I should have left well enough alone!

My 1986 4.9L engine had the original gasket and wept oil [not bad, but a nuisance]. The cover was carefully removed and the old gasket material cleaned as well as the block mating surfaces. A Felpro rubber gasket was carefully cemented to the clean cover and allowed to dry. Once reinstalled and driven, there was oil leaking by the bottom corner nearest the firewall. I do not have a torque wrench of the correct range, so the nuts were tightened to the point that the rubber plugs were just beginning to bulge.

The inspection plate was again removed and examined. Everything looked fine. The plate might be slightly warped. Since nothing seemed amiss, a very slight film of silicone was applied to the surface of the gasket and reinstalled. After approximately 30 minutes, the engine was fired up and while idling, looked to be leak free. After a 20 minute drive, the oil leak was in the same place and about the same rate [messy].

Suggestions, please!

 

Ugh, I hate messes like that.
The plate works by using pressure from the rubber grommets to push the plate hard enough against the sealing surface to seal. If they're not torqued down enough, they'll leak. You simply may be gun shy about tightening them too much and not tightening them enough. Just a thought.

If it were me, I'd get some rags and a wrench. Run the engine until it leaks, give the closest bolt a quarter turn and wipe off the oil. See if it returns. Repeat until it stops leaking.

On the other hand, If I remember right, those are in inch-pounds and are something like 60 to 108 in-lbs. (Can't remember exactly). But divided by 12 (inches per foot), that's 5 - 9 ft/lbs. You should be able to see that on a regular torque wrench. That's how I did mine.

Hope that helps.

 

Thanks, AbandonedBronco!

I somewhat did as you suggested. Since it seems to be leaking at the very back, I gently snugged the rear most bolt and cleaned the bell housing. After a 25 mile drive [to and from work], when checked, the leakage seemed much less. Due to Church plans, I was unable to do anything else. I plan to take the little "cap" nut off which holds the dipstick tube in place and then tighten the 2nd rear most bolt. Perhaps that will do the trick?

I hope so!

Thanks for you input!