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Oil leak around the pan

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Old Oct 17, 2004 | 11:07 PM
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Default Oil leak around the pan

I have leak coming from somewhere around the pan that is moderately bad. The oil is all over the bottom of the pan and covering the filter. Are there any hotspots for oil leak? The pan was used from my LS1 onto the vette's LS1 that I bought, and the reusable gasket was used. Any ideas? Would this cause any loss in pressure, or would it have to be a HUGE leak for that to happen?
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Old Oct 18, 2004 | 06:52 AM
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Look at the two rear oil pan bolts, the really long ones that get torque to 109 INCH pounds, they may be loose and/or stripped causing a poor seal.
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Old Oct 18, 2004 | 10:36 AM
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The front and rear covers might not be aligned with the oil pan. Most likely the front since the whole pan is wet. Did you run a bead of RTV on the bottom of the timing chain cover?
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Old Oct 18, 2004 | 10:48 AM
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Yeah you have to put a dab of rtv on each corner of the front seal where it meets the block. But my guess would be the front seal on the balancer. Start it up and look around. the front seall has to center itself around the balancer and then tighen up the bolts on the front part of the timming chain cover and the ones going through the oil pan last. The oil pan should be flush against your belhousing before you tourque the oil pan bolt down.Good luck!
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Old Oct 18, 2004 | 12:55 PM
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Yeah it's sealing fine
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Old Oct 18, 2004 | 01:19 PM
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If the covers and pan are not aligned properly when everything is assembled you can put a hairline fracture through the center of the front pan bolts, and push out oil.
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Old Oct 18, 2004 | 07:32 PM
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GM has a very specific procedure for installing the oil pan and timing cover on the LS1 plus you have to do certain things in a ordered sequence to prevent leaks. The front lips of the pan have to be flush with the bottom front of the block so that when you install the cover all of those surfaces are flush. You should read over that procedure to get it exactly right.
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Old Oct 19, 2004 | 04:42 PM
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A leak around the pan won't cause any loss of oil pressure. (unless enough of the oil leaks out that the level falls too low...) The pan area isn't pressurized, just some internal passages in the block.

Unless it's leaking by that little block-off plate above the filter. That part is pressurized.

I've even see a filter that's just a little too loose leak too...
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Old Oct 19, 2004 | 07:07 PM
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What about a little too tight? What would that do?
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Old Oct 19, 2004 | 07:12 PM
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If it kind of wadded up the filter o-ring, maybe...
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