Success!! So far anyway. Short 5 mile test drive & no knock.
Bolted the oil pan on yesterday about 1:00 pm. Since it’s recommended to let RTV gasket maker sit 24 hours, I decided to wait till today to crank the truck. Likely overly cautious since the only sealer is a small dab on each end of the end gaskets but I had time so why not.
Tomorrow if weather permits I’ll make a 45 mile trip to town & back, that’ll tell the tale.
More good news is the new front motor mount seems to have cured the agervating clutch chatter.
In closing, I followed experienced advisors and stuck the side gaskets to the block, then the end gaskets in the main caps with a dab of sealer on each end gasket/side gasket joint. Last time as a greenhorn I sealed the gaskets to the pan. Not the best approach.
Others can explain the technique better than I so forgive a little C&P below.
Hotrod Lincoln
Attaching a gasket to the oil pan is a really good way to get a leak, no matter how careful you try to be. Stick the cork side gaskets to the block first, with some type of quick-setting adhesive like trim cement, contact cement, etc., then do the same to the end seals, MAKING SURE THE END SEALS END UP OVER THE SIDE GASKETS-
---cork against the block, and the end gaskets sandwiched between the pan and the side strips, cork or rubber. DO NOT apply sealer to the pan side of the gaskets, side or end.
Then use a TINY bit of RTV sealer right where the side gaskets and the end pieces join. I rarely, if ever manage to use up a whole tube of RTV before it hardens up in the tube. That stuff is one of the most-over-used gasket sealers I can think of.
Jerry
Chevy Nut
The correct way to install the pan gasket is to stick the side corks to tne block first. The tabs on the ends of the side corks must slip into the grove in the main bearing caps. The when the end corks are installed they but up against the tab and a complete overlapping seal is made. This can not be done by fastening the gasket to the pan first and an oil leak will result. I use grease to hold the side corks to the block so If I must remove the pan later very little gasket scraping is necessary. Between the grease and the studs they stay in place very well.
RonR
