Oil Sump Gasket

[mankypro]

Read elsewhere that one can get enough clearance to replace the oil sump gasket on an IDI if you're willing to cut the gasket in the middle of the rear of the gasket, slide it in and RTV the crap out of it - has anyone done this?

I have a little oil drip now - about a drop every couple of hours. Thinking it's the oil pan gasket as all the oil is below that area. Recently did the rear main seal when I did the clutch and resurfaced the flywheel - so I doubt thats it.

Thoughts?

 

[pac11]

I've cut a lot af gaskets and a lot of gaskets in large engines and gear boxes are cut like a puzzle piece. If you decide to do it just do it in a "V" or a long "/" It won't leak.

Don't use too much RTV (I like ultra black) and don't make much of a bump. Also, I like to let it tack up fairly well before I put bolt it up. Put bolts through the pan and gasket to hold the gasket joint in alignment and leave them there till you bolt it up.

Make sure all surfaces are clear of oil ... wipe down with a quick evaporating solvent and a clean rag then wipe it all down with a dry rag. Leave the engine for as long as you can before you do the job so oil is off the sides of the block also pull the drain plug early.

 

[Michael Fowler]

Yes, its possible.
Are you doing this on the ground, or on a lift?
If you are working with the truck on the ground, or on jack stands, wear a bump cap of some kind. I did my oil pan this way years ago, nearly knocked myself silly by hitting my head on the crossmemner several times, and swore I'd pull the engine next time.

 

[mankypro]

Get this - my local shop wants $500.00 to do the gasket they want to completely jack up the engine.

Using your procedure below, can it be done without lifting the engine at all? How many inches of clearance would I have to work with if the engine is not moved at all? For $500.00 savings I'm game...

I've cut a lot af gaskets and a lot of gaskets in large engines and gear boxes are cut like a puzzle piece. If you decide to do it just do it in a "V" or a long "/" It won't leak.

Don't use too much RTV (I like ultra black) and don't make much of a bump. Also, I like to let it tack up fairly well before I put bolt it up. Put bolts through the pan and gasket to hold the gasket joint in alignment and leave them there till you bolt it up.

Make sure all surfaces are clear of oil ... wipe down with a quick evaporating solvent and a clean rag then wipe it all down with a dry rag. Leave the engine for as long as you can before you do the job so oil is off the sides of the block also pull the drain plug early.

 

[Agnem]

If this is the oil pan gasket your talking about, there is no gasket. It's all RTV from the factory. Joe Lewis did it and did not suceed.

 

[mankypro]

So yer saying that the likelihood of success is very low?

I have no way to do the work required to do it. The leak has become worse about a drop every hour now. Grumble.

$500.00....

 

[icanfixall]

Its true about not using a gasket for the oil pan but... They do sell them. I have never found any type of gasket on any of my idi motors other than RTV. I prefer the permatex copper plus. Its a high heat and oil resistance formula. Used it on all my gas and diesel motors. Chevy uses an RTV for the valve cover gaskets and I use it for the gasser intake valley joints. Never had a leak... I think the oil pump needs to be removed to get the pan off while still in the truck. Kinda hard reaching in between the pan and block raill so I'm told... Be real sure the oil leak isn't coming from higher up. Brake cleaner works best for cleaning off the oil.

 

[Michael Fowler]

The real killer is that the manual advises you to unbolt the oil pump and let it fall into the pan. Then it has the old stand-by, "Assembly is the reverse of disassembly" So how are you going to reach down into that oil pan and retrieve the pump?

You will also need to weld up a wrench that will reach the oil pump bolts.

And Beer, plenty of beer.

 

[RLDSL]

I second ( third , fourth or fifth the RTV for the oil pan gasket. as much as I hate that stuff, when I had my engine on the stand, I tried to install a POS Felpro oil pan gasket and that worthless slab of paper split wide open along the bolt holes before it even got halfway to torque spec I ended up using RTV.
I'd hate to run into that sticking one in crawling around under the truck

 

[mankypro]

Gah!

I hate oil leaks dagnabbit.

So if I'm going to drop $500.00 simoleans ($250.00 more than I paid for the truck to begin with) - what else should I have done at the same time? Anything else that would need doing with the engine up?