Oil pan gasket

[Russ Austin]

Is there an uprated oil pan gasket for TR3, I have some very good instructions on fitting and getting the pan not to leak. Was wondering if there was such an animal!

 

[Alan_Myers]

Hi Russ,

I've never heard of an improved gasket for the sump pan. Good installation can usually prevent leaks.

First remove the pan and clean it's flange and the flat area on the bottom of the block thoroughly. Then check the flange of the pan for any belling, which happens when the bolts are overtightened and actually makes it more likely to leak. A straigh=tedge can come in handy while checking the pan, and a hammer and flat surface might be needed to straighten out any belling around the holes that you happen to find.

Check the installation of the bridge piece at the front main, that it's nice and flush with the bottom edge of the block, and the same around the rear main seal.

Once that's done, use Hylomar on both sides of a new gasket and reinstall, torquing the bolts as described in the service manual. Don't overtighten them! You might want to use new split/locking washers under all the bolts. Locktite might also be a good idea.

I've never had any problems with leaks from a sump pan that's in good condition and installed carefully with a proper coating of Hylomar on the gasket. (There's plenty of oil escaping from other areas, though!)

Perhaps the ultimate "fix" would be one of the cast alloy sumps that are available from various sources. But that would be a very pricey option just to stop a leak. Because it's more rigid and the flange is machined flat, a cast alloy pan should make a better seal and can probably be torqued a little tighter. Usually these cast alloy sumps are installed for other reasons, though: improved cooling, more oil capacity and increased rigidity in the bottom of the block are typical.

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[DougF]

I installed my oil pan with no gasket. I've eliminated all oil and coolant related gaskets with Permatex 'The Right Stuff'. Not a drop of oil showing anywhere. I know people are afraid to stray from familiar territory, but the stuff works. Cheaper than buying gasket kits. Rubber based for an immediate and long lasting seal. Should be effective even if the pan isn't straight.

 

[R_Lyle]

I don't quite understand this obsession with Hylomar. I replaced the sump gasket and the front cover gasket and used Hylomar and the car leaked so bad I would have to add a quart of oil everytime I drove the car. I now have new gaskets with Permatex and that works fine. Permatex is the key and you have to let it dry overnight just to make sure it is good and solid.

 

[Guest]

Hylomar, IMHO, works best on machined mating surfaces that almost don't need a sealer, but still do, like transmission components.


Bill

 

[Alan_Myers]

[ QUOTE ]
Hylomar, IMHO, works best on machined mating surfaces that almost don't need a sealer, but still do, like transmission components.

[/ QUOTE ]

Interesting. It always seems there are lots of differing opinions about gasket sealers! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Frankly, I've found just the opposite with Hylomar. One reason I use it on joints like the sump pan to block (just used it on a similarly-designed TR differential cover) is that it comes out of the tube thicker than some other non-hardening sealants and forms an immediate, good seal across a variety of gaps. The car can be put right back in service, since there's no need to wait for it to cure, and oils (etc.) can be refilled immediately and the seal will hold up under moderate pressure. I also like the thin blue line that squeezes out and visually confirms I've got a good complete seal. Plus it's non-hardening which makes disassembly easier and will help maintain a seal if bolts ever need re-tightening or anything shifts slightly for any reason.

By the way, it might be tougher now to get Hylomar. Until recently, Hylomar was made by Permatex, or at least marketed by them here in the U.S. (Dunno about elsewhere.) Perhaps they licensed the name and formula from the original British manufacturer and maybe they dropped it when they developed their own similar product. I'm just glad I've got a few tubes of Hylomar stashed away, but don't know what I'll do when that runs out!

In similar applications to Hylomar I've used Permatex Non-Hardening Sealer (#2). It starts out a bit thinner and needs some time to set up before starting the engine, etc. It's also brown, which makes it harder to see if a good seal has been formed. In general, I think it hardens a bit more over time, so is a little more difficult to disassemble and clean off, and is less resiliant if a bolt is re-tightened later, etc.

Other sealers I use include Permatex High Tack. I like it to adhere one side of a valve cover gasket, leaving the other side without sealer so that the cover can be removed to adjust valves. It's a hardening, thinner sealer that's good for this purpose, although a little tougher to remove when the gasket eventually needs replacment.

Permatex Aviation Form-A-Gasket is a good sealer for metal to metal seals, where no gasket is used. It's also safe with gasoline. It does need a little time to cure and is more difficult to disassemble and remove.

I like Permatex Copper Spray-A-Gasket for head gaskets, exhaust gaskets, sensors, etc.

IMHO, RTV Silicone type sealers are something to generally avoid for engine and drivetrain. A little too much squeezing inside an engine can allow flakes or chunks break or peel off and find their way into the oil system, possibly interrupting or restricting oil flow. An engine application where I might use it is on a brand new, clean, dry cork valve cover gasket, where it can be coated on, left to completely dry and inspected carefully for any loose flakes before assembly. I do use RTV silicone sealers for various other applications, most recently to waterproof some fog lights on my Land Rover. It's good around windows, too, but beware that some silicones will stain paint over time, if in direct contact with it.

I don't particularly care for any gasket "maker" as opposed to a gasket "dressing". It's easy enough to get blank gasket materials and make my own, if a gasket can't easily be found through a vendor. My main use for a gasket maker is in an emergency breakdown kit, to be used temporarily until a "real" gasket can be installed.

Permatex' "Right Stuff" is classified as a gasker maker, but might be useful as a sealer, as well. I haven't tried it, but might sometime. Might have to, if I can't find Hylomar in the future!

There is a lot of info about what to use in different applications on www.permatex.com and https://www.hylomar.co.uk/.

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