<VV> Oil Pan Gaskets

[Tony Underwood]

At 07:47 PM 11/21/2011, Dennis Pleau wrote:
>What works for me is to start with a straightened pan.  Using a Cork-Nitrile
>(sp?) gasket.  Light coat of RTV on the pan side of the gasket and torque to
>50 inch/lbs.  When it starts leaking, re-torque to 50 inch/lbs.  I don't
>think the bolts back off, I think the gaskets shrink overtime.
>
>On my engines with cast/machined aluminum pans, I use the thick paper
>gaskets.
>
>dp




I like the cork gaskets.   I don't use ANY sealer.   Nothing.   I run 
the bolts up in several steps, last step is no tighter than I can 
twist them up with the nut driver and I go back a couple days later 
with the nut driver again.  They don't leak.  However, expect to 
maybe need to snug them up again after a few months or so since, as 
Dennis pointed out, the cork tends to settle a bit until it "finalizes".


The newer rubber gaskets of late have proven disappointing.   Many of 
them crack before they ever get used, still in the packaging.   WTF 
is that about?  Same way with the similar compound valve cover 
gaskets.  I've thrown out more of them that I've been able to use if 
they've sat in the packaging for more than a year.   I'm also no fan 
of those nifty looking black RTV-rubber gaskets either.  They don't 
much care for oil and they don't really seal all that well and seem 
to get kinda "squishy" after a while.   Not seen many of those things 
lately; maybe somebody figgered out that they don't work that 
well.   Who made those things anyway??    The newer style rubber 
gaskets are relatively OK if used before they crack but those RTV 
things... I dunno.  :-/


Give me cork.  And a 7/16 nutdriver.

Well, that and my dolly and small-face rectangular body hammer to 
straighten the oil pan flange.    Did anybody just read that?  It's 
been said often...

STRAIGHTEN THE DAMNED PAN FLANGE.   DO IT.

Don't bitch if it leaks and you didn't do the pan first thing.   You 
ought to have already known that every nimrod before you likely 
cinched down on the oil pan bolts with an impact wrench trying to 
cure leaks that got worse instead of better until the pan flange 
looks like a stretch of WV back road.


tony..