Oil pan bolts leaking

[Nadine UK GTS]

Last year I fitted up a bigger oil pan and with new gasket. Been getting a little oil leak when hot, traced it to a couple of the oil pan bolts. No gasket leak at all. I put thread-lock on all the pan bolts, did finger tight, then torqued in sequence from middle out (and double checked!) when I fitted that new pan. I wonder if I removed the offending bolts, and refit now with a copper washer, maybe that will sort things? Any like experiences or advice?

 

[Viper Wizard]

Hi Nadine,
A copper washer is a good idea, you could try a dab of silicone in the bolt hole should do it.

BBQ 45 days and counting!
Scrumpy?

 

[Viper Specialty]

I had this same issue on my car after installing a Pan-Baffle system. Cure was:

1. Remove pan and gasket

2. Clean all bolts, and bolt holes in pan/block with Q-Tips and alcohol/Laquer thinner-(quick dry)/Acetone/Etc.

3. Wipe both pan and block surfaces with an above cleaner, making sure any sealers-such as whats used on the 4 corners-is gone.

4. Wash oil pan gasket with Dish-Soap and WARM water to cut all oil from it. allow to air dry...may help along with cotton towel-(but wipe fibers off when done)

5. Check entire gasket for flat spots, missing peices, etc. and replace if necessary.

6. purchase some Red, high temp RTV silicon sealer, and 4 6" or longer 1/4-20 bolts.

7. place a small drop of RTV on each corner of engine block, where front and rear covers contact block...then spread this drop out thinly in a 1"x1" square.

8. thread the 4 6"+ bolts into pan corners, and allow pan and gasket to hang suspended on the heads of the bolts.

9. AGAIN, make sure Block surface is 100% free of oil drops!

10. Raise pan on 4 Bolt "Guides", and install pan bolts. Tourque bolts from center out, 95 Inch Pounds.

(the guides serve to help keep the RTV on the corners from smearing durring the typical "slide-around" install)

If leaking persists after this,you have either a porous block, porous/warped pan, or a bad gasket.

 

[Ron]

Do the oil rail bolt holes actually ********* into the inside of the block?

 

[RockyTop]

Mine do too. In fact some tech stripped a couple so they fell out ! Helicoil and sealing is probably only realsitic solution. Fairly common issue actually. I just put a shallow dish under each leaking bolt and then recyle the oil back into the oil fill. ;^ )

 

[Tomer]

Daniel (Final GTS), holy cow are you thorough! An inspiration to us all!!!

For my 0.02,I had similar leak on valve cover, from the bolts only, no where else. I used short cuts
compared to Daniel (shame on me), removed the offending 2 bolts, washed em with dish soap and warm
water, thorough dry, dabbed some Mopar (from my friendly Viper Tech, talk about service!) RTV on either
side of the bolt threads, re-installed and torque to proper spec...Even though I obviously did not give
the threaded holes the proper cleaning, the "fix" worked like a charm.

Tomer

 

[Viper Specialty]

NADINE- no, the holes to NOT penatrate into the block cavity.

 

[jimandela]

Dan,
is the man!
I have him on retainer as my personal Vipertech!!!

Next year Dan when my viper will be home for the winter, I think we can add your
kickass oil pan!!

All this talk about your oil system has me thinking it is something i should do!

 

[Nadine UK GTS]

Yep, a few of mine do ********* through into the block!! Select few about the main bearing cross bolt points.
The problem is then that where the bolt head / washer seats, against the pan, is not machined flat, it's rough, straight from the casting!

For now, I'm giving it a try with fresh Lock-tight on the thread, OE washers cut off, and replaced with washers I got from a hydraulics company today, they are steel with a silicon rubber center part (like the oil pan drain plug washer). I don't think it will work though, as the washer won't sit central to the bolt hole due to the closeness to the curve shape of the pan. I will probably end up getting them machined flat (same angle as the pan gasket face).

 

[Viper Specialty]

NADINE- how did some of your bolt holes get poked into the cavity??? I suggest if worse comes to worse on those, assuming enough room, seal them up with loctite and a small grub scew, or put a bunch of Red RTV in the hole and squeeze it up into position with the screw, clean off excess where it flows out of top, allow it to dry, and remove screw. (would have to be done with Pan OFF)

 

[Nadine UK GTS]

I may actually try a cutting tool that fits in a drill (Joel's idea) that seats square in the pan hole, and machine flat that way the pan bolt seat points. ...I'm being lazy, coz I spent ages cleaning and perfectly sealing that new pan gasket (as you say, it can be sliding around job, but I perfected it much as you describe).

 

[Dave T(BADVENM)]

Appears that I'm in the oil pan bolt hole leaking club. I have one bolt toward the front of the motor, drivers side that is leaking. Looks like a very old thread, any updates or changes I should be aware of before
attempting a fix? I have an '02 Viper GTS.

 

[Steve-Indy]

R T V is a popular "fix"...removing the pan bolts one at a time, cleaning bolt, applying a dab of RTV, installing bolt...then on to the next bolt. Yes it is time consuming but worth trying. Some might use the anaerobic type of R. T. V.

 

[Snakewatching]

I see this TSB >> 09-08-97 NOV 97 Engine - Oil Pan Seepage.

But does not have a link on viperclub.org ? Anyone have a copy of TSB for Viper?

 

[ViperJeff]

http://www.viperclub.org/howto/service-bulletins/tsb-1997.php

 

[Dave T(BADVENM)]

For me to remove, clean, reinstall, etc the bolt and RTV does the motor need to be completely cooled down? I need to take the car in town (a few miles) to get it on a lift to do this. Can this be done when the motor and fluids are warm/operating temperature?

 

[Snakewatching]

http://www.viperclub.org/howto/service-bulletins/tsb-1997.php

There is no link for "09-08-97 NOV 97 Engine - Oil Pan Seepage" just the text.

 

[Snakewatching]

R T V is a popular "fix"...removing the pan bolts one at a time, cleaning bolt, applying a dab of RTV, installing bolt...then on to the next bolt. Yes it is time consuming but worth trying. Some might use the anaerobic type of R. T. V.

Steve-Indy, while I was looking up/learning about anaerobic red RTV I found this >> Permatex® PermaShield™ Fuel Resistant Gasket Dressing & Flange Sealant

https://www.permatex.com/products/g...uel-resistant-gasket-dressing-flange-sealant/

 

[Steve-Indy]

I think you find that the anaerobic is required for the dipstick tube sealent.