One Piece Oil Pan Gasket questions...

[Sicboy]

I have a '66 lwb with a '66 327 and a saginaw 4sp. I'm replacing my leaking oil pan gasket with a fel pro one piece thick gasket. I'm running an aftermarket aluminum oil pan. My questions are:

1. Do I need to raise the engine to remove the pan? How can I raise the engine if I don't have a hoist. Where should i place the jack?

2. With the engine still in the truck, what's the best way to install the gasket? Gasket to block or gasket on pan? If it's to the block, how do I keep it there while mounting the pan?

Thanks!

[Alan's Classic]

I just did this last night. I did have to raise the engine up, but my engine is moved forward 2". I had to raise it about 2-3".

I stuck the gaskets on the engine then installed the pan.

I was going to use a one piece but the front seal was the thin one and I needed the thick one.

Do have a come-a-long?

Watch your distributor cap against the firewall. Also keep an eye on your exhaust. I was able to leave my exhaust connected, but that might not work for everyone.

Pic of the gasket I couldn't use.

[Sicboy]

Thanks Alan. Yea, I've got the thick #1880. I'm told that I shouldn't use silicone sealer on the rubber gasket, so I'm wondering how to attach it to the block. :/

[Captainfab]

You can raise the engine with a jack under the oil pan. Use a piece of wood between the jack and pan large enough so you don't damage the pan. Then cut a couple pieces of 2x4 and place them between your motor mounts and the frame brackets. That should hold the engine up enough. It also sometimes helps to rotate the engine a little so that the front counterweight is in the up position. This gives you a little added clearance to get the pan out. It seems to me that those one piece gaskets come with little plastic stude, that help hold the gasket to the block.....at least they used to. If not, you could try several pieces of masking tape. But you would want to be able to remover them before you get the pan up against the gasket. You might also try making yourself some studs about 2" long from some all thread. Screw them into the block, slip the gasket over them, and that should help hole the gasket in place until you get the pan up there.

[MOTOIMPAIRED]

I just bought the same gasket and it came with brand new bolts and the plastic plugs to help keep the gasket in place. I did mine with the motor out though, sorry...

[T Smith]

I can drop the pan on my 66 without jacking the engine up, you do have to have the crank in the right position where the front "throw" is up to let the pan slide back and then down and out. My engine is in the stock rear position, HEI is almost touching the firewall. I didn't have much luck with the one piece gasket, I installed it dry as recommended and it leaked at the front, I went back with the cork and rubber with a good bead of RTV black on the front and rear rubbers and it is now finally leak free.

[Posted]

Originally Posted by T Smith

I can drop the pan on my 66 without jacking the engine up, you do have to have the crank in the right position where the front "throw" is up to let the pan slide back and then down and out. My engine is in the stock rear position, HEI is almost touching the firewall. I didn't have much luck with the one piece gasket, I installed it dry as recommended and it leaked at the front, I went back with the cork and rubber with a good bead of RTV black on the front and rear rubbers and it is now finally leak free.

I am having the exact problem. You went back to cork? Mine is leaking in front and driving me crazy. You went cork and black permatex? chrome pan?

[AzCountryman]

Good info guys..........I just pulled my pan off (didnt have to jack the engine up) but I havent bought a new seal yet. looks like I may go with the cork one.

[jjzepplin]

I used the one piece on my 400 with a steel pan (Moroso) and it is fine. Did use some defective silicone the first time and it leaked. Pulled it - cleaned it and got new silicone and it has been leak free for years and years.

[TBONE1964]

You also have to know which timing cover you are using. GM used two different timing covers and the later ones used the thick front seal. They did this so you could pull the timing cover with out dropping the pan. If you have a cover that is designed for the thick seal, the thin old style seal will leak. That is why when you buy a oil pan gasket set, it will or should come with two different size front seals.

I prefer cork myself with the front and rear rubber seals. This way if you ever need to just pull the timing cover, you don't have to drop the pan to do it.

With cork, I use a small amount of trim adhesive to hold the gasket in place. Also you only need silicon in the corners where the cork meets the rubber.

[Posted]

Originally Posted by TBONE1964

You also have to know which timing cover you are using. GM used two different timing covers and the later ones used the thick front seal. They did this so you could pull the timing cover with out dropping the pan. If you have a cover that is designed for the thick seal, the thin old style seal will leak. That is why when you buy a oil pan gasket set, it will or should come with two different size front seals.

