Pan Gasket change
 

Got the pan off today for a gasket change. I am concerned about the upper rope seal in the timing cover also. My leak is all coming from the front around the crank pulley. I guess tomorrow I will pull the radiator and necessary junk to get to it. The rope gaskets seem too long, do they need to be trimmed to fit? Replace the timing cover gaskets first and then the pan? This does require pulling the front motor mount correct? All help is appreciated. :cool:

Re: Pan Gasket change
 

First off, you do not need to remove the radiator nor the water pump. If the rope has been soaked in oil for a day or two they should fit without trimming. Jack up the engine enough to remove the load from the front mount. Remove the mount bolts and timing gear cover bolts and the cover should lift up and come off. Don't forget the mystery bolt near the generator mount.

To put the rope seals into the slots, bend each half until the ends meet, then lower it into the groove pressing down and inward on the ends to seat it. Finish by pushing the ends down and out to seat them flush with the cover base. The reinstall the cover an move to the pan seal.

Re: Pan Gasket change
 

I quit soaking the seals in oil because it seems to swell them a little and also makes such a mess. I install the seal by pressing it in as Milton described, then set it by using a socket the diameter of the crankshaft seal area. Tap the socket to seat and form the rope seal. I always find I have to use a new razor to trim the ends a bit, but be sure to leave enough to compress some plus allow for the gasket thickness. After I trim the seal ends I oil the seal and smear a good coat of Mystick JT-6 high temp grease on it. I use this same proceedure for the pan half of the rope seal.

Re: Pan Gasket change
 

I do it a little different. I remove the cork gasket from the area where the two ropes ( top and bottom ) meet. I also do not trim the rope most of the time. When the cork gasket Is removed as mentioned, you can leave the rope more proud of the mounting surfaces. This assures a tight rope to rope joint putting pressure on the crank a full 360 degrees.

Re: Pan Gasket change
 

As Russ mentioned I also have the cork fit around the rope seal, so the rope seal ends touch each other. I put a dab of silicone where the cork meets the rope and the same at the rear where the cork end gasket meets the cork side gasket.

Re: Pan Gasket change
 

I put on probably 50 or 100 pan gaskets a year and do it exactly as Tom does except, I don't trim the ends. I have removed the pan on several that were put on like this without trimming and the ends are mostly flush after a few hours. No trimming necessary. The pan and timing gear cover are metal and very uniform so there would be no use to make a gasket that needs trimming.

Re: Pan Gasket change
 

I do it that way also, and do not soak the rope I do like Tom on that part.
All in all we are all close on how we do it.

Btw
 

Trimming the rope is probably why most that are LEAK ;).

Re: Pan Gasket change
 

Got it all apart, thanks for the advice. Decided to detail the engine while I'm this far. Since I pulled the manifolds off, 3 of the manifold studs came out, haven't tried to get the last one out yet. Should I replace them?

Re: Pan Gasket change
 

Squirt some liquid wrench on the 3 nuts & lay flat of nut on solid chunk of metal & give each flat a good hit.This should stretch the nut enough to get it off.Use some anti-sieze when the nuts are installed.

Re: Pan Gasket change
 

I never replace GOOD original hardware, including head studs.

Re: Pan Gasket change
 

I'm with Tom on this. It is hard to find fasteners as good as original, plus the new ones do not look right. You can spot them right away. I got cans full of original ones, that other people did not want.

Re: Pan Gasket change
 

When reinstalling the pan and timing cover, Leave the timing cover bolts loose so the cover can move. Install the pan and tighten the bolts between the pan and engine block and then the pan bolts that connect to the timing cover, then tighten the timing cover bolts. This brings the timing cover and pan together and will tighten the seal. I found this on my third try to stop a front main seal leak. It worked!

Re: Pan Gasket change
 

Great tip 1932 - thanks!