okokok... OIL PAN

[Earlsfat]

Went to put on my bargain $80 oil pan, and took me like and hour just to get the friggin holes lined up. I laid it down on the block dry and everything was great... put the gasket and sealant on there and NOTHING lined up. Had to use clamps, everything just to get the damned bolts in / started.

Is that common, or is that my bargain oil pan and it's high quality machining?

This being my first oil pan install, in retrospect I think I found an easier way to get the damned holes to line up... tell me if you think it'll work. (Not that I'm anticipating having to redo the one I just did or anything....)

NEED SECOND SET OF HANDS FOR THIS... Line up pan dry makes sure it's ok, put on end gaskets and sealant, put on side gaskets and sealant, make sure none squeezes out the sides into the crank case. Get four #3 philips head screw drivers, have helper hold pan while you put screw drivers in 4 corner holes and guide them into the corner holes, make sure helper is holding pan so that screw drivers are level, and if so lower onto block - screw drivers will keep holes lined up.

Think that'll work or does anyone have a better way? Because this was a BITCH!

[Firebirdlad03]

wait...so did you get it or not?? if it worked i guess thats good, but your bargin pan probly made it a little harder?

[Genopsyde]

mine was off a bit also, but starting with the corner bolts, then going one at a time alternating sides worked perfectly.

[Morley]

"Bargan" engine parts seldom are. The oil pan should just drop right in place, no forcing or playing with it. I've done oil pans with the engine in the car and with what you describe, it would have been impossible.

[hotrod_chevyz]

Sounds like it worked. You will know soon enough. I have yet to see an aftermarket oil pan seal as good as a stock one, even the old rusty ones that look beat to death when sand blasted and trued with a hammer work better than the aftermarkets. The claimed "high quality" ones slow leak always in the same places. The chrome ones look very nice, too bad 99% of them have oil running down them.

As for the install, you can get little plastic clips to line the holes up but they seem to take more time than they are worth from what ive witnessed. They come with pan gaskets sometimes, depending on what motor and gasket but im sure they can be had for just about any app. I chunk them in the trash and have never bothered with them but you just screw them into the block, then you push the pan up over them and once the pan is almost in place they are supposed to hold the pan up and align the gasket at the same time.

Its always best to opt for a stock pan and not an aftermarket one but when you have no choice in the matter, beat on the pan with a hammer and bend it by hand if possible until it gives up and goes on straight, and has equal pressure along all points of the seal.

[Earlsfat]

Yeah I got it on, I was just like WTF... the holes lined up PERFECTLY when I set it on dry, but when I put the gaskets and sealer on NOTHING lined up.

The guy that had it before me was running a HV pump, in a 5 qt pan... that seems a little light for me... got a 7 qt pan and used a stock pump. Had to go chrome, due to budget and aesthetic reasons... I've got a couple buddies with them and they say they've never had so much as a drop of leak on them.

EDIT - and yeah... I torqued them in increments to 165 in lbs, should be good to go.