I prefer cork myself with the front and rear rubber seals. This way if you ever need to just pull the timing cover, you don't have to drop the pan to do it.

With cork, I use a small amount of trim adhesive to hold the gasket in place. Also you only need silicon in the corners where the cork meets the rubber.

My poor is a 74 and the timing cover does not have to be removed to take out pan. Wonder if this is the correct seal? The pan that came w the the motor was not leaking. I took it off because it hit the cross member. Anyway I believe that gasket was the same thickness...but I could be wrong. Geeze.. I hope my fix job last night works...

[TBONE1964]

Originally Posted by Posted

My poor is a 74 and the timing cover does not have to be removed to take out pan. Wonder if this is the correct seal? The pan that came w the the motor was not leaking. I took it off because it hit the cross member. Anyway I believe that gasket was the same thickness...but I could be wrong. Geeze.. I hope my fix job last night works...

Here are a couple of photos to explain what I am talking about. If you have the correct seal in the timing cover, it will stick out slightly past the lip on the timing cover groove.

The small timing cover seal will not stick out past the groove if it is in a timing cover designed for a larger seal.

Another thing to consider is that a lot of timing covers were cut on the lower edge to help get them on with the oil pan in place. It is an old gear head trick. When the engine is assembled (or was assembled) the timing cover was always installed before the oil pan.

Photos courtesy of Google images.

Hope this helps.

[Posted]

Oh boy... looks like I should order the one piece thick front seal and cut mine out. Use the thick one. I will see if mine leaks... I do not think mine sticks out that much.

[VonDog]

I did mine and didn't have to raise the motor. I used this stuff on quite a few different gaskets to hold it in place. Seems to work really well.

[Posted]

I cleaned scuffed the chrome, per mate black in the timing groove side, then gasket, thin bead on pan side. Cured and ran two days later no leak so far! I know the gasket I used was not as thick in the front as it should of been. Lesson learned have the correct gasket!

[cortcomp]

I had raised this issue here several months ago when my 327 was at the builders, he couldn't get the milodon (too thick) or felpro (slightly too thick) thick gaskets to work with my new, thick gasket oil pan, non-chrome, from summit.

I had inquired to be sure, and it was determined that the timing covers are the same (seal wise, not timing pointer wise) regardless of year, it's the depth of the U in the front of the oil pan that changed. My builder didn't like that he had to use slightly longer bolts to "pull" the pan down tight, then switch to two shorter bolts. He was checking the thickness of the gaskets with a micrometer (precise guy) and was mad that the factory gasket was like .400 and the felpro .5 and the milodon like .575. I told him, it's a gasket, suck it down, if it doesn't pinch or cut we'll run it. About 500-600 miles so far, no leaks. Didn't use OEM timing cover because someone notched it during a rebuild or freshen up as mentioned, used a summit cover, with chrome stripped off, and my timing pointer from the OEM cover tacked on, and painted.

We measured several different timing covers from several different mfrs, some oem ones, etc. Only one (a cast iron one from "mdiwest motorsports" from the 70's or 80's) was any different, regardless if it's OEM year.

So, to reiterate, and maybe i'm wrong, but after a flury of measuring and research, it's the pan that determines the thick/thin gasket, not the timing cover, should be no differences but the pointer. (And the seal grove thing is spot welded on aftermarket covers, it's welded on the whole seam on OEM ones, so seal the cover between the spotwelds so oil doesn't seep between them.)

[cortcomp]

Also, depending on if you get the naked gasket or the kit, yes, it comes with blue clips that hold it up, and new oil pan bolts. But, the bolts didn't work for me because the pan was clearance for a 383 stroker and the heads of the bolts would rub the paint off the pan when installing, so we used bolts with a small, 3/8 12 point head, like an ARP bolt.

Here is the thread's link:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=628178

[Dubnova]

Yeah it's kinda of a big deal to get to correct gasket to match with a oil pan of a different manufacture. I have had good luck with Milodon pans and the gasket that they recommend or sale with the pan. Just to many options these days....I remember when there was only a few

[61_FL_Apache]

I used the same gasket as Alan with out raising the engine.

[Posted]

I got this fixed by dropping the pan against the cross member. Had enough space to sand the chrome pan, clean well, and add the permatex black to the timing groove, and a bead to the top and bottom of gasket in the curved area. Put it back together, let sit for 2 days, added oil. Drove it a few times while i am working out other items, and it is good.

[jjzepplin]

Hope you didn't get sand in your pan (or ants in your pants LOL).