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Fixing Oil Pan Leak


MAC

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Is it possible to drop a Northstar oil pan enough to apply a bead of RTV? I’m thinking about dropping the pan and cleaning the surfaces with brake cleaner and then apply RTV high temp sealer. Is this a waste of time to even think about?

Otherwise, is it absolutely necessary to remove the engine to replace the pan gasket or is it possible without removing the engine. All indications are that engine must be removed.

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I understand that brake cleaner is not supposed to leave a residue, but I have had trouble getting things to stick after using it. I am not sure that RTV would hold! Are you sure that the engine has to come out to change thr gaskett.

Ed

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Is it possible to drop a Northstar oil pan enough to apply a bead of RTV? I’m thinking about dropping the pan and cleaning the surfaces with brake cleaner and then apply RTV high temp sealer. Is this a waste of time to even think about?

Otherwise, is it absolutely necessary to remove the engine to replace the pan gasket or is it possible without removing the engine. All indications are that engine must be removed.

All indications are correct.

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I understand that brake cleaner is not supposed to leave a residue, but I have had trouble getting things to stick after using it. I am not sure that RTV would hold! Are you sure that the engine has to come out to change thr gaskett.

Ed

GM's Service Manual (at 6A2-27) says "remove engine and place on stand." Otherwise the Manual says:

NOTICE:

  • For On-Vehicle Service, remove the transaxle

    and not the engine. Refer to Section 7A for

    transaxle removal.

So, it's either remove the engine or remove the transaxle. Apparently, the tansaxle is the problem as it prevents the pan from being completely removed. So, the only alternative is to try to drop the pan enough and seal with high temp sealer. It does look like the pan can be dropped--how much I'm not sure. Even if it's a few inches it may be enough.
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I understand that brake cleaner is not supposed to leave a residue, but I have had trouble getting things to stick after using it. I am not sure that RTV would hold! Are you sure that the engine has to come out to change thr gaskett.

Ed

GM's Service Manual (at 6A2-27) says "remove engine and place on stand." Otherwise the Manual says:

NOTICE:

For On-Vehicle Service, remove the transaxle

and not the engine. Refer to Section 7A for

transaxle removal.

So, it's either remove the engine or remove the transaxle. Apparently, the tansaxle is the problem as it prevents the pan from being completely removed. So, the only alternative is to try to drop the pan enough and seal with high temp sealer. It does look like the pan can be dropped--how much I'm not sure. Even if it's a few inches it may be enough.

Would you have enough room to replace the gasket ??

Michael

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If I remember right someone did seal their oil pan gasket by working in RTV to the crack after the pan was loosened. If I remember right also that the oil has a tendency to leak around the bolts and it was recommended to pull the bolts out and put a little RTV on them and retighten. My oil pan bolts have a tendency to loosen over time. A couple of the bolts are inaccesible due to the exhaust pipe.

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