engine and drivetrain Oil Pan gasket ripped off? You CAN fix that.

[eurotrash]

So I needed to reseal my timing covers.. as you may recall.. maybe not.  Well, of course it all came apart just fine, until I got down to the cork oil pan gasket.  The front part of it that seals the bottom of the front timing cover, well, despite my best efforts to prevent it, it just ripped right off with the cover..  leaving a huge 'what now'... 

 

The short if it?  YES, you can fix it without pulling the pan and putting on a whole new gasket.  I have been driving on mine for a week with no leaks.

 

Here's how it went for me:

 

1.  Buy a new pan gasket with your cover gaskets and water pump gasket..  I used the thick paper oil pan gasket, only because that is what came in the mail.  -funny thing is, I wanted paper originally, and cork came in the mail.. But make sure you get a paper one. Its rigidity is key.

2.  Buy some Loctite 518 gasket sealer.  Its weird, looks like red cake decorating stuff, and smells interestingly good compared to silicon, but get some for all your gasketation needs.  (well, don't use it on your water pump.. ask me how I know.) This goo will not harden or set up until its under pressure,  so you have to wipe off any excess after the job.  It stays gooey.

3. Put the new pan gasket on the bottom of your (cleaned) lower timing cover and use a couple of bolts to line it up and hold it in place (I had a second oil pan and bolted them together proper, but you should be fine without).  Mark a sharp line at the edges of the timing cover, where it would meet the block and the ends of the old gasket.

4. Clean the L out of the pan lip that is exposed, and get the ends of the old gasket good too..and the block mating surfaces, the head gasket, top cover surfaces at the head, etc.. give it all a good degreasing..

5.  With a good sharp blade, trim and clean up the ends of the pan gasket on the car, where it protrudes out from the block. Trim the new pan gasket at your marks, and test fit to the oil pan using bolts to check alignment with the holes. Trim and re-test fit, etc. Then remove it.

6. Slather the mating surfaces of the block/lower cover with 518, trim about 1/16" off the bottom and tops of the new paper side gaskets and install them on the block.  Get all the bolt holes lined up and then check the ends.  You may need to trim the ends a bit more to get the gaskets to flatten out. Once you feel good about them, put a daub of 518 at the top, just under the head gasket. And at the bottom, as needed.

7. Skim coat the pan lip with a skin of 518, with a little extra bead in the corners where the old and new pan gaskets will be mated.

 Install the new  pan gasket and press it into the 518, with special attention and pressure at and into the ends of the old pan gasket. Line it up good with bolts. Then put a thin bead of 518 over the ends at the block.

8.Skim coat your lower timing cover mating surfaces with 518. -all of them..top, sides, bottom.. and install it gently over the guide pins and press into place.  (The thick paper pan gasket will not be able to move once its in place, but I honestly can't comment to this for the cork, but I would be nervous about it because its less rigid.)

9.  Run the pan bolts in, and a couple side fasteners to get the installation process started.. once you start, you will find that you can't stop, until you have the top cover on as well..

10.  Get all bolts back in and tightened. Install the water pump and crank pulley.. etc.

 

This has held for me for over a week now, and I suppose the drive to Eureka Springs will really put it to the test.  But I expect it will hold.. 

 

Good luck.

Edited April 20, 2015 by eurotrash

[MarkC]

Did you jack up the engine/lower the suspension per the FAQ changing the oil pan gasket with the engine in the car article?

I really need to replace my oil pan gasket, and I have a new one, but the whole jacking up & supporting the engine thing is a little concerning for me.

[PaulTWinterton]

RE: lifting engine.

I had great success with an engine hoist.    You only need to raise the front of the engine only.

 

You just want to make sure that any connections that hinder the vertical movement of the engine are disconnected.

 

- Remove aircleaner and air intake components

- Disconnect throttle linkage.

- Disconnect engine mounts: 2 bolts on passenger side, 1 bolt on drivers side.

- Take out radiator

- On a tii you should remove the alternator, or at least detach and re-position it so it doesn't bind on the battery tray.

- Remove distributor cap.

- Hoist engine front using the grommet by the water pump.   2-3 inches is adequate.

- Keep an eye on your distributor for interference with firewall and check for any other binding connections.

 

 Once you have removed all pan bolts, the pan will slide out diagonally, clearing the oil pump.

 

Beats raising complete engine, or dropping sub-frame, I think.   Way faster too.

Edited July 17, 2015 by PaulTWinterton

[Conserv]

RE: lifting engine.

I had great success with an engine hoist....

DSC02466sml.jpg

Wait a second, Paul! Do you actually have an Inka engine hoist?

Regards,

Steve

[PaulTWinterton]

Funny, right?  Inka engine hoist belongs to a friend who was gracious enough to lend it to me.

 

They probably call the color: safety orange.

[KFunk]

Did you jack up the engine/lower the suspension per the FAQ changing the oil pan gasket with the engine in the car article?

I really need to replace my oil pan gasket, and I have a new one, but the whole jacking up & supporting the engine thing is a little concerning for me.

 

 

Mark, the point of this how-to is to avoid that process if you're just doing work on the front timing cover and only have to replace the front lip of the oil pan gasket where it meets the timing cover, which you'll inevitably rip when you do that.

 

Jason/eurotrash:  I recently did the same, except I used black RTV instead.  I'm just more used to it, myself.  I also used a cork gasket.  No leaks after a month or so of daily driving and two autocrosses.  Well, OK, there was one leak a day later, but that was due to a mildly stripped threads in the timing cover where oil pan bolt goes in.  Oops.  I put in a bigger bolt, and no leaks after that.  

One almost big mistake I had was putting the right side timing cover gasket on the timing cover first before putting it on the engine.  It's gotta go on the engine first behind the tensioner to hold the little pool of oil for the tensioner.  Not sure how I forgot that after doing it right a couple times before.  I had to quickly disassemble reassemble before RTV set up....

Edited July 18, 2015 by KFunk

[eurotrash]

back from the dead....

 

I meant to add, but didn't get around to it, that I had to try this because of the Korman race pan that can't come out like a stock pan.  I have to drop the subframe.. no if's and's or but's. 

 

This is still holding.  For the record.