Oil Pan & RTV

[Deca]

Hey guys- replaced oil pump gears and ready to put everything together. I dropped the oil pump an inch or 2 to remove the oil pump. So now, putting the pan back in place: do I have to remove the old rtv and apply new? If so..how? There is no room, especially at the rear- all videos I see just skip this part, but seems crucial.

Any ideas? Thanks

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[sk47]

Hello; I will assume you are working with the engine in the car. Next question is can the oil pan be removed or do you have to maneuver with it partly in the way. I replaced a leaky oil pan gasket on an F-150 one time and could not completely get the oil pan out. A real pain but got it done.

To your question. I tend to think from experience with silicone around vehicles and from keeping freshwater aquariums for over 60 years, the best way is to clean off the old and use new with very clean surfaces.

 

[Deca]

Yes- engine in, I just dont see how I can properly clean the surfaces and apply fresh rtv, as there is very little/no room- just looking for some tips/pointers

 

[sk47]

Yes- engine in, I just dont see how I can properly clean the surfaces and apply fresh rtv, as there is very little/no room- just looking for some tips/pointers

Hello; When i had an oil leak at the pan gasket on that F-150 I got a better gasket. Best I can recall was some sort of silicone rubber or at least a rubber like. Not the old cork type.
The best part was a set of clever plastic helpers. A plastic bit maybe three inches long that had a threaded end i could screw into the block. With some staggered projections along the shaft. I screwed a few of those plastic shafts into the block. Manuvered the new gasket onto the shafts which held the gasket in place. (A tedious and time consuming process having to work around the oil pan) Once the gasket was in place I easily slid the oil pan over the plastic studs and put in a few pan bolts. Then unscrewed the plastic studs. That was over twenty years ago. I may have those plastic studs in among many other tools used only one time.

Go to a parts place and see if you can get a better aftermarket gasket and do away with the liquid RTV.

 

[tdstuart]

Did you do the technique of taking out some bolts but leaving the rear ones in?

If I remember right there is only rtv at the back by the rear over and rtv at the front with the timing cover.

If you dropped the whole oil pan I would recommend cleaning and replacing the rtv. But if you left the rear bolts in you should be fine to just put rtv on the front where you can get and bolt it back up.

 

[SheepDog]

Hey guys- replaced oil pump gears and ready to put everything together. I dropped the oil pump an inch or 2 to remove the oil pump. So now, putting the pan back in place: do I have to remove the old rtv and apply new? If so..how? There is no room, especially at the rear- all videos I see just skip this part, but seems crucial.

Any ideas? Thanks

Did you unbolt the motor mounts and jack the engine up all the way?

 

[sms2022]

Did you do the technique of taking out some bolts but leaving the rear ones in?

If I remember right there is only rtv at the back by the rear over and rtv at the front with the timing cover.

If you dropped the whole oil pan I would recommend cleaning and replacing the rtv. But if you left the rear bolts in you should be fine to just put rtv on the front where you can get and bolt it back up.

This^. I’ve done this on transmissions which are much more prone to leak than oil pans.

otherwise get the silicone gasket with metal inside mentioned above

 

[furdfan2018]

I don't remember there being RTV on the pan itself.. .maybe at a couple joints at the bottom of the front cover.

But If I remember right, the oil pan has a reusable o ring around the entire pan negating the need to use RTV on an oil pan drop and replace.

 

[SheepDog]

There is a gasket, but also RTV in 4 spots where the front timing cover and rear main seal plate meet the block.

 

[Cobra Jet]

And if you’re going to use any type of gasket sealer, use “The Right Stuff”…. Best damn gasket sealer on the market…. Been using it for years now and never a leak after it seals.

https://www.permatex.com/products/g...ght-stuff-black-1-minute-gasket-maker-7-5-oz/

 

[Deca]

Thanks guys- I just don’t see how I’m gonna get the rtv between there neatly, basically the pan rests on the k-member with half an inch of clearance..or is just simply squirt in between and don’t overthink?

 

[sk47]

Thanks guys- I just don’t see how I’m gonna get the rtv between there neatly, basically the pan rests on the k-member with half an inch of clearance..or is just simply squirt in between and don’t overthink?

Hello; No. just squirt a gob and hope is not a good plan. Most likely will not get good coverage but this is not the reason. I would worry about the portion of the gob which will likely squeeze out to the inside of the pan. Not as bad as metal in the pan and you might never have any problems. With luck the excess will not break off. With more luck after it breaks off there is not enough to clog up the oil pump intake screen.

Decades ago I had to rebuild the 351 W V8 in the black van pictured above my user name. I bought the van used and right away had to deal with overheating. Got that solved and ran the engine for a few years. Was running it hard in second gear for a dumb reason and spun a main bearing. During the tear down discovered the oil pickup screen was partially blocked. Only about a half or third was open. Engine was oil starved for a few seconds. Note to self-there is always a reason someone sells a used vehicle.

But i get your situation. You do not want to or cannot pull the engine right now. You need the engine running. I will do some thinking about what to use other than RTV. I was a shade tree before that stuff came out. It replaced a lot of other stuff. A problem with silicone RTV is it begins to skin over before long. Once it skins over enough does not stick so well.

I have used some other gasket stuff and may have a suggestion later. There are gasket makers and stuff to use around fuel.

use “The Right Stuff”…. Best damn gasket sealer on the market…. Been using it for years now and never a leak after it seals.

https://www.permatex.com/products/g...ght-stuff-black-1-minute-gasket-maker-7-5-oz/

Hello; Hope someone else can help you. I will likely lose my internet today. AT&T is closing down DSL it seems. might take a while to get something else.

 

[Deca]

Thanks all- anyone that actually did this on a gt350? Drop the pan on the k-member, remove the rtv and reapply? How did you go about it? I don’t really have clearance to properly remove the current rtv without possibly dropping some rtv residue in the pan, let alone reapply a proper bead..any shared experience much appreciated!

 

[JohnVallo]

Yes,
I actually did this on my GT350, after I replaced my OEM OPG's as well.
After studying the situation here is what I had to do.

I made a home-made engine lift/support tool, and raised the engine as far as safely feasible. (I believe it was about 2").
I then loosened the all front subframe bolts, and dropped the front subframe as far as the loosened bolts would allow.
This gave me enough clearance to feel with my hands and place a new rubber pan gasket into the groove in the oil pan and place the RTV at the 4 corners where it was needed.

 

[TRDFurgesson]

I replaced my oil pump gears / cams at the same time I replaced my stock K member with the road race K member. I removed the pan completely, and resealed it properly at the rear and the front for the assembling the rest of the engine. The engine definitely needs to be sealed at the corners with silicone.

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