One of those days

[paintpyro]

Driving from my place to the ex's place for my weekend with my daughters, and I get a call from my roommate. She says her dad noticed an oil puddle where I was parked. Sure enough, my oil pan gasket crapped out at the front and right side, total mess. 2 or 3 quarts unloaded. I have my 8 in the 6 position. Someone said that there arent any crossmember issues when removing the pan from this spot. Can anyone confirm this? How long do you think it would take to replace? And if I got frustrated with time constraints and such, how much do think a shop would charge to replace it?

[68 Suburban]

Originally Posted by paintpyro

Driving from my place to the ex's place for my weekend with my daughters, and I get a call from my roommate. She says her dad noticed an oil puddle where I was parked. Sure enough, my oil pan gasket crapped out at the front and right side, total mess. 2 or 3 quarts unloaded. I have my 8 in the 6 position. Someone said that there arent any crossmember issues when removing the pan from this spot. Can anyone confirm this? How long do you think it would take to replace? And if I got frustrated with time constraints and such, how much do think a shop would charge to replace it?

Im not trying to second guess you, but from the location, I would check the plug bolt right next to the fuel pump before I replace the gasket. If this is missing, your truck will pee oil at that location. Just a thought

[paintpyro]

Thanks Christopher, actually please second guess away. I heard somewhere that there is a bolt in the motor mount that taps in there as well. Can anyone confirm it?

[busterwivell]

Christopher is right, Paint. I don't know of one at the motor mount though. If the one Christopher is talking about is gone, you'll dump oil like crazy. Check that first.

[Cethern]

There are two Holes for bolts I'm not sure if both of them will leak so I just put two short bolts in each hole if you put one to long in you could hit the fuel pump push rod not a good thing.

As to the motor mount question I would say no.


Cethern

[LONGHAIR]

Those 2 holes on the front of the block are the old motor mounts (1950s). The lower one is blind it is only the upper that hits oil. Be sure to use a very short bolt and a dab of sealer too.


You are not going to leak that much from a pan gasket. The oil doesn't sit that high (enough to leak). It has to be a pressurized (dynamic) leak.
I have seen timing chain covers worn through by a loose chain. This will give you a good leak too.

[crazy longhorn]

if you do need to remove the pan, yes it will drop out with the eng in place(I 6 position on a sb). i sure would check all of the other options 1st tho. you might also look at the seal on the front(for balancer). they seem to be a pretty good suorce for an oil leak ,if the balancer has a groove worn in. felpro puts out a repair kit for that, that covers the seal & includes a "speedy sleeve" to drive onto the balancer. Best of luck,crazyL

[paintpyro]

Thanks guys. I got my Castrol Super Clean and my cans of brake cleaner ready. I'm crawlin under tonight.

CrazyL, do you have a part number on the balancer kit, I've noticed that I have a little oil sittin down there, even before the blowout.

[crazy longhorn]

no, i sure dont have the pn(sorry),but You can get the seal & sleeve at about any parts house that carries felpro. good luck,crazyL

[bigvinnie]

Napa would be a good place to get one of those sleeves that you can tap on to the balancer, where the timing cover seal has worn a groove.... did one myself a while back and it stopped the leak.

[jostrans68]

I also recomend the new felpro 1 pc gasket its a bit more cash but a lot better. I am installing one on my new 350... good luck

[Mountain Man]

My 67 had the 350 in the I6 position. I dropped the pan and installed a chrome pan on it. I used the Felpro one piece, and it eliminated alot of 4 letter words of frustration. It is tight replacing the pan while engine is still installed, but I am a rookie driveway mechanic, and I did it with few problems.

[68C15]

the fuel pump plate gasket or plate bolts can cause a leak also.

[paintpyro]

Well gang, I dropped the pan last night. It did have a blowout on the gasket near the second front bolt on the right side. I'll clean her up good, might even throw some Chevy orange on her. Once its back on, I'll throw a new fuel pump gasket for cheap insurance since its clean. I'll still need to pull the timing cover at some point to ditch my gear drive. How hard is that one? thanks for all the help.

[Bobalouie]

If you are going to pull the timing cover, do it now. You will have to drop the oil pan in order to pull the cover. It is not that bad, you have to pull the water pump, and a few misc easy items, the hardest part is the balancer removal/install. But just go to autozone and borrow the puller and installer, and it is pretty easy.