so the pan drops down quite far. If you have a factory exhaust, this might be harder.

Your other option is to remove the timing cover, and get access from there. But that comes with it's own set of problems; namely trying to get the cover back into place, aligning it, and putting the right bolts back into the right holes. Getting the front two pan bolts out/in can be a challenge. I've done it a few times for to replace the chain, so it's possible, but I can't say that it is any easier or faster. As I recall, I had to jack the engine up a lil. Check your timing chain stretch, and maybe kill two problems with the same procedure. If you do this, glue the new gasket in place on the front of the block.

Happy HotRodding
 
:BangHead:I can see that the end locating nub is not pulled through. Guess when I fit it up I caught the gasket on something and displaced it.
 
bob7four said:
:BangHead:I can see that the end locating nub is not pulled through. Guess when I fit it up I caught the gasket on something and displaced it.
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More likely is that the nub was never fully pulled thru. They have a locating ridge, that when pulled thru, is so firm that they often tear off when being removed. I use a couple of studs on the pan-rails, in easy to remove locations, to align the pan as it is going up.
 
bob7four said:
:BangHead:I can see that the end locating nub is not pulled through. Guess when I fit it up I caught the gasket on something and displaced it.
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Not implying you did it wrong but here’s how I do it: Use some light oil or even spit (my method) on the nubs to ease pull through, carefully grab hold with some pliers and gently (just enough to hold and no more) pull and wiggle the nub in a back and forth, side to side motion as you gently pull till it’s seated. Warming the seal a little makes it more pliable before hand. Just don’t squeeze or pull hard. I’m a proponent of deburring the holes in the pan so they don’t cut the rubber.
 
loosen all pan bolts and remove the front 6, the pan will drop down the inch needed to reposition the gasket. IT should be like a U so it will be evident if it is in place as the edges spil over the pan ends
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Those gaskets can be a pain in the ***. Especially when done in car.
Good luck! If u use RTV, make sure to let it dry before final torque and adding oil. Also timing cover bolts go in specific locations or you could break thru if you use a long bolt in wrong spot.
 
This is exactly why I recommend pulling the engine, puttin it on a stand and flippin it upside down to get to real good, but people always react like I'm crazy. It's just not that big a job to pull the engine on these cars.
 
when swapping timing sets and/or camshafts i've fitted timing covers on all different makes of motor using the same end seal 'gasket' as you use when installing an intake and you replace the cork end seals 'with gasket in a tube'. as mentioned refitting the cover while trying to compress the rubber seal is a pain. i've never had one leak. neil.
 
RustyRatRod said:
This is exactly why I recommend pulling the engine, puttin it on a stand and flippin it upside down to get to real good, but people always react like I'm crazy. It's just not that big a job to pull the engine on these cars.
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Yeah pulling engine is best. I did rear main years ago on my 340 in the car, messed it up oil leaks, but did it again still in car and got it sealed up the second time. But now a days I drop eng/trans out the bottom put engine on stand. Can do a much better job that way.
 
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