How do I put this damn oil pan back on?

[smokeman]

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.

Bread ties will be your friend. Use a few of them to hold the gasket to the pan, put pan in place, start a few studs, cut/remove bread ties, and button her up. Works like a charm. Good luck. :wave:

 

[Blaine B.]

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.)

Haha, my friends always kid about how I always bleed whenever there's a job.

It's usually my knuckles, they get knicked and well, there comes the "red water."

 

[TiRod]

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:

It's been three or more years for me, it's a little greasy now, mostly blowby from the front breather. I can not possibly go back to guaranteed-to-leak cork.

The Felpro gasket comes with nylon starter studs - now -, but the "Mr. Gasket" Chevy valve cover studs work great, especially when a bolt strips in aluminum. Just JB Weld it in the hole and snug it the next day.

Anybody with no jack marks on the frame and axle got off easy - and, yes, the shocks were disco'd. But going back in the second time in a year was gonna be a problem, even if the first was text book easy.

 

[MoFo]

I did just what I was planning last night. I got a total of six 1/4-20 studs, 1.25" long. I cut 6 strips from a coffee can, 1/2" by 2", clamped them together and drilled a 7/64 hole through all of them, 1/4" from the end. I cut from the sides of each hole to the end of the strip with tin snips. I put the gasket in place, over the studs, slid the strips on the threads to hold the gasket up. A little dab of RTV on the corners and four 1/4-20 nuts. I started the screws, then slid the strips off the studs, and backed the studs out. I have the studs and strips in a small zip-lock bag in my tool box, ready for the next time.

 

[5-90]

I did just what I was planning last night. I got a total of six 1/4-20 studs, 1.25" long. I cut 6 strips from a coffee can, 1/2" by 2", clamped them together and drilled a 7/64 hole through all of them, 1/4" from the end. I cut from the sides of each hole to the end of the strip with tin snips. I put the gasket in place, over the studs, slid the strips on the threads to hold the gasket up. A little dab of RTV on the corners and four 1/4-20 nuts. I started the screws, then slid the strips off the studs, and backed the studs out. I have the studs and strips in a small zip-lock bag in my tool box, ready for the next time.

Sounds good, save I just leave the studs in place. Same with the valve cover - I just use longer studs there.

They really do come in handy, you know...

 

[SwampDonkeyXJ]

I just placed the gasket on the oil pan, slide the pan in place, and bolted it back together. No leaks or anything. Can be kind of a pain to line it up just right when you try to wedge the pan back into place, but that's all. No sealant needed.

 

[lawsoncl]

In a pinch, I've used dental floss tied through the gasket and pan bolt holes. Snip it and pull it out before you snug everything up. Has the advantage of doing it away from the vehicle instead of fussing around forever while laying on your back under a block that's still slowly dripping oil on your face.