Oil pan leaks and how to stop them !

Kern Dog · Mar 18, 2019

I have dealt with slight oil leaks with my 3 different 440 engines. I've always used a windage tray. In a few cases, I have used lock washers on the bolts. I still got leaks. I'd drive the car and see small drips under the car. I'd get it on the lift and see oil on the bolt heads, dripping off to the floor. There are sometimes oil streaks on the headers as well. I tried different bolts, tried lock washers, flat washers....I gave up trying to figure it out.
A guy over at DodgeCharger.com just wrote that the oil pan bolts .....need sealant because the threaded holes in the block are open to the crankcase.
Really? I did NOT know that. 19 years I've owned this car and I learned something today.
I built 2 440s before this engine. I've had this one apart twice, I've had 3 different oil pans on this engine and I simply did not notice that the mounting holes were open. The intake mounting bolts are also this way. I used to get some oil in the valley on the valley pan and learned after mentioning it that those holes needed a sealant. This revelation regarding the oil pan mounting holes came as a surprise to me.
Come on, guys...'fess up. I can't be the ONLY guy that didn't know this!

Challenger340 · Mar 18, 2019

HUH ?
Sorry to burst your bubble because you didn't "learn" anything today either ?

The guy over at DC.com is a meathead, the Oil pan Bolts in a 440 are BLIND Holes in the Block, the ONLY way they could be "exposed|' to Crankcase pressure is if it was getting between the Oil Pan Gaskets then leaking OUT AROUND the Bolts..... but the Oil Pan Bolt HOLES themselves, are blind in the Block(Do NOT go through)

Kern Dog · Mar 18, 2019

Challenger340 said:
HUH ?
Sorry to burst your bubble because you didn't "learn" anything today either ?

There are many ways to phrase a response. Being rude to someone for no apparent reason will get you nowhere here.

kiwigtx · Mar 18, 2019

Challenger340 said:
The guy over at DC.com is a meathead,

rolling_Thunder · Mar 18, 2019

I've never experienced a leaky oil pan on a mopar BB - some people have but I suppose I'm just lucky?

The holes for the oil pan are blind - no sealant needed - I usually drop a small smear of "right stuff" on them just for a "why not" - the gaskets I spray with "copper coat" sealant and then put them on - gasket, windage tray, gasket, oil pan - don't over-tighten the bolts - and check the pan for prior overtightening as it creates high / low spots in the oil pan rails which can cause leaks.

5.7 hemi · Mar 18, 2019

Use Loctite 574.

Challenger340 · Mar 18, 2019

Kern Dog said:
There are many ways to phrase a response. Being rude to someone for no apparent reason will get you nowhere here.

You have my apologies Kern Dog, my singular intent was not to be rude per se, however, I DID go over to DC.com and read your response to the meatbrain who gave you a bum steer around the Oil pan Bolts, wherein you very clearly IMO, were fawning over his incorrect "relevation" on the Bolt Holes with gratitude ?

see here:
QUOTE
Holy ****...REALLY

If true, that is a great thing to learn! It would clearly explain why I have had such shitty luck sealing up this engine! Son of a bitch...Now I want to get the car up on a lift and pull each bolt out one at a time....clean out the threaded holes and reinstall the bolts with a sealant.
Shoot, man, if this seals up my engine I will be quite grateful.
UNQUOTE

Again, very sorry if I've offended you, but no really "Nicey-Nice" expeditious way(devoid of the HE said SHE says) of categorically denying that you have NOT "learned" anything about 440 Mopar Oil Pan Bolt Hole leaks today either ?
If telling the truth.... is to deny someone their EUREKA moment ?
Then maybe you are right, I should have said NOTHING and let you go pull each Oil pan Bolt one at a time, clean the holes, and re-do with sealant ?

Nonetheless,
if you are experiencing Oil "drips" from your Oil pan Bolts ?
may I suggest that YES, the Oil may indeed be potentially escaping around the Oil Pan Bolt threads, having been able to migrate between the Pan gaskets and get to the Bolts/Threads and then escape = leaks.
In my experience, the "fix" may indeed be to remove each Bolt one at a time, blow out each Bolt Hole with Brake Clean, Air Dry, repeat until all visible Oil is removed in the Hole and around, clean the Bolt thoroughly and dry(again Brake Clean & Air)....
Then re-install with a very specific Permatex Product called "The Right Stuff", a super dupe type silicone.
It never hurts to put a small dab UP into the CLEAN Hole first as well before rethreading the Bolt IN, as this will fill voids and potential areas where the Oil is migrating from ?

Again, NO intent to be rude, my apologies.

Kern Dog · Mar 18, 2019

Hey...I can be sarcastic and obnoxious...
I just thought that I had learned something that had slipped by my attention. It seemed as if a simple explanation came up to cure a problem that I've dealt with for years. I've asked several guys about oil pan leaks and have often heard....They all leak. I never liked hearing that.
Your response "You didn't learn anything today either" infers that I didn't learn anything in past days. That didn't seem funny or obnoxious, just rude and out of nowhere. I'll take you at your word from here on that it was not intended to be an insult. Bygones, right?
I do not claim to be the smartest guy here. I try to help when I see a member with a question that I have some experience with. I post a lot and get a lot of good feedback.
Thank you for the follow up.

