Powerhouse Posted January 16, 2009 Report Posted January 16, 2009 Howdy all... I have a question.... With the engine still installed, Can the oil pan gasket be replaced? I would like to change that gasket...it's a leaker... Quote
Niel Hoback Posted January 16, 2009 Report Posted January 16, 2009 That depends on what its in, but usually yes. You may have to drop the steering linkage, but after that, its not bad just to change the pan gasket. The thing is, you're gonna want to change that rear main seal while your in there. Thats just another little project. Quote
greg g Posted January 16, 2009 Report Posted January 16, 2009 There are I believe 4 pieces that make up the gasket. It looks like two shuold be trimed for proper installation. they are however meant to overlap when installed. Quote
Powerhouse Posted January 16, 2009 Author Report Posted January 16, 2009 That depends on what its in, but usually yes. You may have to drop the steering linkage, but after that, its not bad just to change the pan gasket. The thing is, you're gonna want to change that rear main seal while your in there. Thats just another little project. REAR MAIN SEAL...is that able to be changed while engine and tranny are together? I'm guessing NO...but I have no experience as to what that seal is.. Quote
greg g Posted January 16, 2009 Report Posted January 16, 2009 depends on which type of seal is in your car. I believe the old impregnated rope style seal could be changed in the car. Quote
Powerhouse Posted January 16, 2009 Author Report Posted January 16, 2009 it's a 54? dodge truck motor ... in a 39 plymouth car...with a 36 chrysler OD....so who knows what kinda seal it has...maybe a harbor seal for all I know. hahaha I guess I'll see it when I open up the oil pan. I fit has the newer kind, could it be cut and pulled out and then have the old rope kind put in? Quote
aero3113 Posted January 16, 2009 Report Posted January 16, 2009 Are you sure the rear main is leaking? If not just leave it you can cause more of a leak if not installed correctly. If it does leak and you do replace it it will be just a temporary fix until the crank(prob has pits in it) wears it away again.I would just do the pan gasket, you can do the rear main also just take your time(will slow the leak if there is one) Quote
Powerhouse Posted January 16, 2009 Author Report Posted January 16, 2009 I'm not sure if it leaks yet...it is really oily under there...pan is definately not sealed. My clutch tends to make a high pitched squeel when I start on hills...I think oil got in there somehow. Quote
greg g Posted January 16, 2009 Report Posted January 16, 2009 Even a new seal does not mean it will not leak. must be a Breed standard. Quote
hkestes41 Posted January 17, 2009 Report Posted January 17, 2009 I think it was around 52 or 53 that the car engines went to a two piece neoprene seal that can be changed in the car with the tranmission bolted to the engine. You just remove the rear main cap and push the old upper seal out around the crank. Oil up the new seal and push it in around the crank where the old one cam out. Bottom half is easily replaced in the cap, then bolt it back on, torque it down and replace the pan. Don't know if the truck engine used the neoprene or still used the rope. If I remember correctly you can change the bottom half of the rope seal with the transmission still bolted up, but to replace the top half you have to remove the transmission/bellhousing. Quote
RobertKB Posted January 17, 2009 Report Posted January 17, 2009 To seal or not to seal....that is the question. New cars hardly ever seem to leak whereas old cars all seem to somewhere. I remember seeing a bunch of Duesenbergs at the Imperial hotel in Vegas about 10 years ago. They all had tarps or something under them to catch the oil. These were gorgeous beautifully restored cars. But they leaked. Quote
greg g Posted January 17, 2009 Report Posted January 17, 2009 excuse me, my car does not leak, it marks its territory. af leaves a trail to find its way home. Quote
aero3113 Posted January 17, 2009 Report Posted January 17, 2009 I was told by an old timer once that there is a tool that hooks onto the rope seal and you pull it through. This can be done with the bottom cap off and everything else installed. Quote
dezeldoc Posted January 17, 2009 Report Posted January 17, 2009 They can be changed in the car with the trans on them. the important thing to remember is to pull out the old rope seal don't try and push it through or it will bunch up then it is a pain to get out. you pull the new one through with the wire tool aero was talking about. check and see if they make a replacement seal not rope for it I know they did for the chevys. Quote
