The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop rear main seal and another oil leak...

I finally got the new seal and oil pan gasket, as well as new intake/exhaust manifold gaskets, so this afternoon I dropped the oil pan and dust cover on the bottom of the bellhousing. In the process of doing all of this (even though things went extremely smoothly) I have a few questions:

1. In the dust cover on the bottom of the bellhousing there appears to be grains of sand that has been collecting. From what I can tell it is not metal chips, but the sand appears to be thrown about inside the bellhousing. However, the flywheel and clutch look in great condition and undamaged. Is this normal?

2. The new oil pan gasket I received is in two parts for each side of the pan/block. The old gasket that is on the truck has thin strips of cork connecting the two parts (making it a one piece gasket). I'm sure I can just put gasket maker on the curved sections of the pan, but should I see if I can find a one piece gasket?

3. Lastly, when I was under the truck I noticed a decent size oil mark on the underside of the exhaust manifold. The reason I ordered new gaskets for the manifolds is because on top where one part of the exhaust manifold attaches to the block there is a coating of oil around the gasket. Could this other oil mark be from that gasket leak, the head gasket leaking, or something else? If a head gasket leaks, can oil spill down the side of the block?

Any tips or suggestions you may have are more than welcome! Later on tonight I will try to post some pictures of my progress and of the oil stain on the manifold.

1. Sand in the dust cover isn't unusual. You drive in sand all of the time.

2. I never bought a pan gasket without the end pieces. Don't know for sure, but on the intake manifold on the sbc we throw away those pieces and use RTV for a gasket.

3. I would guess this a rocker cover leak. Usually head gaskets leak anti-freeze.

I don't know for sure, but is your 292 set up to where the oil pan has to be pulled to remove the timing cover? If there are two bolt through the front main bearing from the rear, I would reverse these bolts by tapping the bearing housing and put the bolts in from the front. That way you can replace your front seal without dropping the pan.

I forgot to mention what engine I had before... it's actually a 235. I also looked in the box for the oil pan gasket, and it did come with two rubber gaskets for the end. The pan is already dropped, and today my plan is to clean up both the dust cover and the oil pan, then paint both of them (Por-15 ), and get started on the seal. I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to post the pictures yet, but later today I should be able to. Back into the garage for me...