The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 216 Oil Leak

Hey all, I have a question to a problem that is running me crazy.
Last spring when I had troubles with my 216 head locking up, I found
out that a valve was stuck and I had to take it off and to the
machince shop. I figured while she was down, I would fix some age old
leaks. I thought at the time the front timing cover was leaking. So,
I took off the oil pan so I could remove the screws that holds the
front cover on.Installed a new timing cover gasket, crank seal in the
front of the timing cover pan, and oil pan gasket. Started it up and
no leak until you rev up the engine: Then it leaks. My friend and I
took a close look and figured the oil pan did not seal at the front
lip because it looked like it was leaking from that direction. We
took off the pan, I bought a new gasket, we replaced it and it still
leaks. The first time I used blue RTV seal on the cork gasket. The
second time I used the spray adhesive on the gasket and the RTV only
in the joints where the side gasket meets the front and rear pan
gasket seals. I figured maybe the first time the gasket slid on the
blue RTV and the spray would be better. What we don't know now is it
still the oil pan leaking or if the leak is coming from behind the
front plate that holds the timing cover. So here is what I need to
know:

1) If it is the pan leaking, does any one sale a one piece oil pan
gasket? If not, what are the tricks to keep the pan from leaking.
Note, I cleaned the bottom part of the engine and the pan of all the
old gasket compound before installing the new gasket.

2) If it is the front plate, do I have to remove the cam and crank to
get the plate off due to the gears are pressed on or can I safely
pull the gears off and put them back on with out damage. I tried to
pull the gears off of my 235 motor that I am rebuilding with a puller
and they would not budge. I actually bent the main screw part of the
puller. I was told by the fellow at my local machune shop that the
gears are pressed on and there is no way I could remove them in my
garage and put them on again without damage and I would be better off
if a machine shop did it.

Sorry for the long post and misspelled words and grammer errors. Any
replies and help is appreciated!
John

I have had my 216 oil pan and front cover off of the motor in my 1946 chev. fire truck.
When I dropped the pan I replace the pan gasket with the replacment gasket from the auto parts store. If I remember right I did use silicone where the side gasket meets the front gasket. I also installed a new reddi sleeve on the front crank shaft for a new smooth surface and then replaced the front seal around the crank shaft.
I had good sucess and all is dry.

Wish you well & hope this helps.

The front plate is secured to the front of the block. On the front, the front cover is sealed to the plate with a gasket. On the lower rear surface, the cork gasket makes a seal between the pan and the back of the plate. There is a small area above the pan where a leak could occur between the plate and the block. It is very visible and accessible. If it is leaking there you can clean it up and apply a small RTV bead to stop the leak. RTV can also be used on pan leaks by the same method. Pan leaks are generally a case of oil running down and finding a path to the outside.