I screwd up again

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Doc

Joined
Apr 26, 2004
Threads
234
Messages
5,820
Location
Utah
I tried to replace a very slightly leaking oil pan gasket. Now I have a oil pan gasket that leaks like a sieve around the crank. Yes I put RTV, but I think it slipped out of place.

Can I re-use a gasket that has RTV silicone on it?

Or should I just buy new?
 
Buy new 'cause the next batch of RTV won't stick to the oily gasket! When you replace it again clean all contact surfaces with solvent so that there is NO oil contamination on the contact surfaces. If you've got oil contamination you'll have a leak again.
 
I used to have the same problem (gasket slipping out of place) with the valve cover of my J%#@&$P. Solution was to use sealant to bond the gasket to the valve cover (oil pan in your case) first (let it cure overnight with a little pressure on it)...then re-install the cover/oil pan with gasket attached using more RTV. HTH
 
^ I'll try that next time. Thanks.
 
Semi-Hijack -

so i need to replace my oilpan gasket and want to do it myself... what's the process? i know there are a million bolts, but otherwise pretty easy? I already bought the toyota gasket. Bit of a mechanical reject, but not completely lost...most of the time. lol.

remove crossmember first? any slow step by step instructions would be greatly appreciated!!! Major steps and pictures are cool too! I am a visual person, hope nobody is sick of "got a pic of that!?"

what solvents do you use to clean it so RTV sticks right? I think i might try the cure overnight to pan thing if it will help. Thanks for the wisdom!

TIA

sl33py
 
Never did it. But I tightened the nuts on my pan(stopped it from leaking). I think there is a certain way to tighten them. someone back me up here! i just start in the center and work my way out. make sure everything is super clean and there is no oil on it when ya put it back on...im sure someone who has done it will chime in with some better info.
 
You are supposed to tighten the bolts in a particular order, it's in the FSM, kind of like the lugs on your wheels.

You don't need to remove any structural parts of the engine.

simply un-bolt the flywheel cover and the pan is easily accessed from there. Actually, the only reason to remove the flywheel cover is to access the two rearmost bolts on the pan.

Toyota is doing mine tomorrow.

It's a long story. I'm currently in a battle with them because I know my rear main is leaking. They installed it. I know they don't want to dig in there and fix it. They said they would not touch my engine until I changed the oil pan gasket because they think THAT is where the leak is coming from. Well, if Toyota changes both the oil pan gasket and the rear main, then they are responsiable for fixing any leaks than occour on the rear end of the engine, right? That's why I'm having them do it this time.
 
cool, doesn't sound like rocket science, but hey - still at work and still not mentally sober. late nights kill me. 7am till now... all i can say is $$ for the landcruiser ongoing project.

thanks for the input. good luck with the oil leak. my rear main is shot...but toyota didn't install mine, so gotta fix it myself. original at least...

sl33py (really!)
 
rtv by itself would probly last longer than the gasket. did my pan last year and it was real easy
 
Here's how big of an idiot I can be at times.

Toyota calls me this morning. "Hey Eric, that cruiser of yours isn't leaking from the oil pan gasket"

-This is me puckering the a-hole because I think they are going to say my motor is blown or something...

Mr. Toyota agian "Yeah, it helps if you tighten the oil pan drain bolt some when you change your oil. It was barely hanging on to the pan, maybe 2 threads.."

Ok, let the beatings begin. I'm an idiot.

I can't believe I left it loose, and I thank GOD it didn't fall out on the freeway. I dodged a big bullet there.

Oh well, at least I didn't screw up the oil pan gasket like I thought I did.

I didn't think I was that big of a mechanical dunce though. sometimes it's the little things that get you.
 
^ Yeah, I hope they aren't messing with me (like they are currently doing with the rear main). Overall I'm not real happy with the service I've gotten at this particular dealership.
 
Doc said:
Here's how big of an idiot I can be at times.
Toyota calls me this morning. "Hey Eric, that cruiser of yours isn't leaking from the oil pan gasket"
Mr. Toyota agian "Yeah, it helps if you tighten the oil pan drain bolt some when you change your oil. It was barely hanging on to the pan, maybe 2 threads.."
Ok, let the beatings begin.
I can't believe I left it loose, and I thank GOD it didn't fall out on the freeway. I dodged a big bullet there.
I didn't think I was that big of a mechanical dunce though.


Hey Doc, don't worry, at least you have the huevos to admitt it.
I'll bet you won't do that again.
Russ in California :cool:
 
It's like that time I left my lug nuts half on and drove to the alignment shop....

They laughed at that one too.

Anyway, no oil leak as of this morning. I guess I didn't do to bad of a job on the pan gasket after all!
 
Reminds me of the time I did my first oil change on my FJ62...

Got under there and thought, "Lots of room under here, should be easy."

I put my cheapo LITTLE drain pan under and started draining...hmm...pans almost full and oil is still gushing out!!! I managed to jam the plug back in, and find a bucket that would fit under the pan, and hold 9 qts...I still use that bucket 17 yrs later! ;)

Likewise when I did my first oil change on my '82 Celica...everything went OK, except I didn't notice that the old felt washer was stuck to the oil pan, and I put a new one on with the plug.

I drove maybe 1/2 mile before all my oil leaked out...I did a second oil change in an elementary school parking lot, just one plug gasket this time! :idea:

Well, I drove both vehicles a collective 430K miles, still driving the FJ62. :cheers:

Andy
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom