[N2TRUX]

I stopped by the muffler shop yesterday and got my headers welded. I had planned to smooth the welds and install the new pan gasket. I was anxious to get the oil pan installed so I did that first.

The Fel-Pro gasket comes with plastic guide pins that screw in to the corner holes. The gasket is supposed to slide over the pins and lock in place till you get the pan bolts started. Great idea in theory, not so much for my situation.

With the pins in place there was not enough slack to work the pan over the crossmember and clear the oil pump pickup. After some time of frustrated wrestling with it, the pan came back off and the pins were tossed aside.

All I had to do now was hold the gasket in place, along with the pan and the reinforceing rails. Doing all that while reaching over head is quite the task.

Determined not to give up, I manged to get one side started with out the rails, start the opposite side with rails then alternate sides till all bolts were in. Frustrating and tiring, but I was successful.
With the pan snugged down I reinstalled the starter and the oil filter. I touched up the paint and called it done.

Unfortunately my victory celebration was brief. I removed the headers from the back of my truck. I inspected the welds and discovered two more pinholes. Great! Another trip to the muffler shop. I really need to get my MIG welder back in operation.