Post cam swap woes -help needed.
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From: Fredericksburg, VA
Post cam swap woes -help needed. Bit of a newb question, but I just finishied my first cam swap about three weeks ago and ever since, I've had a leak. I followed the ls1howto.com write up which was awesome, but I still leak.
My question, where exactly does the RTV have to go on the oil pan?
The first try I covered the bottom of the front cover and pressed it down onto the pan. The second try I RTVd almost the entire pan, at least where I could get it anyway. Third try I cleaned off all the RTV I could and just put a small amount of RTV where the front cover, the block, and the oil pan all come together at each corner of the front cover. Each attempt yielded less leak, but it still leaks.
If some one could post exactly where the hell this RTV goes I'd really appreciate it. You may need to write it like you're talking to a 3-year old, because I'm hacking it up over here.
Last thing, the car has 123,000 miles, is it possible the gasket is just done and I'm going to have to swap it out. I really don't want to do that.
My question, where exactly does the RTV have to go on the oil pan?
The first try I covered the bottom of the front cover and pressed it down onto the pan. The second try I RTVd almost the entire pan, at least where I could get it anyway. Third try I cleaned off all the RTV I could and just put a small amount of RTV where the front cover, the block, and the oil pan all come together at each corner of the front cover. Each attempt yielded less leak, but it still leaks.
If some one could post exactly where the hell this RTV goes I'd really appreciate it. You may need to write it like you're talking to a 3-year old, because I'm hacking it up over here.
Last thing, the car has 123,000 miles, is it possible the gasket is just done and I'm going to have to swap it out. I really don't want to do that.
Do you know for sure where the leak is?
In response to your actual inquiry, I applied it to the entire bottom of the front cover and left a little blob on the ends, left and right, to help guard against a leak where the engine block, front cover, and oil pan meet. And hell yes I think you should have replaced the front cover gasket with 123k miles. I replaced mine with only 19k on the engine.
In response to your actual inquiry, I applied it to the entire bottom of the front cover and left a little blob on the ends, left and right, to help guard against a leak where the engine block, front cover, and oil pan meet. And hell yes I think you should have replaced the front cover gasket with 123k miles. I replaced mine with only 19k on the engine.
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From: Fredericksburg, VA
Originally Posted by Krab
Did you align the oil pan when torquing (sp?) down the bolts?
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From: Fredericksburg, VA
Originally Posted by ShevrolayZ28
,,,,how about the seal in the front cover? Did you use a new one? And is the cover centered to the crank? Are you sure nothing got pinched in the gasket surface?
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I'm pretty sure it's comming from the front corners of the pan/front cover. I usually find som oil dripping off the front of the crossmember and the two bolts on the front of the oil pan. It's a very slow drip and it seems to do it most when the cars is under load. In fact I've left it idle for 10 minutes and not a drop, but if I go for a drive, it blows back all over the car.
Originally Posted by bsf
Do you know for sure where the leak is?
In response to your actual inquiry, I applied it to the entire bottom of the front cover and left a little blob on the ends, left and right, to help guard against a leak where the engine block, front cover, and oil pan meet. And hell yes I think you should have replaced the front cover gasket with 123k miles. I replaced mine with only 19k on the engine.
In response to your actual inquiry, I applied it to the entire bottom of the front cover and left a little blob on the ends, left and right, to help guard against a leak where the engine block, front cover, and oil pan meet. And hell yes I think you should have replaced the front cover gasket with 123k miles. I replaced mine with only 19k on the engine.
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From: Fredericksburg, VA
Originally Posted by wkniffin98ss
It is always a good idea to change gaskets and things as you come across them, especially with your mileage.
Originally Posted by z28ss4me
The first time, I screwed up and never actually loosened the to 13mm bolts on the bell housing. I had to pry gently on the front of the oil pan to get the pick-up tube bolt out. So the second time, I got the pan completely free and aligned it by hand tightening the 10mm bolts then torquing down the bell housing bolts, then torqueing down the 10mm bols.
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From: Fredericksburg, VA
Originally Posted by ShevrolayZ28
Jeez, I hope the pan didn't crack.
Not a whole lot of leak today BTW, I wonder if maybe their a slim chance the sucker will just seal up.
You only need to put RTV in the corners where the the front and rear covers meet the oil pan and block. The gaskets will seal everywhere else. Aligning and tightening the oil pan and covers properly is also necessary for it not to leak.
id get a new gasket the k member aint that bad to drop if ya got a lift or some tall jackstands....for some stupid reason the factory gasket is rivited on.....you may as well drop the pan and do rod bolts....the new gasket is gonna cost about 50 bucks....as far as the glue apply a small dab at each corner where the covers meet the block.....the gasket on my 98 looked like crap....
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From: Fredericksburg, VA
Originally Posted by 5_02ls1
id get a new gasket the k member aint that bad to drop if ya got a lift or some tall jackstands....for some stupid reason the factory gasket is rivited on.....you may as well drop the pan and do rod bolts....the new gasket is gonna cost about 50 bucks....as far as the glue apply a small dab at each corner where the covers meet the block.....the gasket on my 98 looked like crap....
I think I'll drop the pan one more time this weekend and try and RTV the corners one more time before I go through the hassle of taking the pan off the car. I'll try and make sure I get the RTV in the right spots. I don't think I hit the rear corners well at all, I couldn't really see where the rear cover meets the pan to apply the RTV.
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From: Fredericksburg, VA
Originally Posted by 5_02ls1
its not bad at all with the k member out of the way theres a thread with pics where i just done mine....
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From: Fredericksburg, VA
Originally Posted by 98Camarod
