Oil pan gasket

[brotherGood]

Alright, what's the trick to changing the oil pan gasket? Just loosened up the headers that I just installed to reach as many bolts as I could..but I cant reach the front 4 bolts.

I'm hoping to do so without pulling the engine, or dropping the K frame.

Is it doable?

 

[Aspen500]

Can you pull the fan and shroud off, and access them from the front, while bending yourself over the radiator?

 

[brotherGood]

Can you pull the fan and shroud off, and access them from the front, while bending yourself over the radiator?

I was looking at that, but I feel like the pulleys/ hoses will be in the way. I know im being super lazy with this, but I've got a bunch to get done with little available time and im really not thinking this through like I should..ha

 

[Aspen500]

I can't picture a 318 engine/pan in an F/M/J off hand but on my BB, the times I've had the pan off, it's pull the fan, shroud, and crank pulley to get at the front few bolts (BB bolts to the timing cover as well). A couple of them over the k-frame I get out with a short 1/4" drive universal joint socket and long extension. Getting them started again is the hard part, lol. Then with the steering center link removed, the pan slides out,,,,,,,,,,JUST. I can't say if a SB pan will slide out or if the engine needs to be jacked up, sorry. I do know on some engines/makes the crank has to be turned just so so the pan will clear the counterweights. I'm sure someone else will know for sure and chime in.

 

[Mikes5thAve]

Dropping k frame won't help since the engine is bolted to it.
You might need to loosen engine mounts and raise the engine a bit to clear everything.

 

[brotherGood]

Dropping k frame won't help since the engine is bolted to it.
You might need to loosen engine mounts and raise the engine a bit to clear everything.

Probably should've clarified..use the "bar and chain" method to hold the engine in place and drop the k frame out.

 

[Duke5A]

You don't need to drop the K, but you do need to raise the engine. Doesn't take much. I've had a small block pan off with the motor in the car before. You're going to have a hell of a lot of fun putting it back in. I would recommend using a sealant called Hilomar on both sides of the cork gasket and put glob of it in the corners where the rubber front and back seals meet the block.

 

[brotherGood]

How do I raise the engine while taking the pan off without a hoist? I bought a variety of swivels, hopefully I can manage to create 2 90° bends and reach those front bolts from between the radiator and front of the k member

 

[Aspen500]

Kind of sucks the only small block Mopar you can get a one piece pan gasket for is a 360. No 318 version for some reason. One piece saves all sorts of grief but,,,,,,,,,,,not an option, at least far as I could find.

 

[M_Body_Coupe]

Kind of sucks the only small block Mopar you can get a one piece pan gasket for is a 360. No 318 version for some reason...

But even then it's a Magnum only thing...can't use that 360 gasket on the older blocks/setups...

 

[brotherGood]

Alright, pan is off without lifting or dropping anything. Had to unbolt the headers (pretty annoyed about that actually) but finally got it out.
Issue 1: I dont see anything obvious that was causing the leak.
Issue 2: I have no idea how im going to clean the engine surface while still in the car
Issue 3: I have no idea how I'm going to manage to get this pan back up into position without messing up the new gasket/sealer

Thrashing to get this 360 torn down and rebuilt, and a trans to run with it actually sounds more reasonable at this point and I'm pissed.. lol

 

[Aspen500]

But even then it's a Magnum only thing...can't use that 360 gasket on the older blocks/setups...

Oh yeah,,,,,,,,,I didn't think of that!

Before you fight with the pan putting it back on, check the rails with a straight edge to make sure they're flat. Not usually a problem with an original pan though. When I first built my stroker big block, I bought a stock replacement pan from 440 Source. Leaked like a sieve. "What did I do wrong?". Noticed it was leaking in the center of the engine. Put a straight edge on the pan rails and,,,,,,,not even close. No wonder it leaked. Bought a Milodon stock replacment pan, along with the required Milodon pick up tube. Checked it and, dead flat. Leak fixed.

Funny thing, I called Milodon about the pan rail deal and the guy I talked to said if it wasn't perfect, he'd personally deliver a different one but said he was 100% sure that wouldn't be needed. Good enough for me! He was correct.

The 440 Source pan, probably made in China. The Milodon said "Made in USA" on the box, as it should be.

440 Source pan: Never mind the blacked out wall art, didn't realize it was in the shot, lol.

 

[BudW]

That warpage will buff right out.

 

[MBDale]

Just pull the motor.

 

[BudW]

Just pull the motor.

With headers installed - I can agree with that.
Or maybe drop engine with K-frame then raise engine off of K-frame so full access to oil pan can be obtained. It can be hard enough to do this repair correctly the first time, not counting not being able to get full access to clean everything well and such.
I might also recommend after oil pan is reinstalled, to give some heavy (or several) coats of engine paint to the oil pan gasket area to give an extra "layer" for oil leak prevention (unless you have an un-painted or chrome oil pan).

There are some things I don't mind doing again. Oil pan gaskets and rear main seals are NOT ON THAT LIST.
BudW

 

[Mikes5thAve]

Pulling engine to do oil pan is over kill especially when all you need is that bit of clearance to get it back together. If stores are still open where you are see if one of them has an engine support cradle they lend out. It goes between both fenders to raise the engine up a bit or hold it when you don't have a cherry picker/engnie crane. Or just rent one of those for a day or two.

 

[brotherGood]

Im hoping the stars align and I can get the pan reinstalled and everything seals as its supposed to tonight. It woke me up from a dead sleep Sunday morning because I could not figure out how I was going to manage cleaning and reinstalling-to the point where I went out and bungeed the headers out of the way and did about 5 dry runs to make sure I wouldnt hit anything. I managed to bust off one of the tabs that fit through the pan for the seals-Im hoping theres enough there to help prevent an issue.

Im most annoyed with myself after all of this knowing how much I cranked down on the oil sender when the intake was off. I should have just went ahead and double checked for leaks, but I wanted to make sure it was right. Now, Im hoping I manage to get it back on without any leaks-knowing I probably didnt repair anything.

The gold lining in this, when I pulled the pan I found the cap for the RTV that was first used during the initial install stuck to the oil pump. So if anything, I cleared out a potential issue.

 

[brotherGood]

Pan went on last night, I'm gonna let it cure and probably put oil in it tomorrow.

At this point I've got a solid days worth of work and everything will be buttoned up and I'll finally get to enjoy the car for the first time in years.

 

[Oldiron440]

Oh yeah,,,,,,,,,I didn't think of that!

Before you fight with the pan putting it back on, check the rails with a straight edge to make sure they're flat. Not usually a problem with an original pan though. When I first built my stroker big block, I bought a stock replacement pan from 440 Source. Leaked like a sieve. "What did I do wrong?". Noticed it was leaking in the center of the engine. Put a straight edge on the pan rails and,,,,,,,not even close. No wonder it leaked. Bought a Milodon stock replacment pan, along with the required Milodon pick up tube. Checked it and, dead flat. Leak fixed.

Funny thing, I called Milodon about the pan rail deal and the guy I talked to said if it wasn't perfect, he'd personally deliver a different one but said he was 100% sure that wouldn't be needed. Good enough for me! He was correct.

The 440 Source pan, probably made in China. The Milodon said "Made in USA" on the box, as it should be.

440 Source pan: Never mind the blacked out wall art, didn't realize it was in the shot, lol.
View attachment 39994

A big tube of the Right Stuff and a quarter inch impact will seal that pan , no problem.......

 

[brotherGood]

A big tube of the Right Stuff and a quarter inch impact will seal that pan , no problem.......

We used RTV ultra black and an impact..if it leaks, I'll swap engines so I can make sure it's on there better..haha