Oil pan gaskets

[38plymouth]

I''m trying to order or buy an oil pan gasket for my 38 with a 201. I was looking at Bernbaums and they show an "oil pan gasket set" that fits 33-59 plmouths and dodges. They also show an "oil seal front pan package" and a "rear main oil seal package".

I just want to drop my pan to clean it out and then replace it, what set or sets do I need?

If I go to a local napa store and order an oil pan gasket for a 59 plymouth it should work right? They usually don't have a listing back to 1938.

[bobby horne]

I believe the 57 to 59 have the longer block engine than the 38.....You would probably need the 36 to 56 gasket and seals....I have a 36 engine and a 56 engine, and they look the same.............

[Niel Hoback]

I have a 53 engine and a 59 engine, they are identical in size.

[cole18cars]

Your oil pan has 4 gaskets. 2 are along the longsides and 2 are for the front and rear. The front and rear gaskets fit ino a slot in the oil pan. Make sure to overlap these seals with the longer ones. I added a bit of rtv at the corners to be certain they would seal.

[38plymouth]

I picked up an oil pan gasket from napa today. The box says it fit's 1934-1960 chrysler 218 and 230's. Will this work on my 1938 plymouth 201??

[Andydodge]

Yep, 201's were used up to & including 1941, the 201/218/230 all are the 23" block and are basically the same externally.

[builtfercomfort]

Yep, 201's were used up to & including 1941, the 201/218/230 all are the 23" block and are basically the same externally.

I think the Chryslers back to 1930-something are all the 25" block, not the shorter 23" block. I think what you said is correct for Dodge/Plymouth but not for Chrysler/DeSoto

[RobertKB]

In Canada we do not have this problem as all motors since 1938 are the long block. It is only before then that there might be a difference. Apparently as our demography was/is far less than yours, Chrysler in their wisdom decided that they could save money by only having one size engine block in Canada and that was the long block of 25 1/2 inches since 1938. Sometimes it pays to be smaller as I am a long block fan!

[Ed Griffin]

Once you do find the correct gaskets and before you apply them you may want to make patterns of them so that next time , down the road, you can purchase a sheet of cork gasket material and make your own.

[38plymouth]

So these are not the correct gaskets?

This is getting frustrating, napa can't look up anything that old and they told me this was the right set.

[Young Ed]

Measure the gaskets. They should be about 23inches. If they are you should be good. The box may have been refering to Chrysler corp and not the make specifically.

[38plymouth]

Thanks, I'll measure them this afternoon.

[38plymouth]

Well crap, they measure about 24 inches from end to end. I'm going to crawl under the car tonight and hold one up to the pan and see if it looks right.

[Young Ed]

24 might be right. 23in is the length of the head. The oil pan ridge does stick out a little on each end.

[38plymouth]

I hope these are right. I know I can get them from Bernbaum but I would rather not have to do that.

[Young Ed]

The oilpan in my engine picture after being cleaned out turned out to have a hole in it. Granted my car is 10 years newer but I was able to go to napa and order a pan gasket set for when I switched to a non holey oil pan.

[greg g]

The seal sets he is reffering to are the front and rear seals. You need to loosen the crankshaft if you are goint to replace those. the can be purchased seperately. when you get the pan gasket set it will come in 4 pieces. The front and rear pieces look longer than they should be. do not trim them as they are meant to overlap and crush into each other as the pan is tightened. so center then so the overlaps are even and tighten them down intact. I would just get a pan gasket from a local source and leave Andy out of your equation. But that JMHO.

[Ed Griffin]

For $7.99, I will let Felpro cut the holes for my 230 eng.

http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPages/NOLMaster.aspx?PageId=470&LineCode=FPG&PartNumber=OS4250C&Description=Oil+Pan+Gasket+Set

I'll do either, or, since I have the material and the hole punch's. 1 sheet has made several different gaskets for me so far. Guess it's just a matter of how much time you have or want to allow.

[38plymouth]

I finally got around to checking the gaskets. They look like they are the same length so they should work. I noticed there is a little plastic bag in the box and it has two very small rubber pieces that look little pins. What the heck are these for?

[Don Coatney]

I noticed there is a little plastic bag in the box and it has two very small rubber pieces that look little pins. What the heck are these for?

Are you also replacing the rear main seal?

[eric wissing]

Don, seems to me that replacing the main seals at the same time as the pan gasket would be a good idea. I see in your picture a tube of "Prolok". Is that for the bolts in the bearing caps? Thanks, Eric

[Don Coatney]

Don, seems to me that replacing the main seals at the same time as the pan gasket would be a good idea. I see in your picture a tube of "Prolok". Is that for the bolts in the bearing caps? Thanks, Eric

If I recall I used the pro lock to glue the cap gasket rubber seals to the bearing caps.

[eric wissing]

Makes sense! Thanks, Eric

[38plymouth]

I'm only doing the oil pan gasket. There are two little rubber pieces about an inch long, they are about the size of the red tube you stick in the nozzle on can of wd-40.