5.3 Oil Pan Gasket

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skidoolouie

Member
Need a little help, have 02' chevy tahoe 140xxx miles that i thought oil pan gasket was leaking in the rear. So i replace with new fel-pro upon reinstalling i broke rear 6mm bolt cause it called for 108in lb and i put little more cause it kept leaking. Got bolt out after removing pan again and reinstalled 2nd new fel-pro and still is leaking near rear 2 long bolts when cold. I did tighten others to 37lb torque into block and the 2 in the 18lbs torque. Any one have ideas? Thanks
 
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whitedust

Well-known member
You sure the oil leak is not coming from rear main bearing seal? Also could be hairline cracks in pan or underlying where meets pan but probably not worth checking to teardown again.
 
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chicagosledder

New member
Spray it down with carb or brake cleaner and make sure it is the pan gasket. Could be the oil sending switch located on the top of the block in the back of the motor.
 
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skidoolouie

Member
Cool I take a look. I did pull inspection cover plate and fly wheel is dry. I do have 2 post lift so i got surface pretty clean and oil free when i put pan back together. Also i am NOT for sure it coming from pan gasket, just dripping very very slow by rear of pan up high.
 
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indy_500

indy_500

Well-known member
It's not the oil cooler block off plate gasket that's leaking is it? Very common problem on ls motors. And like dmsrx said you need to rtv the corners, it doesn't end with just the gasket.
 
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skidoolouie

Member
So no dye yet, wondering what side or both sides do you put rtv just in the corners. I put a little in the corners between gasket and PAN nothing between pan and block. I could just see it seeping out above starter between block and pan gasket i guessing till i get dye and light tomorrow. Thanks
 
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dmsrx

Member
Theft needs to be on both sides of the gasket. Make sure there is no old rtv or gasket on the pan or the block. I use scotch rite with some brake parts cleaner to get the old stuff off and a pick and small screwdriver to get it out of any corners or cracks you can't get into with the scotchbtite.
Then once it's all cleaned wipe everything down with brake clean and put rtv on the both sides of the gasket and nothing any where else.
If the pan is sheet metal/stamped pan make sure the rails are flat. If not flatten them back out.
I let the rtv dry overnight at least before I run the engine.

- - - Updated - - -

Stupid spell check. Rtv and scotch brite.
 
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skidoolouie

Member
Well, i put dye in oil to find to coming out near drivers side rear head down where it meets the block. The vavle cover gaskets are dry, bell housing has oil on it. So of to the repair shop it goes for answer as to where it leaking. The heads are stamp 862 near the rear. Would the head gasket be blown already 140,000 miles?
 
srt20

srt20

Active member
Is the oil pressure sending unit still located back there? If not look at intake. Doubtful on head gasket, and even more doubtful on head cracked, IMO.
 
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