My oil pan leaks live a sieve! A few months back I had to change the gasket, used lots of RTV and it still leaks. Its leaking in the front and in the back where the rubber part of the gasket is. I assume my pan is out of whack. I checked with TA and the reproduction pan isnt available yet and the deep sump is probably more than I want to spend. No to mention it probably reduces ground clearance and they also say something about it not working with BBB from full size cards (motor is from a 68 Wildcat). Any suggestions, tricks, or techniques to get it to stop leaking? Dont suppose anyone has an NOS or really good one collecting dust. Thanks in advance. Matt
oil pan leaks Matt, There is a proceedure that one has to go thru to stop a pan from leaking. :Brow: Remove the pan. With a wire brush or scotch bright and a die grinder remove all the old gasket. With a hammer and dolly straighten the flange around the pan. install a new gasket and end seals. Start the bolts back in in the middle of the pan and work toward both ends. Get them all started before tightening any one. Then again tighten from the middle to the ends. dont over tighten, stop when the gasket just begins to squish out from between the surfaces. A 1/4 " rachet is just right. Now, that said, is there a possibility of the engine building up pressure and forcing oil out of it??? :Smarty: Make sure you have a good ventilation system to the crank case.
Has T/A started making their new larger capacity stock looking pan yet? maybe the way to go if you want new.
Doc, I'm using a K&N breather instead of the one in the air filter. Its new only a few hundred miles. Oil pressure is anywhere between 20-60psi depending on RPM. I cleaned everything up real good but didn't hammer the flange or tighten the bolts from the inside out. I did however use a torque wrench to set them to 14lbs. When it started leaking I tightened them by hand, that only made it worse. I had to replace the gasket on a new rebuild because the pan had a dent and was ringing like a bell. See http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=97484&page=1&pp=40&highlight=bad I thought I had it done, it ran for a little bit without issues.
Dave, I called them today and they said the repo didn't fit right and its now in the hands of a new fabricator. Couldn't tell me how long the wait might be but I got the feeling it wasn't going to be any time soon.
crank case pressure I am talking about combustion gas inside the engine when it is running. If that builds up to create a excess pressure situation it will force oil out of where ever it can, pan gasket ,front and rear main seals, rocker arm cover gaskets, ect. You have to vent this gas off either by a pcv valve or by breathers on the rocker covers or like the old engines a road tube system.
To bad about the TA pan. Repro oil pans are something we really need. Seems like a simple enough thing to make.
crank case pressure If the breather is open just ck the pcv valve by pulling it out while the engine is running and see if it is sucking air thru it. You should have to stick your thumb over the hole to keep the engine from dying. A properly operating pcv system will more than adaquitly clear out a crank case. It is supposed to pull air thru the filter, thru the crank case and then thru the pcv valve. There should actually be a slight vacume in the crank case.
Quick question, I have read that the PCV valve connects to the front of the carb. This is where I have it connected. The picture in my sevice manual shows it going to a port on the manifold behind the carb. Which is correct or does it matter?
connection As long as it is connected to a port of at least 3/8 " opening to direct intake manifold vacume, it makes no difference whether front or back. It should have high vacume to it at all times.
Doc, When I pull the PCV (vacuum hose still attached) the rpm's increase. If I put my finger over the pcv (side that goes into the manifold)the rpms increase and i hear a clicking in the valve. There are fumes coming out of the hole in the manifold where the pcv was. Placing my finger over the hole where the pcv was makes no difference. o No: Took a picture just to make sure everything is in the right place. I was thumbing through the T/A catalog and saw an adjustable oil pressure regulator. Think this is what I need?
pcv If you pull the pc valve out of the grommet and put your thumb over the end of the pc valve that goes down into the grommet blocking the flow. the rpm s should drop. But the main ck is to see if there is sufficent vacume coming thru the line and valve to clear the blow by gasses from inside the engine. With the pc valve out of the grommet ,it is normal for blow by gasses to come out of the hole. You dont want it to puff out in puffs like a freight train. puffing indicates a mechanical problem with one cyl. either a hole in a piston or a set of rings on a piston that is stuck down. Either condition will be confirmed by a compression test. When you pull the valve out there should be considerable sucking noise and a rpm increase untill you block the hole and then the rpm should drop. The rpm should drop when you put the valve back into the grommet but not as much. Some times the line or the fitting to the pc valve will stop up and it will quit working and that creates pressure in the engine that forces oil out of were ever it can find to come out.
oil pressure Personally I like plenty of oil pressure. In all my 400/430/455 series engines, I have run stage one relief springs. This keepes the lifters working good and doesnt let the mains clunk on start up. The adjustable pressure reg would probably be a good mod, just dont get unreasonable with it. I like 25 lb on a hot idle in gear.
Doc, What your describing is what I have. Plenty of suction right through the PCV and the gasses coming up from the manifold in a slow steady stream. I might just have a funky oil pan o No: . I'm waiting to hear back from a member on a replacement. This time I will follow your instructions :laugh: . My oil pressure is right where you like it about 20-25 psi at hot idle. Its when I get on it that it jumps up to 60psi. After my first oil change I used 20-50 and the leak got worse. I swear I saw the pressure jump to 70. When I change the oil I think I'm going to give Rotella 15-40 a shot. The adjustable pressure reg is on order. Thanks
oil leaks Just looking at the engine photo, it looks like everything is hooked up O K . Most likely you are just looking at an oil pan issue. Flange warp ect. Put a new gasket. straighten the flanges, Glue the pan gasket to the pan side only. Then coat the block side with permatex 300. when you tighten the bolts start in the middle of the pan and go toward each end. tighten to 12 to 14 lb. That should fix it.
Well theres my problem! I glued the gasket to the block with yellow gasket adhesive (3M 08001) and used permatex RTV silicone on the pan. I saw the permatex 300, comes in a jar right. How about the yellow adhesive, will that work to glue it to the pan? One more quick question, I noticed the gaskets come in two versions, one and two piece cork and rubber. I assume the one piece cork (what I used) is the better o No: Thanks a bunch
I have a question- Ive always stuck the gasket and seal to the block first, then put the pan in. Dont you have to do it that way? How do you make sure the little cork dove tails fit correctly into the rubber seal if you glue the gasket to the pan first? BTW..."CARS" in NJ has a nice repro molded rubber PCV hose to replace the fuel line hose you have in there
Good question, I think that dovetail joint is the reason I glued it to the block. Although certainly would be easier to glue it to the pan with the motor installed. I checked the "CARS" website and dont see it. Got a part#?
