1937 21 Stud Oil pan front and rear seal and gasket clarification.

[Blindhuckster]

Getting ready to install my oil pan and need some clarification on the front and rear seal and pan rail gaskets. Bought a Best Brand gasket set from Third Gen. I installed the rope seal in the front cover and left it a little proud. So, my first question, now that I have the lower side of the engine upright, I see that the pan gasket covers the ends of the rope seal. Should I leave them proud or cut them flush and use a dab of RTV sealant there. Second question is on the rear cork pan gasket seal that fits into the groove in the rear main cap. The old seal that I removed, was flush with the pan rail on both sides and it seemed to do a good job, as I had very little if any oil leaking into the flywheel clutch end of the pan. When I lay the new gasket (as you can see from the pictures) on the pan rail, the tab on the gasket is too wide to fit in the groove in the rear main cap, and even if it did fit, it pushes the gasket sideways, causing it to not line up with the oil pan bolts holes. So that being said. What is the correct position of these gaskets. I would assume that the cork seal in the groove of the main bearing cap should be flush to the pan rail, as before, and the oil pan gasket should be cut off to meet that gasket with a dab of RTV to seal that area. Is this correct? Or do I need to modify the pan rail gasket to make the tab fit the grove in the rear main cap and have the cork gasket from the cap rest or sit on top of the pan rail gasket? As always, thanks Nate Anello

[rockfla]

Cut them flush, the oil pan gasket,as you see, covers them. IF need be you can use just a little dab of RTV at that point. Another suggestion given to me was to soak your rope seals in oil for 24 hours before you install them.

[rockfla]

IF it helps, I use a socket to help press the rope seal to the cover, it also helps keep from cutting your fingers badly!!!

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by Blindhuckster

Getting ready to install my oil pan and need some clarification on the front and rear seal and pan rail gaskets. Bought a Best Brand gasket set from Third Gen. I installed the rope seal in the front cover and left it a little proud. So, my first question, now that I have the lower side of the engine upright, I see that the pan gasket covers the ends of the rope seal. Should I leave them proud or cut them flush and use a dab of RTV sealant there. Second question is on the rear cork pan gasket seal that fits into the groove in the rear main cap. The old seal that I removed, was flush with the pan rail on both sides and it seemed to do a good job, as I had very little if any oil leaking into the flywheel clutch end of the pan. When I lay the new gasket (as you can see from the pictures) on the pan rail, the tab on the gasket is too wide to fit in the groove in the rear main cap, and even if it did fit, it pushes the gasket sideways, causing it to not line up with the oil pan bolts holes. So that being said. What is the correct position of these gaskets. I would assume that the cork seal in the groove of the main bearing cap should be flush to the pan rail, as before, and the oil pan gasket should be cut off to meet that gasket with a dab of RTV to seal that area. Is this correct? Or do I need to modify the pan rail gasket to make the tab fit the grove in the rear main cap and have the cork gasket from the cap rest or sit on top of the pan rail gasket? As always, thanks Nate Anello

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by rockfla

Cut them flush, the oil pan gasket,as you see, covers them. IF need be you can use just a little dab of RTV at that point. Another suggestion given to me was to soak your rope seals in oil for 24 hours before you install them.

IF it helps, I use a socket to help press the rope seal to the cover, it also helps keep from cutting your fingers badly!!!

[Ggmac]

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This is just a suggestion. If you have not replaced the 4 core plugs on the oil pan rail , now would be a great time to do it .

[Blindhuckster]

Ggmac, I appreciate your feedback and will do that. I assume that these plugs go through to the engine water jackets. I'd guess these, like all freeze plugs are susceptible to rust. I had the water pumps off and the inside of the block water jackets are incredibly clean and free of any scale. This engine was rebuilt at some point in the past as the crankshaft counterweights were marked with 0.010 mains 0.020 rods journals.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by Blindhuckster

Ggmac, I appreciate your feedback and will do that. I assume that these plugs go through to the engine water jackets. I'd guess these, like all freeze plugs are susceptible to rust. I had the water pumps off and the inside of the block water jackets are incredibly clean and free of any scale. This engine was rebuilt at some point in the past as the crankshaft counterweights were marked with 0.010 mains 0.020 rods journals.

[Ronnieroadster]

When I build a Ford flathead I do not cut the front rope seal flush with the pan and front cover. The way I do it is simply trim the cork gasket around the rope seal that's protruding out of the front cover. By doing it this way the each end of the rope seal is touching the other end of the rope seal now its sealing correctly around the seal surface of the pulley. I never place a cork gasket in between the ends of the rope seal doing this creates a void in the rope seal which is not how a rope seal is designed to work correctly.

At the rear of the block I place the cork gasket into the relief in the main bearing cap and then place the cork seal around the main bearing cap each end pushing onto the ends of the oil pan gasket. The area where the cork on the cap meets the oil pan gasket I put a small amount of sealer in that area.
That's how I do it with perfect results a few hundred times so far. Including at 200 MPH
Ronnieroadster

[Lawrie]

Ronnie, thanks for the info on the rope seal,
appreciated it.
Lawrie

[Blindhuckster]

Appreciate all the great advice as always. Now that I have the engine back together and resealed. I will move on to my transmission overhaul.

[69a]

Ronnie is correct!
You're supposed to cut the rope seal the height of the gasket above the block, use a new razor blade to cut the seal. I never use RTV. I use Hylomar Blue, or any equivalent non setting sealer would do.