oil pan gasket

[DollyDodge]

I ordered an oil pan gasket for the 218 engine from our local part store and what came was one made of cork, it looks to be at least 1/8 inch thick. The material of the gasket that was on the truck when I took the pan off was some sort of thin gasket material on the flat part of the pan, but definetly not cork. What should the pan gasket be made out of? Rock Auto says their pan gaskets are rubber.

[Byronb3b]

I have always used cork pan gaskets and they work just fine, I have used gasket cinch to glue the gasket to the pan before installing to prevent the gasket from slipping out of place as it would be apt to do with silicone on both sides, old time mechanic buddy always uses weatherstrip cement to hold the gasket in place. Good Luck

[DollyDodge]

Thanks for the input

[austinsailor]

What I do is take light monofiliment fishing line, then tie the gasket to the pan, 3 spots on each side. Go through the hole of both, and on the outside of the pan and gasket. Use something like 6 lb test and it'll not affect anything, the gasket will just stay where you put it.

[Phil Martin]

I always used sewing thread to tie gasket on.

[TodFitch]

I always used sewing thread to tie gasket on.

Me too.

[Dodgeb4ya]

I temporarily install (10) 1-1/2" long 5/16" X18 studs at the ends of the pan and at the sides to help guide pan and hold gaskets properly to the block while starting the pan bolts. I also use the thread.

Bob

[greg g]

It might look like the end pieces need to be trimed before istallation. Don't do it, they are meant to overlap. At least on the car engines that the way it should be done.

[Don Coatney]

It might look like the end pieces need to be trimed before istallation. Don't do it, they are meant to overlap. At least on the car engines that the way it should be done.

I used gasket cement to glue my cork gasket side pieces in place on one side of the gasket only. I used grease on the other side. I have removed the pan several times and re-used the same gasket. Do not use gasket cement on the end pieces as they need to float and find there sweet spot. The instruction says to use cement on all gasket surfaces. But the instructions were written by the same folks who make the cement so they want the user to use as much of there product as is possible.

[TodFitch]

...snip... The instruction says to use cement on all gasket surfaces. But the instructions were written by the same folks who make the cement so they want the user to use as much of there product as is possible. ...snip...

Or, more likely, the instructions were written by the people that make gaskets so they want to make sure that you will need to buy a new gasket set the next time you drop the pan.

[DollyDodge]

Thanks again for all the discussion. I had never heard about using thread of fishing line. Cool idea.

[grey beard]

Dolly,

Not being a fisherman, I don't have any of that stuff around my shop. Like the Don, I butter up the cleaned oil pan with gasket sealer - NOT silicone - and lay the new side gasket pieces onto this surface. Then I put all the cleaned pan bolts thru the gasket holes and put it spmewhere safe for a day, to dry and cure. Now the gasket pieces are glued perfectly in place, but on one side only. When I install the pan, I grease the top side first.

As has been mentioned above in this thread, the two thick cork end pieces should not be glued into place or trimmed. Just center them so an equal amount sticks out each side and draw them up into place with the side pan bolts. I did put a dab of siicone on the outside corners of each gasket end piece, where it will fold down over the pan end.

So far, my pan is still dry all around, after more than one trhousand miles.

Good Luck