[elky] Re: Oil Pan R&R

  • From: John Christensen <johncgg@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: elky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2010 06:04:22 -0600

It is Sooooo easy to see all this stuff and work on it with an engine stand
vs. in the car. You can burn the time it would take to drain the coolant,
Trans fluid, and take the drive shaft on and off, trying to make things
clear, and fight fitting them on again without ruining the gasket (you are
trying not to make leak, the reason for doing it). That is exactly why I
took the engine and trans out as one on the Monte, to get rid of leaks.

It's a one piece rear main seal motor. They will always leak a little. I
have never gotten the valve covers to seal completely. They just don't. I
didn't take the heads off while it was out, and I am kicking myself now.
That's where my oil leak is. That rear seal would be a PITA hanging from the
hoist, upside down. I did it on the engine stand, and it was no fun.

The El Camino is a once piece rear main seal, with center bolt valve covers.
The only place it leaks is at the intake in front, or the intake bolts seep.
Easy to wash off, as little as there is.

It stretches it out to a couple days though. but you don't know how it will
go till you get in there.

Good luck with it!

JC

On Sun, Dec 26, 2010 at 7:30 PM, Chris Lindh <chris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:

> I'll start with the question: On a G-body El Camino like my '80, how
> hard is it to remove the oil pan?  I have an engine hoist.
>
> (I know my '80 is technically an A-body, maybe I should say "metric
> chassis".)  The back story: I started an oil change and am considering
> replacing the 8 quart pan on the 406 with a stock type pan (and
> pickup).  Why?  The 8 quart pan leaks in the front, and leaks at the
> rear but I don't know if that leak is the pan or the rear main seal.
> (Also I'll need a stock type pan if/when I add a single turbo).  These
> leaks are not new, they've been there since I built the engine.  Can a
> small block Chevy be leak free?
>
> When I built the engine I used a Melling Select oil pump; the 406 has
> great pressure at startup and at any RPM over idle (as high as 80
> PSI!).  At hot idle the gauge shows 10 PSI or less, which is unnerving
> - but I've just read that the "C" series of these pumps have
> anti-cavitation grooves which causes a low oil pressure at idle.  The
> problem is I can't find the receipt to remind me which pump I bought
> (frustrating since I save receipts).  I know it was a Melling Select
> pump and the corresponding bolt-on pickup.  Some say the pressure is
> fine as long as there is oil pressure... part of the problem is the
> EFI is calibrated rich which is putting fuel in the oil, thinning it.
> I'm considering swapping the oil pump while I'm in there.
>
> Items I would need to disconnect before lifting the engine to get the pan
> out:
>
> Distributor Cap
> Exhaust
> Engine Mounts
> Fuel line
> Other items?
>
> If I can swap the pan without draining the coolant and disconnecting
> the transmission I'll do it...
>
> Input?  Suggestions?
>
> Thanks,
> Chris
>
>
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>
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>
>

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