zymurgist

Well, this was totally unexpected... I installed a one piece oil pan gasket on my new motor to avoid oil leaks... but I seem to have one anyway. It leaks at the front end, where the gasket is sandwiched between the timing cover and the oil pan. I don't think I installed it incorrectly.

I'm thinking I may have to drop the oil pan, clean off all surfaces, and reinstall it, this time with a little high temperature silicone smeared in the offending areas... but first I'll double check my torque settings on the corner pan bolts.

1. Anyone else have this problem? I'm pretty sure both the timing cover and the oil pan are aftermarket.

2. If I have to drop the oil pan, what's my easiest method to get clearance from the steering? Unhook the relay rod from the idler arm? Unbolt the idler arm? I sure hope I don't have to undo the steering gear on the left side of the car... hopefully, undong the right side will allow the parts to move enough to get the pan off.

vettfixr

There are two gaskets available in the one piece gasket. I believe that 74 and earlier pans had a shallower front opening where the pan meets the timing chain cover and 75 and later used a deeper pan in this area. I'm not sure of the exact dimensions but it's been posted before so if you do a search in C3 archives you'll find it. I made the same mistake and tried to put a shallow gasket on my aftermarket pan. It leaked like crazy until I replaced it with a new gasket which hasn't leaked since. If I remember correctly I droped the idler arm and that gave me enough room to get the pan down. Try to use the snap ups when reinstalling the pan. They make the job a lot easier.

Fevre

You would know if you put the wrong gasket on, don't ask me how I know. OK I'll tell. :) I bought the wrong one and went to put it in and got gasket goop on it before I realized it was the wrong one. The front seals are way diff so you would figure it out before you got too far, I did. :bb Mine did leak a touch too, I tightened the front two bolts up some more but have not checked it closely since. I do not think it is leaking bad if at all, much better than the 4 peice ones.

zymurgist

I'm 90 percent sure that I used the gasket with the thick front piece. The gasket looks like it's snug if you eyeball it, but it weeps oil between the gasket and the metal surfaces.

virtue4u

DId you put a small dab of silicone at the corners of the curvature just below the timing cover? My Fel-Pro instructions suggested that be done.

Bearcat

If you didn't silicon the 4 "corners", I guarantee that's what's causing you problems. These are reusable gaskets though, so you should be able to drop your idler arm (2 bolts) and drop your pan.

carriljc

I found it fairly easy to unbolt the idler arm one side and unbolting the 4 bolts on the power steering bracket on the drivers side. That dropped the linkage down far enough to wiggle the pan in and out.

TedH

After removing the two bolts holding the idler arm to the frame and then dropping the linkage the resulting 3-4", I was able to remove my oil pan.

I did this when replacing the old oil pan with a painted aftermarket unit along with the 1-piece 'blue' rubber Felpro gasket. No leaks that I can see.

Paul L

Front y-pipe and steering linkage dropped for pan to clear.

zymurgist

Great picture, Paul. I no longer have a Y-pipe so the steering linkage is all that I will need to drop. I'm still baffled as to why I'm getting an oil leak in the first place... I put the silicone in the recommended locations... I can only guess that it has something to do with the timing cover and/or oil pan. And I REALLY don't want to take the timing cover off, now that I have the water pump and lower hose (as well as fan, clutch, and pulleys!) installed.