Failed pan seal

[Dino11]

I have a 350 turbo... My pan gasket has failed...

How simple is replacing the gasket ? The trans was recently rebuilt so should i change the filter? What would b the cleaning, and installing tips? Would i need to use any type of sealant , what kind?
Also are there diff types of gasket shapes
Thanks

[prostreetC-10]

I like fel-pro gaskets and a little copper spray gaskets to get it tacky. The trick is to not over-tighten!!!!! The bead that runs in between the bolt holes on the pan can cut and split the gasket if you reef down on the bolts.

[1968SWBBigBlock]

I agree with the above - do not use form a gasket on your tranny - way to easy to contaminate the tranny.
Go ahead and change the filter it will only take a few more minutes.
I also like to use self locking bolts with form a gasket for the tranny really seem to help keep things snug

[Dino11]

Well i got my pan gasket changed... It cost less than 20 bux for the kit and fluid.

The only issue i had was access to the back pan bolts by the trans crossmember. I hope they are tite enough!

This was real simple to do and it just took a couple hours.

[Dino11]

Aaah! So i get up today, go to the shop, and it is yet again covered in trans fluid!

ITS LEAKING IN THE EXACT SPOT IT WAS B4 I CHANGED THE SEAL!! Grr. So i tightened the hell out of those bolts hopin it would help but no!
The surfaces were clean! I believe the gasket is leaking where it meets the trans. What can i do to remedy the problem. I didnt use any sealant as i didnt c a reason to, but i now realize why there was a ton on there.

please help! Sorry to vent but aaarrgh!

[cdowns]

the most important thing to do when changing tranny ,valve cover and oil pan gaskets is to check the mating surface all three of those items only require abou 10-15ft lbs of torque loads of over tightining will cause the metal to dimple out by the holes causeing leak problems//check mating surfaces with a straight edge

if the leak is on the passenger side toward the front of the tranny i'd b checking the tranny line connections //especially if there's rubber hoses and hose clamps involved

[Dino11]

Hm. That could be. I didnt tighten them real tite. Bout 10 lbs. I suspect something is off, being that the leak is in the same spot again. I will tear into it again this wkend and c whats up. What could i do if its nt straight? On the pan and the trans?

[60ratrod]

well if its the pan that is bent and dimpled, i would just get either a stock replacement or a chrome pan that has a drain plug in it. and i find it easier to access the rear pan bolts by jacking up the tranny and sliding the x-member back enough to get a socket on the bolts.

[Dino11]

well its a brand new chrome pan with the drain plug in it... and it is nice and didnt appear to be old at all, the trans was rebuilt less than 3500 mile ago, and it was added then. but there was lots of sealant, especially around the area it was, AND IS leaking at. so there was apparantly an issue there already.. i didnt check the trans for straightness so idk..

is there anything i can apply to make the bond real tight? its just a rubber gasket... but i believe it is leaking from the seal of the trans, not to the pan.

[shortbed70]

Take some 36 grit sandpaper and scuff the pan then coat both sides of the gasket with hytack or something sticky and set it on the pan and let it set. Then about 20 mins install. Check tranny lines and also seal in trans linkage rod.

[us111]

hello,,i have had three chrome pans and all three leaked.not sure if that is problem or not but have also read from other people that there's leaked too.

[cableguy0]

chrome pans always leak. the only thing that work is stock or cast aluminum. i have even seen some chrome pans that were wrinkled at the corners and would leak like crazy

[Dino11]

i used some all purpose adhesive on the pan side, and let it sit a while before i replaced the pan. i hope it isnt the pans fault, i also thought that may be the case. but like i said it feels like the top of the gasket is wet with fluid, it pools up and drips down. that is why i suspect that it did not seal to the trans.

thanks guys for the help! i hope i can get it to seal properly the next time around as this isnt the funnest thing to do repeatedly lol.

[shortbed70]

True but the reason they leak is tah chrome is smoother and not as porous as cast aluminum or cast SO if you scratch it in the direction of the pan from front to back following the stamped grove dont go from inside to outside of pan because that will give it an easy out. Hey its worth a shot right....

[tecky11]

my truck leaks tranny fluid as well , take ur pan off find a FLAT surface put the pan upside down and siee if your pan is FLAT all the way around if not buy a new pan

[Dino11]

Well heres an update...
I took the pan off and sure enough the side of the pan that was leaking wasnt quite level, at all. So i tried to straighten it the best i could. Man its kinda difficult lol.
Tommorrow i will straighten it a tad more and try it again.
I also scuffed the pan and the trans w sandpaper hopin to get a little better bite.

Any suggestions on how to try to straighten and level the pan? Thx again guys!

EDIT: i also plan to use a small bead of silicone . Hoping that will do trick

[Dino11]

Hey- so i found the problem. It wasnt the gasket at all. Its leaking around the dipstick tube. So-

QUESTION 1- what seals this to the trans, o ring? What would cause this to leak? What tips do u have?

And now the hard part -

QUESTION 2- when my truck is on the jack, fluid leaks out of the u joint. Real bad. It appears to come out of a weep hole on the yoke . Is this possible? Is this due to a failed seal or what would cause this? There is no fluid anywhere on the tailshaft. This only happens when jacked up. Plz this baffles me!

[cableguy0]

the dipstick could have one of two style seals. one is an o ring the other is a rubber sleeve. you hafta pull the dipstick tube out to see which one you have for sure.

[Dino11]

Yeah. I got bored and just removed it. It has the tiniest o ring ever. I dont see how it would ever seal. Its simply not snug enough.

Ima go to napa and c whats up tomorrow. Could i use a sleeve if it would work? I mean when the tube is installed u can visually c that it isnt real snug.
Thanks.

[cableguy0]

The sleeve type has a different dipstick tube. the o-ring has probably shrunk or they put the wrong one on. the o-ring type seals just fine when the o-ring is in good shape

[Dino11]

Thanks alot man. That makes sense but idk. Ill c if i can find one thats a tad oversize just to b safe.

[cableguy0]

be careful. if its too big it will be cut going in and leak anyhow. make sure you lube it with tranny fluid and try to push it straight in.

[Dino11]

So problem solved - so far.

I got the next thickness o-ring but as i was told it was 2 big and it would just roll up. So after a couple tries i put the old one back on and also the new one. The new one i put around the rib that seats on the trans, so i figure thats a good plan. So far so good.

Hopefully i wont post n here again!

[ERASER5]

Actually, please do post here again. Let us know if your plan worked.

[Dino11]

Okay ill let yall know how it pans out.

I dnt currently have a license so i dnt drive the truck much. Also i am soon to begin tearing the truck down to the frame and doing a budget build. Ill probably start a project thread