[DeTomaso] oil leak questions

[cengles at cox.net]

Dear Chris,

While you might be able to seal it up with externally applied RTV, I think the chances are low. Dropping the pan and applying a gob of RTV goop might work but you're applying it to two surfaces already oil covered and there is a small risk of some of the goop getting loose and then into the oil pump and thence....possibly onward. I suspect that you'll likely come to a persistent and frustrating leak and your three options would be live with it, pull the engine and fix things completely or raise the car, drop the pan and change the rear main seal and oil pan gasket and inspect from below. I think you may well end up with option number three, IMHO.

Sympathetically yours, Chuck Engles


---- Christopher Kimball <chrisvkimball at msn.com> wrote:
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> Thanks, guys. Would it be better to just run a bead of the RTV around the offending corner, or do I have to loosen all the bolts and lower the pan a bit to squirt the RTV in between the oil pan and the block? It seems as if I lower the pan, then the rest of the gasket might tear or get otherwise goofed up.
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> Sincerely,
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> Chris
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> Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2010 15:05:13 -0700
> From: teampantera at yahoo.com
> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] oil leak questions
> To: JDeRyke at aol.com; chrisvkimball at msn.com; detomaso at realbig.com
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> Been there - done that.....if you are driving it at baby speeds it might work....bigger question is WHY it leaked in the first place.
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> Mad Dawg Antenucci
> Team Pantera Racing
> "Fastest Street Pantera in the World"
> www.teampanteraracing.com
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> From: "JDeRyke at aol.com" <JDeRyke at aol.com>
> To: chrisvkimball at msn.com; detomaso at realbig.com
> Sent: Wed, April 28, 2010 11:21:42 AM
> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] oil leak questions
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> Chris, you CAN fix this stuff with the engine still in the car and without
> disturbing the ZF. First, the pan will drop about 3" with the bolts out.
> That gives enough room to replace the front gasket corner with a blob of GOOD
> automotive RTV (I like Permatex, personally). This is not the stuff sold at
> Home Depot for house weatherstrip repairs.
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> The rear main seal can be replaced in the car but to do this, the pan must
> come completely off and you'll need a 0-150 ft-lbs torque wrench. So before
> you do what's necessary to remove the oil pan, be very sure its not just the
> back end of the pan gasket as seems to be the problem in the front. Good
> luck- J DeRyke
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