Challenger340 · Mar 18, 2019

Kern Dog said:
Hey...I can be sarcastic and obnoxious...
I just thought that I had learned something that had slipped by my attention. It seemed as if a simple explanation came up to cure a problem that I've dealt with for years. I've asked several guys about oil pan leaks and have often heard....They all leak. I never liked hearing that.
Your response "You didn't learn anything today either" infers that I didn't learn anything in past days. That didn't seem funny or obnoxious, just rude and out of nowhere. I'll take you at your word from here on that it was not intended to be an insult. Bygones, right?
I do not claim to be the smartest guy here. I try to help when I see a member with a question that I have some experience with. I post a lot and get a lot of good feedback.
Thank you for the follow up.

Again sry bout that Kern Dog.... I should have pm'd maybe ?

But you did say:
"Come on, guys...'fess up. I can't be the ONLY guy that didn't know this!" ??

Wherein logically speaking.... my only intent in "fess'ing up", was to let you and others reading know as expeditiously as possible, that you/others were still NOT the ONLY GUYS that didn't know this ? (anybody else reading as well)

Try the RIGHT STUFF procedure in my earlier post, it'll seal it up.

NoCar2023 · Mar 18, 2019

I am using this. Good so far....only a few miles since build.

NoCar2023 · Mar 19, 2019

And I use a little GM liquid Teflon on the oil pan bolts.

andyf · Mar 19, 2019

We have two very different threads going here so it is hard to know how to reply. One thread is on internet protocol about how to handle bad information that is given in good faith. That one is tricky. I've seen people post really dumb stuff over the years and I'm not really sure what the best response is. I've tried different replies but I can't say I've hit on one that is perfect yet. I think a simple answer is the best. Or just post a picture and ask for clarification. Sometimes it is just a simple mistake or perhaps a typo. Sometimes the person doesn't know what they are talking about, sometimes they are repeating bad information. There are a few guys who are dedicated to their mistakes. I tend to steer clear of them. Rat540 was a guy who believed he had figured out oil and he spent a lot of time arguing with people on various boards about oil. There was also a guy (TMP something?) who was convinced that he knew more about carbs than anyone else but he actually didn't know as much as he thought. There isn't any point in engaging with the truly delusional folks but they are rare. More common is someone who is just careless and they repeat stuff they've heard because they don't know any better. Sometimes those folks will respond to facts, sometimes they just argue since they don't know any better. Hard to predict.

As for oil leaks, that can also be a tough one. If everything is clean, dry, flat and smooth then you have a fighting chance of getting a good seal. A little bit of RTV in the joints helps. If you are using a flimsy sheet metal pan then some reinforcement rails for the pan can help. If you have nice thick billet rails on your oil pan then a soft squishy rubber gasket might be a good idea.

kiwigtx · Mar 19, 2019

I initially went down the silicone sealant route years ago with a 440 and windage tray. Gave up after constantly leaking, and no amount of tightening fixed it.
I ended up about 5 years ago using Aeromotive Sealant - a brown sticky brush-on glue, which can be pulled apart, but strong enough to do the job. It worked well...very minor weepage if anything.

Windage trays are a PITA ...so you must start with clean surfaces and some decent adhesive. I do not believe that silicone sealants are the way to sort this problem out - they are two flexible, and prone to tearing if bolts are re-torqued after curing has completed. Besides, most people use far too much on most jobs.

My 2 cents worth.

Darter6 · Mar 19, 2019

I was always told, "It ain't a MOPAR if it don't leak"!

Daves69 · Mar 19, 2019

Darter6 said:
I was always told, "It ain't a MOPAR if it don't leak"!

Lol, sooner or later it seems they start. I slide the bottom half of a cat litter box under mine. Maybe I should buy these for it'.....

beanhead · Mar 19, 2019

For what it's worth, my oil pan & windage tray setup didn't leak a drop until my rings started failing. Slight swipe of RTV on all mating surfaces and didn't overtighten anything..last oil change before yanking the engine I went with a synthetic and that made it worse too. Not buying into the narrative that synthetics will leak, on an otherwise well-sealed engine...but with small drips already happening it did increase them. Like I said though bad ring seal was the root of all evil..

zyzzyx · Mar 19, 2019

First of all, it's no fun having our beloved cars emulating a Harley Davidson.
And to remedy that situation I really like to use Loctite 515 Gasket eliminator.
Mind you, I never "Eliminate" the gaskets, I just put a light coating on both sides
of the gaskets and install them. I have never had a drop come through anywhere.
Just make sure the metal bolting flange is clean and straight! Dat's it!

formador-de-juntas-en-gelgdes-presiones-6ml-loctite-515-D_NQ_NP_700900-MLU28559454233_112018-F.jpg

threewood · Mar 19, 2019

Two cork gaskets. Glue the first gasket to the pan with Gaskacinch or high tack. Glue windage tray to first gasket. Glue second gasket to windage tray. Leave surface from top gasket and block clean. The glue keeps the cork from squeezing out.

My oil pans are pretty much oil drop free. Wish the rest was as well lol.

Darter6 · Mar 19, 2019

Hey Daves69, Both I and my neighbor made a tray mounted to the bottom of the tranny where the inspection plate is for our cars. We slide a maxie pad in the tray.Man do those things absorb !! He changes his every time he goes racin'. Me every oil change. Works like a charm.

jogirob · Mar 19, 2019

Darter6 said:
Hey Daves69, Both I and my neighbor made a tray mounted to the bottom of the tranny where the inspection plate is for our cars. We slide a maxie pad in the tray.Man do those things absorb !! He changes his every time he goes racin'. Me every oil change. Works like a charm.

Forget truck nuts, if you're really secure in your vehicles masculinity maxi pad it :carrot:

Oil pan leaks and how to stop them !

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