Chevy Sump gasket

[slogger]

Originally Posted by craggle

Well I took the plunge today and ordered the one piece rubber sump gasket, hopefully supplied with longer bolts and a couple of Moroso racing oil filters.

Tonight I thought it would be an easy task to remove the sump so I start undoing bolts, then discover I need to remove the oil cooler take off plate from the side of the engine. Get that off with loads of oil running down my arm,
Undo more bolts to discover you can't get to the bolts above the starter, So that comes off as well.

Get the rest of the bolts out and the sump won't come past the oil pickup on the bottom of the filter. Luckily the Miloden sump has a removable baffle plate held in by 4 flat blade screws. Manage to reach inside sump to remove screws.

Needless to say the cutout in the baffle plate will be slightly bigger when it goes back in.

Craig.

Craig, spoke to my mate that Drags a 350 powered Capri and Fiat 126. He said to use the one piece gasket. If not then just put a blob of silicone on the joints of the four piece gasket set.

[craggle]

Cheers Ian

Glad I made the right decision with the gasket. I can't see anywhere obvious that the old gasket was leaking but hopefully the new seal will sort the issue.

Was good to see the inside of my engine too. First time I've looked in there.

Craig.

[slogger]

Originally Posted by craggle

Cheers Ian

Glad I made the right decision with the gasket. I can't see anywhere obvious that the old gasket was leaking but hopefully the new seal will sort the issue.

Was good to see the inside of my engine too. First time I've looked in there.

Craig.

I've got to drop mine and fit my new Huddart supplied Milodon oil pan. I'm half expecting all sorts of horrors in there!

Lots of big bits and hopefully all connected in the right order. If I'm lucky.

[craggle]

It looked like my sump needed to be twisted one way to get it past the oil strainer but the chassis rails were in the way! I'm definitely not going to remove the engine and gearbox just to change a sump gasket.

You may need to modify the baffle / windage tray to get it to fit easily like I will tomorrow night.

Craig.

[slogger]

Originally Posted by craggle

It looked like my sump needed to be twisted one way to get it past the oil strainer but the chassis rails were in the way! I'm definitely not going to remove the engine and gearbox just to change a sump gasket.

You may need to modify the baffle / windage tray to get it to fit easily like I will tomorrow night.

Craig.

Should be ok as this pan was moded by Mike Huddard and trial fitted to an engine he is building with the same issues as mine. I have a special oil pickup as the pan is very shallow. A shade under 7 1/4" on a Big Block Chevy........This maybe the only part to fit first time

[Sparticus]

fitting a new sump gasket is an absolute Bia-tch have to make sure you get rid of every last bit of silicone that is in the recess and along the surface (electrical switch cleaner works well) Mike recommended i only put a thin layer of silicone one one side of the gasket (at the ends - the U shaped bits) because if you put it on both sides the pressure foces the gasket out. As yet no oil leaks since.

Si

[craggle]

Cheers Si

I did spend about an hour last night cleaning the mating faces of the engine and the sump. In some places the gasket was really well stuck and other places it fell off. All silicone is now gone and new, one piece gasket is on it's way. I will still apply new silicone to the corners as you can see where a gap could be left between the bearing caps and the block.

Tonight I will modify the baffle plate so the sump can be removed easily and may look at making a plate that covers the flywheel. At the moment the bottom of the bellhousing is open and ready to shovel up fly's, stones and small children.

Craig.

[Spanish Dave]

I used a one piece oil pan gasket on my SBC ... it was really hard to fit with the engine in the car ... upside down on an engine stand, no problems ... but when you are under the car (assuming you don't have a ramp) I think you will find it tricky mainly due to the weight of the gasket with gravity working against you. As you know those little cut outs which the tabs go into on the end seals have to be super clean and a little blob of RTV silcon put into each one .. this was done then the gasket upper surface coated with a thin layer of RTV to hold it in place while the oil pan was offered up to it ... the ends kept falling down due to the weight and after a struggle and being covered in RTV I eventually got some bolts in, the gasket having slid around on the block surface due to the lubricating properties of the uncured silcone. The gasket wasn't seated properly and had a slight leak at the back, so I ended up taking it off and using Felpro gaskets and also replacing the bolts with studs ... makes locating the pan much easier when working in a tight space. With a ramp and a helper it may be a little easier.
That said I have to take it off again as when it was in the paint shop the oil pan hit a latch on the floor of the oven when being wheeled out (one of the pieces of wood used as a ramp slipped) and the drain plug was dented in causing a leak that I don't think is repairable ... so I have to order a new oil pan ... the one I used was a Moroso 7qt that is eight and a quarter inches deep. I have been looking around and have come up with a couple of circle track ones which are 7 inches deep .... anyone used anything like this ?? There is the Hamburger #3047 as a kit also Summit do their own brand 121002. I think another inch and a quarter clearence will be a good thing .... so you never know the paint shop may have done me a bit of a favour (they are paying for the new parts).

[craggle]

Just thought I would resurrect an old post for two reasons.

One to say I got my sump gasket fitted OK. I glued it to the sump first with a small amount of silicone and after 15 minutes or so I applied a bit more silicone to the mating face and lifted it all into place. Seemed to work well and now leaks less than the old one!

Second to say that I got the thermostat out my friends 351C today as he was fitting a new radiator, and it was the wrong one. So was the new one he brought. Both Windsor types.
We have identified the correct Robertshaw thermostat 333-180 on Summits web page and have one on order.
Good job I looked really as I don't think the new radiator would have made much difference otherwise. Brass color restrictor plate is present and correct.

Craig.