Oil leaks

[Bird 426]

Here is where I think you went wrong. BB 440 has dowel pins for the timing cover alignment, if the pan is on, you have to slide the cover on over the dowels and oil pan at the same time. In a perfect world, it should work, but it didn't this time. You didn't have an oil leak before you did this. Just pull the pan and do it right.

 

[dvw]

This is What I was getting to in post #13
And you never answered, do you have a windage tray?

I bet that sealer doesn't stick to Gregs gaskets, and now there may be a thickness difference.
This is why I don't cut off the existing pan gasket and use the new front piece.

Ultra Grey sticks to Gregs stuff just fine.You are correct the thickness could be slightly different. Thus another good reason to use ultra grey. Windage tray uses 2 gaskets.
Doug

 

[Aron Gleason]

This is What I was getting to in post #13
And you never answered, do you have a windage tray?

I bet that sealer doesn't stick to Gregs gaskets, and now there may be a thickness difference.
This is why I don't cut off the existing pan gasket and use the new front piece.

Oh I haven't got the pan gasket in yet. And I think I have a windage tray.

 

[CHGRSE74]

After reading all of this and thinking back as a tech for many years, cleanliness is absolutely absolutely the key. If not 110% clean it may leak. A persistent leak can drive a person insane, I have been there… You do also need a functioning PCV system to eliminate excessive crankcase pressure. If this were me I would redo this procedure paying attention of course to cleanliness (use a good carb cleaner), cut away the bottom pan to timing cover gasket, use the new piece, very light good quality silicone sealer in the corners… It’s been done this way for decades. As dvw said on post 58, he is 100% correct.

 

[dvw]

I'm currentlt refreshing my racecar motor. The pan was ealed with the method I mentioned. First of all it didn't leak a drop. In fact it wouldn't have fallen off if all the fasteners were removed. Getting it off was tough. A wood chisel was tapped between the pan and gasket gradually opening a gap. Followed with sgrew drivers shoved in that gap. Took a good 10 minutes to be able to pry it loose. You can see how the pan gasket is still stuck solid to the crank scraper fits like a normal windage tray between the pan and block). Then came separating the crank scraper from the block. No gasket just RTV. Sliced all the way around with a box cutter that was pounded down the gap with a hammer. A pic for how the rear main retainer was sealed as well.
Doug

 

[Krooser]

So ever since I replaced the cam and lifters and timing chain last year I've been battling an oil leak at the bottom of the timing chain cover on the passenger side. I used the repair gasket piece that comes with the felpro gasket set, with red high temp sealer on both sides paying attention to the corners. I let it sit for a week before starting it. It doesn’t leak just idling, but after driving it leaks at the same spot. I read after replacing the cam that can cause more crankcase pressure and oil will find its way out. For more than 30 years ive either had breathers on both valve covers with the holes, then breathers with hoses running out to the atmosphere. Is running breathers with a hose on both valve covers good enough? Ive seen many people run that way with no issues.

If you don’t run a road draft tube you need a PCV valve.

Without one you have slimy deposits building up in your engine from combustion gasses.

Doesn’t matter if your uncle Festus ran his ‘46 Studebaker without one YOU need one.

 

[Aron Gleason]

Here is where I think you went wrong. BB 440 has dowel pins for the timing cover alignment, if the pan is on, you have to slide the cover on over the dowels and oil pan at the same time. In a perfect world, it should work, but it didn't this time. You didn't have an oil leak before you did this. Just pull the pan and do it right.

The reason im having oil leaks now is cause I pulled the water pump housing and timing chain cover to replace the cam and lifters and timing chain.