walkerbread

I have read all the other oil leak threads.

I have replaced my oil pan and gasket. It only leaks at the front where the timing cover meets oil pan. and only after preasure is built up.

Two questions/solutions.

Is it possible to loosen all bolts on timing cover and will it shift down ever so slightly then snug bolts. Then retighten oil pan to solve oil leak?

Or is having Oli Pan corner bolts too tight possibly causing leeakage?

'75

The timing cover is located with dowels, so it won't move. I recommend the felpro 1 piece pan gasket, it has spacers to help prevent overtightening.

dburgjohn

over tightened bolts can cause leaking. People think the tighter the better, but it can warp and bend the pans. Did you put a bead of sealer at the corners when the sides meet the front?

texasbaehr

Once you break it loose you'll need to replace the gasket.

I used a reinforced gasket coated it with sealant and snugged the bolts then let set overnight and torque to spec. never had a leak.
You must put a glob of high temp RTV at the corners were the front and rear seal meet the block or it will leak.
Also make sure it really is the pan gasket. The front seal can leak and blow oil all over the front and sides of the pan and look like a pan gasket leak.

73, Dark Blue 454

A factory timing chain cover (stamped steel) that's warped from over-tightening will leak and will look like an oil pan gasket leak in the area you're describing.

Secondly, are you running the factory PCV system? It will help limit the crankcase pressure and limit oil leaks.

Brcmpbl

Couldn't see what year your car is from the mobile site (killing time waiting for a friend), but if it is pre-1975 you might have the wrong gasket for your application. There are both "thin" and "thick" style gasket front lips. A stocker 68-74 pan would use a thick one, but if the pan was ever replaced after 75 it would take the thin style because GM changed the design in that year, including for replacement pans. You can tell by measuring the front of the pan. Anyway because I'm not sure of the year of your car I could be way off base. I also recommend the Fel-Pro one piece gasket, it's nice. Good luck.

Brcmpbl

Sorry I re-read my post and realized I made an error...pre-75 stock pans use the thin seal. 75 and after use the thick.

Hitch

I had this problem and it was the timing chain cover itself. I would look to see if the timing chain cover bead weld is broken and allowing the leak..

David

walkerbread

I appreciate all the comments.

I ended up retightening bolts after I ran it for a while. Then took black high temp RTV and coated the blue gasket from where the engine block meets timing cover down and around to the other side. Made a smooth layer so it looks like a fitting gasket and have had no problems since.