Oil Pan Leak, help needed.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,398
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From: Hesperia, CA
Oil Pan Leak, help needed.
I rebuilt my 460 and put oil in it while it was still on the engine stand. I ran up the oil pressure with a drill to set the preload on the lifters and to circulate oil through the engine. I notice that the oil pan is leaking at the back of the pan through the back rubber seal. (Note picture) The engine has had a rear seal leak for a number of years and when I pulled the seal out it didn’t look that bad. I am just wondering if it has been the rear of the pan leaking for all of these years. It would be difficult to tell the difference between the pan and the rear seal leaking at that location.
I was wondering if anybody has had any experience at just leaving the end rubber seal off and using the Permatex Ultra Black Maximum Oil Resistance RTV Silicone Gasket Maker in place of those rubber seals. I doubt that any oil could get through the pan with that stuff on there. I need to get this thing right the first time. I am in my mid 70’s and although still pretty agile I am not sure how many more times I will be able to pull that engine.
I was wondering if anybody has had any experience at just leaving the end rubber seal off and using the Permatex Ultra Black Maximum Oil Resistance RTV Silicone Gasket Maker in place of those rubber seals. I doubt that any oil could get through the pan with that stuff on there. I need to get this thing right the first time. I am in my mid 70’s and although still pretty agile I am not sure how many more times I will be able to pull that engine.
Senior User
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 369
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From: BC Cana'duh
I use silicone in addition to the end seal.Place a thin film on both sides of the seal(top and bottom).I think you will run into problems if you eliminate the end seal.Generally a leaking rear main seal will leak while the engine is running and the vehicle is stationary.Oil pan leaks show up after/while the vehicle is in motion.I removed my pan after assembly to install a windage tray (it was an afterthought).Had a one piece pan gasket,removed some lumps of cured silicone and wiped it clean using solvent before I resealed it with fresh silicone and it's fine.
Tuned
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 464
Likes: 5
From: Redmond, WA USA
I've done exactly what you are suggesting on a 1969 Cadillac - I replaced the timing chain, so I had to take off the front cover which required removing the oil pan (which required pulling the motor). I could not reinstall the front cover with that rubber seal on the bottom w/o dropping the oil pan, so I just filled the gap with RTV and assembled everything. It worked for the 8 years that I kept the vehicle after the repair.
The key to your success is a completely oil-free surface to start with. You can use Brakekleen, carb cleaner, or something similar to degrease the surfaces first.
And then, use a high-performance silicone sealant - I like Permatex Ultra Gray or The Right Stuff.
Third, for that job, spend the extra few dollars and get a full-sized caulk gun tube of the stuff. You will have a much easier time filling that gap (w/o killing your hands trying to squeeze it out of a small tube) with the caulk gun. If you have any RTV left over, they make caulk tube "condoms" that you can buy at Home Depot which you can use to seal the tip and they work remarkably well [insert your own joke here].
Finally, let it set up for at least a couple of days.
Good luck!
The key to your success is a completely oil-free surface to start with. You can use Brakekleen, carb cleaner, or something similar to degrease the surfaces first.
And then, use a high-performance silicone sealant - I like Permatex Ultra Gray or The Right Stuff.
Third, for that job, spend the extra few dollars and get a full-sized caulk gun tube of the stuff. You will have a much easier time filling that gap (w/o killing your hands trying to squeeze it out of a small tube) with the caulk gun. If you have any RTV left over, they make caulk tube "condoms" that you can buy at Home Depot which you can use to seal the tip and they work remarkably well [insert your own joke here].
Finally, let it set up for at least a couple of days.
Good luck!
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duggyb
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Mar 22, 2012 10:32 AM
