I have a basically stock 1969 Chevrolet 327 cu in engine. I'm changing the camshaft and since I have to remove the oil pan anyway, I'm thinking of changing the standard four piece oil pan gasket for a single piece oil pan gasket like those advertised in the Summit catalogue. Has anyone else made that switch and do you recommend it? Are there any unintended consequences or problems like how well it fits the timing cover to pan connection I should consider? Thank you.
My personal experience was it didn't last through the dyno session. 30 bucks, that's a lot of beer money to just throw away.
.Only used ONE once under super bad advice from a so called expert engine shop owner... It was a pain in the ass, because>>> for the truck I was trying to use it on, in tight spaces, those jackass temporary LONG plastic studs hanging down up front, prevented the pan from being slid forward under the crossmember in the way....plus it was a jackass extended stock pan modded by aftermarket.. WTF does a person think they need like 8 freakin quarts on a street driven daily? Oh, So he can spend even more money on each oil change1 Lol Yea, Denny, let's save any wasteful money for ....YOUR beer, or I will spend it on MY little gifts for my tribe of My very pretty Cuties!! lol..
Installed the Fel Pro one piece when I replaced the rear main seal. At that time found the mains were worn to copper. The following year yanked the motor for a freshning and re-used the gasket. 2 years 20k later its dry as a bone. No problems here.
I should add that this was an aluminum block engine that I had built by a well known local (long time) engine builder, everything brand new including the Dan Olson steel pan. Problem people have is either doing this in the vehicle or not bench straightening the pan rail at the bolt holes. This should be done regardless of the style of gasket being used.
I can see where if you had to get under a crossmember or other obstruction requiring fore and aft movement as F&J relates, the one piece could be a problem. But on my A-V8, where it's wide open under the pan, the one piece is great, and greatly eases getting all the stuff in line, and in place while starting the bolts, while holding up the pan at the same time on the regular gaskets. Haven't found any leaks there since, at least at the pan gasket anyhow. If you are doing an R&R on the pan in frame, if you have clearance, the one piece is the ticket.
I put one on my Corvette (yeah, I know it probably won't pass NCRS standards) and I thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. No leaks, went right on. And I really like those blue plastic pins; I can see there may be situations where they won't work, but they made changing the pan a snap for me. I saved them because they work good on flatheads, too. As a matter of fact, I have put on more flathead pans with them than SBC pans. The gasket I used was made by Fel-Pro; I don't know if anyone else makes them.
I had the motor out so it was easy, no problems. The screws that came with it were a hair long and bottomed out. I went with washers and no leaks. Make sure you get the one that matches your pan. (thick or thin front seal)
For those of you who have successfully used the one piece oil pan gasket, did you use any sealer or did you just install the one piece gasket bare (no sealer)? Thanks.
I used the one piece gasket when I changed pans on my coupe several years ago and still no leaks. Didn’t use any sealer on the gasket itself but seem to remember putting some silicone in some of the corners.
I've used a few of them, I love them for working on stuff in the motor when it's still in the car. But I guess you can have trouble with just about anything... I've only used the FelPro brand gaskets. On big blocks, I've had them on the engine for years and pan off a few times and still no problems.
Used quite a few( chevy, ford, mopar) and have had no issues, just a small dab of right stuff at the corners, no sealer of any kind on the gasket itself, and good to go.
Good luck with a Fel-Pro on a 300 Ford six, 2 and half years and still no leaks...almost a record for that engine. Installed per directions, just can't remember if siliconed corners or left dry. Torque exactly as called out!
I changed pan gaskets on a 283 in my last car with the engine in the car. Had space limitations and couldn't use the pins so I put a dab of gasket maker on the pan rails and stuck the gasket to it long enough to get the pan back on. No leaks, loved it.
Have the Fel-Pro ones on both my 327's with a dab of silicone at the corners. No leaks at all in a couple of years. Only issue is I got a little aggressive when removing one to get the rear main cap off while engine was still in the car and the silicone held the gasket on so well I broke the gasket. Put a little silicone on the break and put it all back together and still no issues. Love them.
I used the one piece Fel-Pro on my BBC rebuild. New Moroso pan, new block. The pan leaks at the back, where it contacts the main cap. I was able to slow it (not stop it) down by reefing on the specialty fastener studs. They are at about 30 ft-lb right now. Good God. The engine is buried in there now, and I am looking at oil additives to try and swell the seal a bit. The engine is otherwise dry.
I like them for SBC engines I'm assembling out of the car, where the engine can be turned upside down to install the pan gasket. But for under the car and trying to get the one piece pan gasket to stay in place, while trying to get the pan up in place, they're a PITA! I hate them for in car installs. It's much easier in the car to stick the end seals up, glue the side gaskets with RTV, and a dab in each corner, and bolt the pan on. Never a leak. I used a one piece on the 350 SBC with one piece rear main seal in my last engine build. It was easy to do upside down, and is sealing great without any additional RTV or sealer on the gasket.
This may sound far fetched but years ago I put a one piece oil pan gasket that I smeared silicone all over. Next day I found the gasket had completely squeezed out. Now how could it get past all those bolts? Just doesn't make any sense.
I don't use ANY pan gasket (just RTV and set the pan on!) I mean how many times do you need to drop the pan? When I DID drop the pan it was a pain fer sure but........... It was sealed...No leaks!! Just make sure the one piece works with the rope gasket rear seal if you have one! 6sally6
GM 1986-2002 one piece seal SBC factory one piece gasket.. better than fel pro. I have 3 Fel Pro on my cars with early motors. NO leaks..
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