What's the ideal oil pan install method (glue and silicone)?

[robroy]

Good day!

This coming weekend I hope to install my new oil pan. I spoke to Steve at Proformance Unlimited (he's ordering the pan for me) about the ideal method for installing the pan to guard against leaks.

I heard from Steve that the method is as follows:

1. Get some gasket adhesive and spray it on one side of each gasket. There are two gaskets since the windage tray is sandwiched in between the pan and the engine block.
2. Place one gasket up against the engine block, and the other on the oil pan. Make sure the sticky sides are facing the surfaces so the gaskets are held in place. I'm adding this part in: I should probably use adhesive on the windage tray too, to keep it in place while putting the thing together, right?
3. Run a heavy bead of silicone sealer around the whole edge of the oil pan, along where it mates up with the engine block.
4. Press them together, then start tightening down the bolts. Start with the bolts in the middle and work my way out towards the ends. Tighten them gradually to factory torque specs.
5. Wipe the excess silicone sealer off from around the lip once it's complete (just so that there's no mess).

Now here are my questions:

1. Is this truly the ideal method?
2. What's the finest brand and type of adhesive for this purpose?
3. What's the finest brand and type of silicone sealer?
4. How careful should I be with the sealer, to make sure a goober of it doesn't fall down inside the pan during assembly (and clog something up down the road)?

Thanks very much for the terrific advice!
Robroy

[fordman]

for any basic gasket install. the surfaces must be oil and grease free or the sealer won't stick. the sealer is really just used to stick stuff together and not used as a sealer. the gasket is for sealing. when tightening down the bolts even if they aren't up top torque spec. stop tightening them if the gasket starts to squeeze out between the block and oil pan. if the gasket squeeze out they will leak.

[DuckRyder]

This is another one of those questions that nearly everyone id going to have a favorite way and if you get 20 replies, 19 of them will probably differ some way.

I'll go ahead and let you know that I HATE silicone RTV...

I would glue the two gaskets to the windage tray with weather strip adhesive and put it together...but thats me

[NM5K]

I can give you one tip that help avoid future leaks. Make sure the pan
flanges are straight and level. Many times they get kind of warped from
torquing on them. That will make bends around the bolt areas, and make
the surface bow back and forth. Take a small hammer and tap all the flanges
down flat and level if they turn out to be warped in. I had to do that on mine
when I changed my engine. An ex-pontiac dealer mechanic friend told me that one
when I was changing it out. He noticed my pan flanges were a bit warped.

Seems to help avoid leaks, and makes it easier to get a good seal.
I think I used silicone as far as the sealer. No leaks so far.
The only thing that leaks on my truck is the T-18... The seals are
getting a bit shot..

[fitzwell]

Thin coat of silicone on the pan, gasket, thin coating of both sides of the windage tray, gasket. Thin coating on the pan rails. Thin bead at the corners of the main caps/timing cover joints. THIN COATS. This may sound a bit off the wall, but get some latex gloves, and after you apply the silicone, use your fingertips to "spread" the sealer around. We're looking for complete coverage here. Try to keep it away from the edges of the pan rail/ tray / block, so as to avoid possibly having runs into the crankcase. If you apply the silicone SPARINGLY, this shouldn't be an issue. Once you have applied said silicone, let it set up for about 15 min, then assemble. Start in the middle, work outward, in a circular pattern. Remember, you have a whole bunch of fastners, so we don't need King Kong torque here. As stated, check the pan rail & tray to make sure the sealing surfaces are flat. A small ball peen hammer, used carefully here works wonders. As far as the best product, i've had good luck with Permatex, Ultra Black. Buddy of mine uses their grey "Import spec" permatex & swears by it..and he HATES oil leaks.
The truck that ex #2 got away with had the same setup (factory pan & windage tray) assembled in the manner above about 1994-95, and, AFAIK, doesn't leak..to this day

as always..

[thebannister8]

"I'll go ahead and let you know that I HATE silicone RTV... "



the only way i would do it is with permatex #2 ( non-hardening ) and you have the sticky effect built right in

[cmoore]

I think Fitzwell has it....if you use the silicone, go easy on that stuff and spread it out nice and thin. Avoid piling it up to where you'd have globs getting inside the pan.

[convincor]

a finger smear coat of the "TheRightStuff" on the metal surfaces. No more unless theres corners. (you didn't say what the engine is)
A "heavy" bead of RTV will ooze out as well as in. You can wipe the outside but anything inside becomes a problem as the globs starts to fall off into the pan and get picked up be the oil pump.
As it's been said, Silicon sucks. Save it for the bath tube.

[anotherbigeater]

The p.o. of my truck used so much silicone on the pan that it took half an hour (w/ the engine out) to get the pan off. I had to slice through the gasket w/ a box cutter around the entire perimeter. If you ever need to pull the pan with the engine still in the truck you had better be conservative on silicone use.

[swissranger]

I used Prime Seal #3 from Versa Chem with very good results. 10 years ago, I rebuilt my 1965 Mustang 289 engine and used this stuff for the pan, water pump as well as the intake manifold. The engine is still dry.

http://www.versachem.com/catalog.aspx?prodID=33

Roman

[rjewkes]

as said diffret strokes on this for diff folks. I have learned to use the gasket sealer/conditioner stuff to tack it in place. then i torque the bolts up. also what NM5k Said about the flanges as you'll be getting a new pan you might not have this problem, i'd chack them out to be safe though. i had a c6 pan would always leak. then i found two sources, goofed up flanges and a stripped out bolt it would get just so tight then come out on its own going down the road.

tried the tap it out and helicoil to fail me then later on got in there and drilled out the broken bolt i got stuck in the helicoil out and retapped, it was like a new bolt hole then.

turns ut on the helicoil you have to tap it slightly bigger than i did, unfortuatley i used a seperate tap from the helicoils that didn't match the size.

[TNIceWolf]

In my opinion.....and it's only an opinion. If you dont trust your prep work use silicone to cover it up. It will lead to more leaks later if you do tho. There is no substitute for good prep and a dry fit.

Having said that......silicone does serve a purpose.......in small dabs at adjoining surfaces.......meaning where two gaskets interface. If the engine is out of the vehicle its no big deal to start the bolts on the corners.......leave them really loose and work the rest in to pull the gasket into correct alignment........the same can be done in the vehicle with plenty of patience and a small awl or cross tip screwdriver. Go slow...leave it dry except at adjoining surfaces........and go sparingly there.