Oil pan progress!

[3/4tonTodd]

Well, I got the oil pan off. The dipstick tube has a thinner tube that sticks out a few inches at the bottom of the block. A guy at work (former mech for 20 years) said I can just whack that up out of the block so I'm going to try that this morning then see if I can get that pan on in less than a day and a half. Tell you what - there's one bolt on that stupid pan that was almost impossible to reach - ended up using a 1/4 inch drive socket style nut driver with a 3" extension and the 7/16 socket to get onto that thing behind the oil lines. It ought to be really fun getting that thing back in there.

Also, I'm planning on sticking the gasket on the block with blue RTV, then put the pan up to it. I guess my reasoning is that I'm less likely to dislodge the gasket this way. If it's better to put the gasket on the pan, let me know!

Thanks

Todd

 

[tux]

i'm no expert on this but when i replaced my gasket on my 77 GMC 1500 350ci i put the sealer on the pan.if you have to take it of it is a lot easier to clean the pan than the block.don't over torque the front and rear 5/16 bolts or you will pop the end pieces out(if you are useing a 4 piece gasket on a 350) also i would suggest you do a dry run with out the gasket to see how the pan will slip in.
another thing that i do is tie the gasket to the oil pan with some thin sewing thread. this keeps it in place the thread will decay and i have not found that there are any leaks.
hope this helps.
tux

 

[3/4tonTodd]

Guess I should have stayed with my original plan. At the last minute I decided to put the gasket on the pan, and ended up with the biggest blue mess you've ever seen. If anyone has plans to replace their oil pan gasket, put the gasket on the block!!!

Anyway, I'm done with this little project finally. Thanks to all for your help! Ran the engine for about 10 minutes and so far no leaks. I'm going to let that blue mess set up overnight and drive it tomorrow to make sure it still doesn't leak.

By the way, I think I've stumbled onto a surefire way to get better gas mileage. Locking gas gap. Wish the gas prices would go down so I don't have to fight that lock when it freezes up!

Todd

 

[tux]

3/4 ton Todd;
sorry if my post swayed you to put the gasket on the pan but it worked fine for me.

 

[Smither]

Replace the oil pan gasket twice on my 400. The first time I used the blue sealer. It set up too fast for me. By the time I got the gasket on, got the pan up to the block (I put the gasket on the pan), and got the bolts in and torquing them, the blue sealer was setting up pretty good already. I didn't like it. I changed it again later and went with the regular black gasket sealant. It gave me more "play" time and I think made a better seal. Just my opinion.

 

[3/4tonTodd]

Tux

No, it wasn't your fault I ended up with the big blue mess. It was just cold, and looking at that pan and the gasket it just "looked" easier. Perhaps if I had been warmer (I was doing this in the driveway in north central Iowa, by the way!) I might have not been too concerned about how long it took. Another half inch of clearance and putting the gasket on the pan would have worked great. It could have just been the position of the crankshaft, because that is what I hit with that front end gasket.

Anyway, it's done and I'm happy. I'm about to road test it for leaks (was going to do that yesterday but didn't feel like going out - LONG week and weekend!). Going to look at a real box for this truck - it currently has a flatbed on it. I have NO use for a flatbed and just haven't found a decent box cheap enough yet.

Anyway, thanks for the help guys! One more project done!

Todd

 

[Smither]

3/4tonTodd,

Check out the weekly magazine/paper called "Car & Truck Trader". We get it here in central Illinois. It covers into Eastern Iowa. There is at least one company that advertises in it rust free southern cabs and beds. If you can't find it, email me your address and I will mail you a copy of the ad, or just give you a phone # to call. I can't remember their location off the top of my head. Let me know.