Canton pan leak or rear main seal?

scr11 · #1 (**permalink**) 01-20-2002, 07:18 PM

Guys - I'm having some trouble with an oil leak from the back of my pan. I'm using a 7qt, front sump Canton pan. Instead of using the 4 piece gasket set, I used the one piece rubber/steel unit from Ford. I realize Canton recommends the 4 piece, but after talking with some folks on Corral.net, I went the route of the one piece gasket. Nonetheless, my motor has about 50 miles on it and the oil leak is more annoying than anything else.
I'm planning on dropping the pan tomorrow and re-sealing it using plenty of rtv black and the Ford one piece gasket. The question remains though, before I do anything, how can I be sure it's not the rear main seal as opposed to the oil pan?
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks.
Scott

Michael C Henry · #2 (**permalink**) 01-20-2002, 08:27 PM

Watch out for what type of RTV you choose. Most RTV is not frendly to oil.It starts expanding,swelling.What was a good looking job will turn worse than ever when it happens.There is an oil resistantant RTV,There is Permatex type 2 (non hardening) and a raft of others goos out there. Shop smart first.

Clois Harlan · #3 (**permalink**) 01-21-2002, 06:23 AM

I just went through the re-install of my oil pan and used the blue RTV Sealant. I am also using a windage tray and two oil pan gaskets. I sealed the first gasket to my oil pan with the blue permatex and then the second gasket to my windage tray. Then I put a skim coat on widage tray gasket that mates to the block & bolted it up loose for about an hour so the tray would stay stuck to the block while I was putting on the oil pan. After, I removed the bolts from the windage tray and it held to the block, then I applied a skim coat of blue RTV to the top of my oil pan gasket that will mate with the windage tray and bloted everything back up.

My engine is still in my car which makes this more difficult than if it was out. I was waiting until tonight to refill my oil ( letting everything set up, RTV). I believe the blue permatex is #3 blue. Is that a bad choice?

Clois Harlan

wilf leek · #4 (**permalink**) 01-21-2002, 06:57 AM

Scott - I had exactly the same problem on my 351W stroker. Luckily I spotted the leak before I fitted the engine into the car (engine had run on builders dyno).

I used the four part gaskets, had plenty of fun getting the two rubber seals to stay in place. I used lots of white RTV on the "ends" of these seals, and especially on the sump around the rear main area.

Engine dribbled a little for the first 2000 miles, now dry. Maybe that RTV was the wrong type and has swollen up a little??
I think you should be able to tell if your leak is from the rear main seal or not by where it shows up. Mine came down the front face of the detachable steel cover plate which is in place over the very bottom portion of the bell housing. Thus I knew it was from the sump seal.

HTH

Wilf

scr11 · #5 (**permalink**) 01-21-2002, 07:46 AM

I used Permatex RTV Ultra Black high temp on the pan.
The small oil dribbles I'm getting are coming from the back of the pan. They then roll down towards to front sump, close to the drain plug.
I'll pull the pan today and get it fixed. To bad I just changed the oil last week! Oh well, it's a new motor. Changing the oil now again at 50 miles isn't a bad idea anyway as there is probably some more fine metal shavings in there.
Thanks for the ideas.
Scott

BrianPaul · #6 (**permalink**) 01-21-2002, 08:24 AM

Clois,

I have a 428 also and I am experiencing a leak from my 7 qt Canton pan. I am not using a windage tray so I am using one gasket. The leak is coming from the rear of the pan just inside of the outside of the first stud from the left of the block. It does not run down the pan but seems to whick over to the backing plate of the bellhousing. Is yours doung the same thing? I used the Blue stuff but to no avail. THis is the second time I have had this problem. Fortunatly the engine is still on the test stand. Any ideas?

Brian Paul Prokop

Snakecharmer · #7 (**permalink**) 01-21-2002, 08:51 AM

Hey Scott,

I had the same problem, same pan. I went with the FelPro high performance gasket (4 piece) from Summit and used #2 non-hardening sealant. It allowed me to put a little more torque on the pan bolts and everything is working fine now.

Good luck,

Charmer

scr11 · #8 (**permalink**) 01-21-2002, 11:04 AM

Stretch - I've got a 4 piece Fel Pro gasket set in my garage. I'll get some of the #2 RTV sealer before I take off the pan.
Truthfully, I may not tackle the pan today as I just had the car out for an hour and man that was a blast!

Is is possible I over-powered my car?

Scott

Snakecharmer · #9 (**permalink**) 01-21-2002, 11:11 AM

I know what you mean! Have fun as it's a beautiful day!

Charmer

hdheritage97 · #10 (**permalink**) 01-21-2002, 12:12 PM

Brian, I would say that you have a deffinate rear seal problem. I had the same thing in my 68 KR and I had to change the seal several times before it stopped leaking.

Cliff