Oil Pan Gaskets


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By unibodyboy - 15 Years Ago
Does anyone know of a neoprene offering for Y block oil pan gaskets? Sick and tired of the cork, can slow leaks down greatly but just can't stop them completely.
By Ted - 15 Years Ago

I’ve had no problems with the Best Gasket oil pan gasket which is made from a black dense fibrous type of material.

By Y block Billy - 15 Years Ago
Unibodyboy,

Many times the bolts have been overtightened and the holes dimpled in, then you are not getting good clamping forces on the flats between fasteners. also if the holes are dimpled in, when you tighten the bolts it will tend to want to squash the gasket outwards giving poor sealing results.  you may want to remove the pan and flatten all the surface around the fasteners. Then do not overtighten but go around and around evenly snugging them up to spec.

By charliemccraney - 15 Years Ago
Cork isn't my favorite but there are ways to improve it's sealing ability.

First, make sure the pan rail is flat. Often what happens is the holes in the pan get a cone shape due to overtightening. If those are not flattened, it will never seal well.

Second, never torque a cork gasket to spec. They squish out every time. Watch the gasket as you tighten the pan. Make sure that the gasket is being compressed but not too much. Check the bolts after a couple drives to make sure they are not coming loose. Ater you do this several times, you will develop a feel for what is right.

Something else that doesn't hurt is to apply a skim coat of silicone. We're talking a very thin film, not a 3/8" bead along both sides of the gasket. This helps to ensure a seal and it will hold the pan to the motor long enough for you to discover loose bolts.