Don Coatney Posted January 17, 2009 Report Posted January 17, 2009 I was told by an old timer once that there is a tool that hooks onto the rope seal and you pull it through. This can be done with the bottom cap off and everything else installed. McMaster Carr sells these tools. Search for seal extractor on there web site. http://www.mcmaster.com/ Quote
55 Fargo Posted January 17, 2009 Report Posted January 17, 2009 McMaster Carr sells these tools. Search for seal extractor on there web site.http://www.mcmaster.com/ Don, would this contraption work. I am not sure what seal I have in my 1951 engine, but I think it must be the 2 piece neoprene, don't think this would work for the later type to remove the top half of seal without removing flywheel. 2 years ago when I pulled my trans bell housing flywheel etc to replace a bad frost plug, I should have done it then. My engine leaked oil before I did this work, but was way worse after this job. If I replace the pan gasket, will help quite a bit or is it the rear main seal leak that causes most oil leaks in these old engines..................Thanx Fred Quote
55 Fargo Posted January 18, 2009 Report Posted January 18, 2009 Don, would this contraption work.I am not sure what seal I have in my 1951 engine, but I think it must be the 2 piece neoprene, don't think this would work for the later type to remove the top half of seal without removing flywheel. 2 years ago when I pulled my trans bell housing flywheel etc to replace a bad frost plug, I should have done it then. My engine leaked oil before I did this work, but was way worse after this job. If I replace the pan gasket, will help quite a bit or is it the rear main seal leak that causes most oil leaks in these old engines..................Thanx Fred Anybody have bad oil leaks and was successful in stopping or slowing down considerably by changing the pan gasket............Fred PS do you have to drop a tie-rod to get the pan out from under? Quote
aero3113 Posted January 18, 2009 Report Posted January 18, 2009 Oil from the pan can blow back towards the rear main, I would go for a drive clean under the car then place some cardboard under the rear main and see if you get any leaks. Quote
55 Fargo Posted January 18, 2009 Report Posted January 18, 2009 Oil from the pan can blow back towards the rear main, I would go for a drive clean under the car then place some cardboard under the rear main and see if you get any leaks. I can see already I have the bulk of oil leaking in the back of the oil pan, probably the rear seal, I am not sure I want to pull the trans,clutch housing, flywheel' again to do the seal. I was hoping maybe a new pan gasket might help. I am not dropping much oil right now, as it is winter, I am not dring the car, I start the car to move it out of the shop and laet here rn till full temp, but thats about it these days. My garage is much cooler than summer, so less oil leakage right now. Quote
aero3113 Posted January 19, 2009 Report Posted January 19, 2009 The oil from the rear main will not be at the back of the oil pan,I think It would be dripping from the weep hole in the cover behind the oil pan. Quote
woodscavenger Posted January 19, 2009 Report Posted January 19, 2009 To me this job was a bit of a pain even with my motor out of the truck and on a hoist. The best advice I saw was to take a small pieces of stiff wire or parts of sewing pins to keep the overlap edges of the 4 piece gaskets together. I basically cut up several pins about 3/8" long and used 2 at each junction. Ohterwise it would have been a nightmare. Quote
55 Fargo Posted January 19, 2009 Report Posted January 19, 2009 To me this job was a bit of a pain even with my motor out of the truck and on a hoist. The best advice I saw was to take a small pieces of stiff wire or parts of sewing pins to keep the overlap edges of the 4 piece gaskets together. I basically cut up several pins about 3/8" long and used 2 at each junction. Ohterwise it would have been a nightmare. Did you try the previous noted advice, use gasket cement for long side pieces to the oil pan, let set-up real good, then place the short pieces and install. That may have made all the difference in the world........Fred Quote
55 Fargo Posted January 19, 2009 Report Posted January 19, 2009 The oil from the rear main will not be at the back of the oil pan,I think It would be dripping from the weep hole in the cover behind the oil pan. A slight bit of oil drips out of the clutch pan weep hole, the main leak is running down the back of the oil pan..........Fred Quote
Young Ed Posted January 19, 2009 Report Posted January 19, 2009 Anybody have bad oil leaks and was successful in stopping or slowing down considerably by changing the pan gasket............Fred PS do you have to drop a tie-rod to get the pan out from under? I did but at the same time I changed the gasket I also upgraded to an oil pan that didn't have a rust hole in the bottom Quote
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