dmopar74
Well-Known Member
Going to change my oil pan gasket, 73 duster 225. I hear it's a load of fun in the car. Any tips or tricks?
Oil pan gasket tips?
- Thread starter dmopar74
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Yup. Pull the engine and put it on a stand where you can flip it over and get to it good.
Charrlie_S
Well-Known Member
Main pain-in-the-a$$ point (for a leak) is the passenger side front corner, where the pan meets the timing cover.
Hyper_pak
Old School Chrysler Fan
It's not easy.
Get everything clean, block, pan, timing cover, bolts.
Make sure you can get to everything easily as possible.
Blocks under the motor mounts will help.
Straighten all the sheet metal parts.
Clean the oil pickup to make sure it's clear of junk.
Change the real main if it needs it.
Good silicon sealer and a good gasket set.
Don't be in a rush.
And you won't want to do it twice!
Last, I agree with Rusty.
Get everything clean, block, pan, timing cover, bolts.
Make sure you can get to everything easily as possible.
Blocks under the motor mounts will help.
Straighten all the sheet metal parts.
Clean the oil pickup to make sure it's clear of junk.
Change the real main if it needs it.
Good silicon sealer and a good gasket set.
Don't be in a rush.
And you won't want to do it twice!
Last, I agree with Rusty.
Charrlie_S
Well-Known Member
If I remember correctly, you need to drop the steering, raise the engine, and rotate the engine (so the crank clears the pan) as you move the pan toward the rear. Get oil dripped on you. 
PS: Might have to drop the exhaust pipe also.
PS: Might have to drop the exhaust pipe also.
MidnightSwinger
Well-Known Member
Pull the motor. Also, glue the little wings down that come off the rear main seal retainer. Let the glue dry so they don’t move. Don’t over torque. You don’t need to silicone EVERYTHING, just in the corners where everything meets up, and I like to add a little extra on the timing cover side as @Charrlie_S mentioned.
MadScientistMat
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If you can't pull the motor, there are little clips that thread into the pan bolts that will be a big help.
I knew a mechanic who had worked at a Toyota dealership who used Toyota 00295-00103 sealant on every oil pan, Toyota or not. It's worth a try.
I knew a mechanic who had worked at a Toyota dealership who used Toyota 00295-00103 sealant on every oil pan, Toyota or not. It's worth a try.
Inertia
Well-Known Member
Throw the reg RTV in the garbage, - use a few pea sized dabs of the "RightStuff" where the gaskets meet.
Don't goop the **** outta it .
As mentioned, rotate crank to get the most clearance to put pan back in .
Don't goop the **** outta it .
As mentioned, rotate crank to get the most clearance to put pan back in .
Charrlie_S
Well-Known Member
I have to agree. I have never used the "rightstuff" on a slant, but with other usage I think it should work well. Regular RTV does not work well where the rubber seals are.
green72
Well-Known Member
I've only done one slant pan gasket so take this for what it's worth. I did it out of the car. I used Doug Dutras book and followed his procedure. Great tips on where to put sealant and how. I also used a one piece main seal from Fast Fish. The car is DRY and has been for two years. I highly recommend Doug's book!!!
MadScientistMat
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Unfortunately nobody's making a one piece silicone gasket for the slant six that I'm aware of. If you have a source, please let us know; I tried to find one a few years ago and struck out. There's one on the market that replaces the cork rail gaskets only, and keeps the rubber end pieces, but I have my doubts that would be a real improvement.
I have that one on mine, think it is called "real gaskets" since I bought it they came out with a 2nd option that cost more than the one I bought, don't know the details or the difference, it wasn't available when I got mine.
So far so good but then again I haven't started it in over a year, all the oil is in the pan below the gasket level. I go have the old standard fel pro one on hand plus one more set of the "real" gaskets. They claim to be reusable but I haven't had to cross that path yet.
I did just receive a pile of fel pro valve cover gaskets for the '60-'80 version of the /6 a few days ago. For what I paid for 8 I can't go to O'Reilly's and buy 1. Yeah they're cork, I was hoping for them to be the rubber ones that fel pro use to offer but for the price I have more than enough for a lifetime ( mine anyway) of owning a/6
So far so good but then again I haven't started it in over a year, all the oil is in the pan below the gasket level. I go have the old standard fel pro one on hand plus one more set of the "real" gaskets. They claim to be reusable but I haven't had to cross that path yet.
