MDC9966

My 86 L98 is leaking oil at the rear and I thought it was the rear main, after closer inspection when I took off the torque cover, it looks like the rear of the oil pan. How do you change the pan gasket? Do I have to jack the motor, I read from another forum post for an LT1 that you just remove the starter and you can get to everything, that would be great. Is it the same for an L98? Anybody done one of these? If that doesn't fix the leak I"ll have to change the rear main, and I know I have to drop the trans for that. I'm trying to avoid that if possible. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,

Vic'89

Make sure it is the oil pan gasket before starting that job.

Lots if times it is the intake manifold gasket, the oil pressure sensor, or the valve covers. I had a very small leak, the oil would drip off the bottom of the oil pan. It turned out to be the intake gasket leaking oil and running down the back of the block.

Vic

L98Terror

Oil pan is pretty easy, you do need to un bolt the cross bars on the frame

AquaMetallic94LT1

I have done this often enough on my 94 to be an expert. You can get the pan off without lifting the motor etc. You just need to get the stuff thats bolted to the motor out of the way of the pan. The starter is probably a given. The oil filter and adapter may need to come off (it does on mine)also. You may have to turn the crank so it posititioned in a way that will allow the pan to come out.

Don't forget to remove the oil level sensor (if 86 car has it) before you lower the pan.

MDC9966

Do you have to jack up the motor or anything like that? Also, does anyone know if I have an oil level sensor? Is it in the pan or the outside?

tp85

I have an 85 with a leaking oil pan gasket.

Who makes the absolute best gasket for the oil pan?
Felpro? Do you have a part number?

Thanks.


[Modified by tp85, 9:47 AM 10/24/2001]

Togo

[QUOTE]I have an 85 with a leaking oil pan gasket.

[QUOTE]

is there an 85 out there that DOESN'T leak????
i am gonna change valve cover gaskets and oil pan gasket as well (as soon as someone in here lists some more info on jacking the motor, anyone think this is really necessary? i've looked and it doesn't look like it needs to be moved!) ....i just hope its not the intake gasket!!!!

frank moran

you dont have to jact the engine up, the pan is easier then the intake..dome em both....be certain it's not the rear main..

HighHopes85

FelPro makes a one piece blue gasket that has worked very well for me. Your local AZ should have it. When you get it out of the box, you might notice that it has provisions for a passenger or drivers side dipstick tube, but this has never caused a leak as far as I am aware of. I would give you a part number, but I have a pre 85 engine in my 85 right now, and it has the thinner end seal, and hence, a different part number. It comes with complete hardware (all new pan bolts) plus a pretty cool set of 4 pins that makes the install super simple. -Matt-

scorp508

I have the felpro one, and it also has something for my oil cooler.

Blue85L98

I just had my 85's oil pan off about 3 weeks ago, during timing chain & gear swap. Had the car on rhino ramps...starter had to come out, and oil filter & oil cooler assembly also were removed. Then the pan came off fairly easily, with a little persuasion, as it was the original gasket after 184,000 miles..... Pan went back on with little or no problems...you may have to rotate the crank if the forward counterweights get in the way, but not a problem. I took some digital pics along the way, but haven't looked at them since I took them. If I get a chance, I post them on my forum web page. Good luck

tp85

Blue85L98:
What gasket manufacturer did you use? Part number?

I also have an oil cooler. Why did the oil cooler have to be removed? I had not heard this before. Does the oil cooler require us to get a slightly different oil pan gasket?

Pix of the oil pan job would be great!
Thanks for your help.

Blue85L98

tp85: I used Fel Pro pan gasket set. Don't have the part number available here, available at any/most auto part stores. It was the 4 piece, separate cork side pieces with rubber end seal set. Used blue RTV along with gaskets.

The oil filter mounts to the oil cooler assembly(water cooled), which mounts to the normal oil filter mounting location on the block. You may be able to get by without removing it... I chose to remove it to make things easier...just another piece out of the way. It is only held in place with the adapter that your oil filter mounts to(adapter threads thru the cooler assembly and into the block), so it was nearly no extra effort to remove it. Also, since I have only had the car a relatively short time, I am in the mode to clean as much of the 184,000 + mile gunk off all of the pieces as I gain access to them. If yours is the same setup and you remove it, just remember to replace or reinstall the gasket between the oil cooler assembly and the block...just like the one on the oil filter itself.

One other piece to maneuver around was an aluminum water line that crosses under the front end of the pan and routes partially along the LH side of the pan to the oil cooler assembly, and is secured to some of the oil pan studs/bolts. Good luck...