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How do I put this damn oil pan back on?

M

MoFo

NAXJA Forum User
NAXJA Memorial Lifetime Member
Location
Near Rochester NY
I finally got the RMS punched out and replaced, plus all the other stuff I discovered while in there, timing set, front seal, HB.

Now I am trying to stick the gasket up to the block, so I can position the pan. I have the 1 piece Felpro gasket. With other engines, I have had success useing Permatex #97 Super High Tack Gasket Sealant to hold it to the block. The gasket won't stick to this stuff. I have tried letting it dry various lengths of time, and it just won't stick. I also tried the 5-90 trick of SBC valve cover studs, but the gasket has metal sleves at the bolt holes and it just falls right off.

BTW, this is a 1987 4.0 liter.

I have scraped the block surface and re-applied sealer 4 or 5 times now. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
 
Are you trying to glue the gasket to the block, and then put the pan on?

I think I'd try to stick it to the pan and then position the pan (with gasket attached).

That way gravity is your friend.
 
I just stuck the gasket to the oil pan let it sit for an hour or so then stuck in in there i think i had to make a lil adjustment in the front but that was it. The rest of it stuck pretty well to the oil pan. I used Red RTV in a can. My gasket is flepro it was blue with the lil rings around all the holes too. seemed too heavy to stick to the block like 590 was saying.
 
All the threads I read here said to stick the gasket to the block. The FSM says to stick it to the block. The FSM also says to put engine oil on the oil pan mating surface. I suppose this is so the pan will slide and won't force the gasket out of place. I suppose it would not matter if the oil is on the top or the bottom surface.

Any other recommendations?
 
XJ Stryker said:
I just stuck the gasket to the oil pan let it sit for an hour or so then stuck in in there i think i had to make a lil adjustment in the front but that was it. The rest of it stuck pretty well to the oil pan. I used Red RTV in a can. My gasket is flepro it was blue with the lil rings around all the holes too. seemed too heavy to stick to the block like 590 was saying.
Click to expand...

The studs don't hang the gasket on the block - what they're doing is giving you positive location of the gasket then pan so you can hold it up with one hand while you start nuts with the other. Then, once you have nuts loosely started, you can start screws all the way around to finish the job, once you check that both end rails are in their grooves.

You shouldn't need RTV, but I tend to use it out of force of habit. Hold the gasket in place, finagle the pan into place, and then you can hold it up easily without it slipping. Alternatively, put the gasket in the pan, finagle the pan up over the front axle, then you can maneuver the gasket into place. Set the pan overtop of it and press up, then start the nuts onto the studs until they just make contact (you'll need a little wiggle room to get the rest of the screws started.) DO NOT TORQUE SCREWS until you have them all started - it's amazing just how often you need some wiggle room while you're doing this.

1/4"-20 screws torque to 84 pound-inches/7 pound-feet, 5/16"-18 screws to 132 pound-inches/11 pound-feet. Do not overtighten! Even the new version of the gasket can be crushed beyond use if you get happy with the wrench...
 
Thanks for the clarification 5-90. How can you make sure the rear part of the seal in in the slot on the rear main cap, when you can't see it?

I tried this with only 2 studs. I am headed to the parts store tomorrow and pick up 4 more.
 
if it is the blue rubber gasket by felpro, its a dry gasket (which means no rtv, no high tack). The only place you wanna put rtv is in the corners where the end groves start to curve.
 
MoFo said:
Thanks for the clarification 5-90. How can you make sure the rear part of the seal in in the slot on the rear main cap, when you can't see it?

I tried this with only 2 studs. I am headed to the parts store tomorrow and pick up 4 more.
Click to expand...

I've only found a need for four. I'm probably going to make some small clips out of sheetmetal one of these days, and figure out how I did it, so I can put up a template for everyone. That way, you'd put the studs in, slip the gasket up on the studs, and put the clips on. Then, put the oil pan in place and start the nuts. Slip the clips out, and finish the job.

I just haven't gotten around to setting them up yet. But, it should be fairly simple. It's been at the back of my mind for a couple of whiles...
 
That is exactly what I have been thinking about. I have a flattened coffee can here and a 1/4-20 bolt. I think I am going to cut some strips, stack them, clamp them and drill with a 7/64 and cut to the edge with tin snips. I will let you know how it goes.
 
I used the 1 piece Fel-Pro. I set it on the pan, and lifted it up into place. and started putting bolts in by hand. Nothing to it.

It's been 3 weeks and still no leaks.:thumbup:
 
Last edited:
Never dropped oil pan on a jeep, but on other vehicles...
put a couple of bolts in either side of the pan and use pieces of electrical tape to hold them there; don't stretch it too tight. Place gasket on pan (bolts should go thru gasket holes). You should be able to get the pan up where it needs to go without losing the gasket position. The tape will have enough give to allow you to start the other bolts. If you have some similar length bolt with a smaller thread diameter, you can get the pan/gasket just about flush without stretching the tape. You will also need to make sure there is no oil or anything on the pan that might not allow the tape to stick well.
Cheesey but easy.
 
kujito said:
Never dropped oil pan on a jeep, but on other vehicles...
put a couple of bolts in either side of the pan and use pieces of electrical tape to hold them there; don't stretch it too tight. Place gasket on pan (bolts should go thru gasket holes). You should be able to get the pan up where it needs to go without losing the gasket position. The tape will have enough give to allow you to start the other bolts. If you have some similar length bolt with a smaller thread diameter, you can get the pan/gasket just about flush without stretching the tape. You will also need to make sure there is no oil or anything on the pan that might not allow the tape to stick well.
Cheesey but easy.
Click to expand...

A nice idea (I've used masking tape before for the same result,) but if you're one of the "Keep It Greasey" crowd, prep becomes a pain in the arse.

It isn't easy being cheesy...
 
5-90 said:
A nice idea (I've used masking tape before for the same result,) but if you're one of the "Keep It Greasey" crowd, prep becomes a pain in the arse.
Click to expand...
Agreed, but with the pan off and a little parts cleaner...

5-90 said:
It isn't easy being cheesy...
Click to expand...
But it sho is fun
 
kujito said:
yup.
I don't know much, but I'm stubborn enough to figure out most problems. I do bleed and cuss a lot tho.
Click to expand...

So do I - and I've been at this on and off since I was a kid. Swearing is the language of mechanics and tradesman, and blood makes the Gods happy. Get used to it.

(And no, you can't cut yourself on purpose and bleed on a job to make it easier - that will make it harder. It has to be accidental...)

(It also has to be cleaned off - blood promotes rust.)
 
I hear ya. I don't know if I've ever had a job or hobby that didn't involve both to some degree. Plus, yelling/cussing at things I'm doing keeps me sane. Steel can take a hell of a verbal beat down without complaint.
 
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