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Leave the Rear Main Seal in, it'll flex to fit. These are not one time use Gaskets like a Head Gasket, just loosen the Bolts and do it the way I posted.
front covers already been aligned so I should be good there. What do I do about the dried rtv under the gasket at the rear? Do I leave it as is?
The actual install method for the front cover...rear cover...oil pan ....is in the GM manual....it involves the special alignment tools.....you can install anyway you want.....but I feel safer using those tools....reason I bought them
I can tell you from my experience that thin aluminum gasket can be straightened and it works fine. Those holes have rubber around them for a reason it's not precision stuff to the thou of an inch here.
You installed the Rear Cover wrong that is why you have a gap there.
This is the process for installing front and rear Covers and the Oil Pan:
Install front & Rear Covers with bolts hand tight snug with a ratchet
Drop of RTV at each corner of the Covers where the Gasket seam is that will meet the Oil Pan
Install Oil Pan with all bolts hand tight same as above, starting in the middle and cross pattern going out to ends
Torque front & rear Cover Bolts to Block zig zag pattern bottom to top and back to bottom 22ft-lbs
Torque Oil Pan Bolts 18ft-lbs starting middle out in a cross pattern to the ends
Long skinny Oil Pan Bolts into Rear Cover are last two torqued at 106in-lbs
I've done that method on 50+ LS Engines over the years with no issues. Your issue is not that gasket.
With over 50 builds Merv, you must do this for a living?
Install front & Rear Covers with bolts hand tight snug with a ratchet
Drop of RTV at each corner of the Covers where the Gasket seam is that will meet the Oil Pan
Install Oil Pan with all bolts hand tight same as above, starting in the middle and cross pattern going out to ends
Torque front & rear Cover Bolts to Block zig zag pattern bottom to top and back to bottom 22ft-lbs
Torque Oil Pan Bolts 18ft-lbs starting middle out in a cross pattern to the ends
Long skinny Oil Pan Bolts into Rear Cover are last two torqued at 106in-lbs
I've done that method on 50+ LS Engines over the years with no issues. Your issue is not that gasket.
@the_merv
finally gotten around to the pan, still has a gap. It’s not as bad from what i remember but still noticeable. Should I just run it the way it is? The pan free moves anywhere I want but it’s when I put the bolts in it goes into the gap spot. I’m not running the lower bell housing cover either when I bolt the trans on, reason I say that is I know pan alignment is also a big thing with the bell housing. I’ll attach a photo bellow.
If you are referring to the gap between the rear plate not being flush to the pan, that area is of No Concern. What matters is the machined surface on the back of the pan to the bell housing surface on the block.
If you can use a straight edge against the machined portion of the pan to the block where the bellhousing goes and see that it is flat, This is what you need to be concerned about.
If the Gasket is poking out that much he's damn close. Rubber around every bolt hole it's not moving that much into the Block on that corner. The shape of the Block there is in farther than the Bell Housing. No need to confuse the guy.
The Gasket is a pretty good indicator of where the Pan needs to be.
