Hey guys, maybe this is a stupid question to some of you guys, but I'm having issues sealing the rear of the oil pan on my 1956, 265 engine. I have an oil pan that measures 1 5/8" at the rear main seal half round piece and 2 3/8" at the front, I was told to use the "thin" gasket set but I'm suspecting I have the wrong oil pan. I was going to order the Fel Pro FEL-1885 but I'm not sure now, that this is going to be the right gasket for the job. What do I need to make this work??? Thanks
The "thin" and "thick" is the front part of the gasket, where it meets the timing cover. The timing cover was redesigned in 1975 to use a thicker pan gasket, and make it easier to remove the cover without dropping the pan. they say it fits 55 engines, in the application section, so it might work. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/fel-1885
Do you think the oil pan is correct? I'm starting to get frustrated, since I've already changed the rear main seal (neoprene) once and the oil pan gasket twice. I want to get this right, this time.
If the oil pan is an original Chevy part, then there is only one "size" that fits from 1955 to 1985. If it's an aftermarket chrome pan, who knows.... How sure are you about where the leak is coming from? it's often challenging to get the rear crank seal to stop leaking on the early rope seal engines (the seal opening is not always concentric with the crankshaft centerline), and there are a bunch of other places higher up that oil can run down from.
I feel your pain. Years ago I had an ex-Navy, 1958, Chevrolet P/U truck, that somewhere along the line, someone had installed a 1955, 4 barrel, 265 engine. It had a BAD rear main seal/pan leak. I replaced it twice trying to stop the leak. It turned out to be the rear cam plug was MISSING! Just a thought; maybe you have the same problem. The "thickness" of the rear cam plug is "thinner" on the 265, and is easy to get it "cocked' when installing them, and then they leak/fall out. Butch/56sedandelivery.
Throwing lots of information at you but if it is the rope seal leaking you can buy an aftermarket rear main seal that replaces the rope rear main seal. I bought mine from Danchuck.. Like squirrel said above start your leak inspection on top and work down -- gravity is a funny thing.
Thanks guys, @squirrel @MAD 034 @56sedandelivery I did replace the rope seal a few days ago with a neoprene one, pretty easy and painless I have to say but dealing with then oil pan is a different story. I have not pulled the engine yet, so I cannot 100% confirm that it isn't the cam plug. I did however notice a small crack and a slightly deformed edge at the back of the oil pan. I located another oil pan and bought a one piece gasket (felpro 1885), now I'm hoping this will do the trick.
1955 Chevrolet v-8s had their own oil pan.It was 1955 only.Remember the oil filter in the cannister on top ?.
If this was an original engine with the rope seal, it takes a neoprene seal that is not available at your local parts store. The replacement seal for the rope consists of 4 pieces, usually available from Ecklers, etc Is this what you used?
The 265 leaking saga continues. I put in a new one piece oil pan gasket, a new oil pan and a neoprene main seal, but the engine still leaks like crazy. So, I figured the engine builder from L.A. put in the wrong cam plug. I started looking at older pictures that show the back of the engine and sure enough, it shows that a 2" cam plug was installed instead of a 2 1/64" diameter plug, required for the 265 engine. Confident that I found the issue and convinced the cam plug popped out, I decided to pull the engine. To my surprise, the cam plug seems to be installed solid, although undersized no oil was leaking from there, but oil was still coming from the rear of the oil pan. There was always one part that didn't look Kosher, the rear main cap. There was material missing from the back side of the cap but I figured that since it is on the outside (back) of the engine, the oil pan gasket would keep the oil in. Am I wrong??? Do I need a new rear main cap, and where could I find one? Your thoughts please, I'm starting to loose it here, help. Here is the old rear main cap (shown with rtv and the old four piece pan gasket)
The main bearing bore was machined after the cap was bolted to the engine (at the engine factory), so a replacement cap would need to be align honed to fit the block...which means you need to take the engine completely apart. I kind of doubt it's leaking there, anyways. What other places are there on the back of the engine it could be leaking from, that you might have missed? Pictures?
It's rare, but I have heard of the crankshaft, seal surface NOT being ground concentric when the crank was refinished, or that surface being too rough. Butch/56sedandelivery.
I freely admit I have no direct experience with installing a neoprene crank seal in place of the rope seal with the crank in place........BUT.......having said that, I can't help but think that is the source of your leak. At this point, you have the engine out of the car, the pan off and the rear main cap removed. It's very little more work, relatively speaking, to pull ALL the main caps and timing cover, lift the crank from the bearings a bit and thoroughly cleaning the crank seal groove. Either put in an original style rope seal (I have always had good luck with those) or a new neoprene that you can see it's fit as you install it.
The Jalopy Journal
