Aftermarket gasket sucks. Oem is rtv only. This is outlined in the factory service manual

pauleyman said:

Aftermarket gasket sucks. Oem is rtv only. This is outlined in the factory service manual

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Yeah that’s what I read. He got a cork gasket and I’ve seen some people have had luck with those. Thanks for the info I’ll relay to him

stay away from cork gaskets

I've gone the rtv only route before, but I'm not a fan. Makes it a real PITA to get back off when you have to, and then you have scrap and clean all the surfaces to put it all back together. I've switched back to using a gasket (not the cork). A trick I learned from my father in law is to take a nail set and put in each bolt hole and tap with a hammer to slightly bend the metal of the oil pan lip - then when you tighten those 10mm down everything flattens back out and makes a nice tight seal. The other tip is to drive the car for about a week and then get back under it and tighten the oil pan bolts another 1/4 turn. Do that, and it won't leak.

There's not too many dsm's that don't spot oil from somewhere, but if you do it right, it won't.

I will go on record as saying Im not a fan of oil pan gaskets, any gasket at all made of cork is junk anyway, the factory used sealant for a reason.

Rtv only. Make sure you properly let the rtv cure for 24hours

I use permatex the right stuff rtv. This is as close to mitsubond as you can get and you don't have to let it cure. This stuff is magical. Only problem is removal. I use a wire wheel on my drill to remove rtv quick.

I used permatex ultra grey. The way it's written grey is for the ones you never want to remove

Also, my car had a cork rtv sandwich on it, and that caused the bolt holes for the pan to deform. It was hell to remove it, but it was leaking because the pan bolt holes were deformed.

I had to make a metal former to flatten the edges of the pan using an old pry bar and a hammer.

So cork is no good, it will deform you pan. You want the pan and the block to mate surface to surface, which is why you use a thin layer of rtv and let it cure the full 24 hours

My 96 has been leak free ever since (4years ago). I have surface rust on my oil pan and a few oil pan bolts now

I love "The Right Stuff" best sealant I have ever used! Esp. for oil pans

I only use rtv anymore and a new replacement oil pan they can be had for around 50. makes a world of difference, but yeah a pita to remove. I use a wide putty knife around the edge to cut it usually you only need to do the front side along the radiator then you can pop it off. I don't get hung up on the type of rtv as long as its oil compatible it'll work just fine. Mitsubond isn't some mythical goop that I can justify spending 43 dollars a tube on.