Lower Engine Seals and Gaskets

[California 72]

It's been decades since I tried and installed engine pan gasket replace and was wondering how difficult it was? The first time was a '66 notchback with a '69 Mach 1 351W and at the service station I worked at, we had use of the alignment bay lift and it really was a bear. One of the biggest obstacles was the rack hydraulics wouldn't slide out of the way well.

This time around it will be in my garage on jack stands and I'm 43 years older. It leaks like a sieve but was thinking about just taking care of it when (looking more like if) I pull the engine to rebuild. I kinda realize the answers I'll get but I was hoping there was a simple solution or simpler solution. Trying to borrow a friends lift right now is out. since his HiPo shop is gearing up with business for spring.

Thanks ahead.

 

[Hemikiller]

Have you verified it's actually the oil pan gasket leaking, and not the oil pressure sender, valve covers or the intake china wall?

As far as the pan gasket, you need to do the following:

Remove two fan shroud bolts, unclip from bottom of radiator, lay back on the engine
Remove motor mount through bolts
Lift engine, place 2x4 block between mount and frame brackets
Raise and support the car
Remove sway bar
Drain oil
Remove oil pan bolts, drop pan down
Remove oil pump bolts, drop pump/pickup and shaft into pan
Slide pan forward and out

I use Indian Head gasket shellac to glue the pan gasket to the block. Follow the directions and it works perfectly. Clean the oil pan rails and make sure they're flat at the fastener holes with a small ball peen hammer and a block of wood.

 

[giantpune]

When compared to a 60s model, the 71-73 has a completely different power steering setup. The hydraulics you remember from your 66 model are not a concern with our cars. There is a bit of a song and dance involved because you have to lift the car up enough for you to fit under it to work. And at the same time, lift the motor out of the car enough to remove the oil pan.

I did not have any trouble getting enough clearance to do the work with the car sitting on wheel dolleys. That gives a stable setup with zero risk of the car falling. Then use an engine hoist or a floor jack to lift the engine up.

 

[California 72]

Thanks guys. New it wouldn't be a cakewalk but glad there's some hope. Hemikiller, Thanks for the detail and it's the oil pan for sure. Also it's the oil pan itself.

While under the car a while back, I noticed a rather large ding in the pan but didn't give it much thought since the oil was a slight drip and given it's coverage under the car, it was consistent with the seal to the block on all four sides. A couple weeks ago, while putting the car up on jack stands, I found a much more serious issue surrounding the slight ding.

It wasn't a ding at all. Evidently, at some point before I owned the car, it's my guess that some j-wagen thought they were on the cross member when jacking the car. Wrong! It's either that or they were replacing an engine mount and didn't take proper precautions when using the pan as a lift point.
.
Knowing this is a fairly common mistake for the inexperienced, and no, never experienced it myself since I've been around cars since I was 5. Although, back then, the majority of vehicles had a full, not sub frame so you had almost the entire car as a jacking point. (And there's a knot on the back of my head from those teaching me where and how)

Anyhow, the center of the pan is caved with a distinct circle with dents from the jack pad. Didn't mention it earlier because I plum forgot about it and was reminded today.

For an added measure to getting the gasket to seat properly, has anyone added dowels to the pre-glue step. It made a huge difference with the valve cover gaskets but being upside-down, is there a clearance issue when reinstalling the pan?

Again, thanks!

 

[rcadd1ct]

I did this in the driveway many years ago.

Hemikiller said it correctly.

I will add I drained the oil first via a hole in the oil pan.

Pull the dipstick out some.

I put a 2x4 on the front of the pan to lift the engine and get the spacers in between the motor mounts.

The stock oil pan almost comes out without raising the engine.

Good luck

 

[California 72]

I did this in the driveway many years ago.

Hemikiller said it correctly.

I will add I drained the oil first via a hole in the oil pan.

Pull the dipstick out some.

I put a 2x4 on the front of the pan to lift the engine and get the spacers in between the motor mounts.

The stock oil pan almost comes out without raising the engine.

Good luck

Thanks again.

Good luck you say, I'll need allot more than that! LOL

By the way, Long ago, I did the 2x4 too under my '66, did put a little dent in the pan so quickly swapped it for a 2x8 with rubber weather stripping in stripes across it. For mounts, broke those a couple times with that modified '69 351w I spoke of earlier, but used a bottle jack and 4x4 with a hole drilled on the end to rest over the post/piston.

By the way, knew someone who thought they could drop a pan without removing oil, that was fun to watch. Then again, I believed he used cinder blocks (CMU) under the car for support.

 

[rcadd1ct]

Thanks again.

Good luck you say, I'll need allot more than that! LOL

By the way, Long ago, I did the 2x4 too under my '66, did put a little dent in the pan so quickly swapped it for a 2x8 with rubber weather stripping in stripes across it. For mounts, broke those a couple times with that modified '69 351w I spoke of earlier, but used a bottle jack and 4x4 with a hole drilled on the end to rest over the post/piston.

By the way, knew someone who thought they could drop a pan without removing oil, that was fun to watch. Then again, I believed he used cinder blocks (CMU) under the car for support.

I bottomed the car out and holed the pan

So no risk in damaging the original.

I was able to do it without any additional damage to the new or old one.

This was mid 80’s around when this pic was taken Getting out to get in the limo for sr prom