I did just receive a pile of fel pro valve cover gaskets for the '60-'80 version of the /6 a few days ago. For what I paid for 8 I can't go to O'Reilly's and buy 1. Yeah they're cork, I was hoping for them to be the rubber ones that fel pro use to offer but for the price I have more than enough for a lifetime ( mine anyway) of owning a/6
"Real Gaskets" makes a silicon set, but it's not one piece. I also have tried one of their valve cover gaskets which leaked like a broken dam at their light torque spec. I tightened past their torque spec and it leaked less but nothing I could do stopped it. Yes, I straightened the valve cover perfect before I swapped to it and I also removed the valve cover and checked the valve cover rail on the head with a straight edge. The valve cover rail on slant sixes is a machined surface, so it was perfect. I swapped back to a tried and true cork gasket and all is well. I threw that other crap in the garbage.
I've sene those. My first experience was with a Pontiac. But I gotta say it. If you're having trouble gettin a 2 piece rear main seal to seal properly, you're doin something WRONG. (Not meaning YOU specifically) Millions upon millions came from the factory not leaking and millions upon millions have been replaced successfully. People just fall for the stupidest crap sometimes. It's all marketing to get your money. Use a good quality 2 piece rear seal like these engines were DESIGNED FOR and install it right and it won't leak.
I've done rear main seals before, and (knock on wood) haven't had to redo any of them a 2nd time. I have never put in a rope style though that's usually what I pulled out. I usually just use whatever fel pro offers at the time.
BillGrissom
Well-Known Member
I bought the silicone gasket from "Real Gaskets of TN". Cost ~$35 but should last forever and re-usable. Since you don't torque the bolts much, I used red thread-lock on each. I first torqued it down, then removed each bolt and added thread-lock since you don't have much time before it sets. Clean all oil from the tapped holes first with a Q-tip and gasoline, then ethanol.
You don't need to remove the engine from the car. Unbolt the steering crosslink (at Pitman arm and idle arm, recall) and slide it back. Unbolt each motor mount in turn, jack up and stuff a 2x4 block between mount and K-frame to hold it up (1.5" or so). Perhaps only need that on the R mount (forget). That gives room to slide the pan back past the K-frame. Might help to have the crankshaft at a certain clocking. Once the pan is off, you might be able to tell if a certain clocking gets the front crank arms out of the way so you don't even have to jack up the engine. One trick I found is you can put a 1/2" steel rod ~2 ft long thru the triangle opening in the K-frame to set in a corner at the right front of the block (my 1964) to lift up the engine with a floor jack. You need two of those steel rods to replace a garage-door torsion spring (why I had them).
I recall the silicone gasket goes all the way around, under the timing cover. If you later have to remove the timing cover, you probably won't need to do the trick of cutting a cork or rubber pan gasket and using the stub gaskets, rather just clean the silicone gasket. I think you would need to loosen all the oil pan bolts to remove the timing cover.
While in-there, consider changing the rear crankshaft seal. Check that rear main bearing for wear during that. Can also remove a few rod ends to check the bearings for wear. Generally, if they still show the silvery outer layer they are still fine. If you see other colors like copper, they are worn. Might also see tracks from hard particles. Can be replaced from below to like-new if the crankshaft surfaces aren't worn.
You don't need to remove the engine from the car. Unbolt the steering crosslink (at Pitman arm and idle arm, recall) and slide it back. Unbolt each motor mount in turn, jack up and stuff a 2x4 block between mount and K-frame to hold it up (1.5" or so). Perhaps only need that on the R mount (forget). That gives room to slide the pan back past the K-frame. Might help to have the crankshaft at a certain clocking. Once the pan is off, you might be able to tell if a certain clocking gets the front crank arms out of the way so you don't even have to jack up the engine. One trick I found is you can put a 1/2" steel rod ~2 ft long thru the triangle opening in the K-frame to set in a corner at the right front of the block (my 1964) to lift up the engine with a floor jack. You need two of those steel rods to replace a garage-door torsion spring (why I had them).
I recall the silicone gasket goes all the way around, under the timing cover. If you later have to remove the timing cover, you probably won't need to do the trick of cutting a cork or rubber pan gasket and using the stub gaskets, rather just clean the silicone gasket. I think you would need to loosen all the oil pan bolts to remove the timing cover.
While in-there, consider changing the rear crankshaft seal. Check that rear main bearing for wear during that. Can also remove a few rod ends to check the bearings for wear. Generally, if they still show the silvery outer layer they are still fine. If you see other colors like copper, they are worn. Might also see tracks from hard particles. Can be replaced from below to like-new if the crankshaft surfaces aren't worn.
Permatex Aviation brush on gasket sealer
slantsixdan
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Pray hard and drink hard and cuss hard.
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