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Windage tray/gasket?!??

oldschoolpontiacs

oldschoolpontiacs

New member
:th_angry-cussing: Arrrgh WTF is this baloneycrap? I'm resealing my sisters new motor before tossing it into the car, pulled the oil pan off and there's no gasket! There's just a plastic windage tray with an integrated silicone gasket. I'm guessing you have to buy the whole windage tray to seal the oil pan up (yes it was leaking, and badly)? Has anyone successfully reused a windage tray?
 


Could try RTV'ing the hell out of both sides of the old one with high temp copper RTV. But, it's not worth it to have to pull it if it doesn't work. Just get a new gasket (which is one and the same as the windage tray).
 
As long as that one is not cracked you can re use it no problem. I have preped the block 100% when I put a brand new one on and it still leaked after time. RTV it and you will be fine. I just used the Grey high temp RTV
 
Hmm so you figure it's actually better to reuse it? I was thinking about digging all the silicone out of it and reusing the channel, I'm also wondering about the effectiveness of it stock because on this engine it was leaking like a sieve after 113,000kms (about 70k miles). What's everyones experiences with these things in OEM form? Do they usually hold up well or not so much?
 


the oil pan gasket usually leaks. just run a small bead around both the sides of the gasket and your good to go. dont use much, if you do it will squish out in the inside, break off and get sucked up in the oil pump.
 
oldschoolpontiacs said:
Hmm so you figure it's actually better to reuse it? I was thinking about digging all the silicone out of it and reusing the channel, I'm also wondering about the effectiveness of it stock because on this engine it was leaking like a sieve after 113,000kms (about 70k miles). What's everyones experiences with these things in OEM form? Do they usually hold up well or not so much?
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The gasket will leak regardless. Like I said I installed a brand new one, Did ALL the prep work. Cleaned EVERYTHING. Torqued everything down correctly.


And it still leaked. The next time I had the engine apart I reused the stock one and smeared silicone on both sides. I have NEVER had a problem since.


GM was having problems with these things sealing from the factory.



Trust me.
 
Yeah, I think there was even a TSB about it instructing the dealers to use RTV to seal it back up. IIRC, the Series III gasket just has a channel for RTV, no rubber seal.
 
Scimmia said:
Yeah, I think there was even a TSB about it instructing the dealers to use RTV to seal it back up. IIRC, the Series III gasket just has a channel for RTV, no rubber seal.
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You are correct. They sure did.
 


To add:

Late S2 H-body used an aluminum pan with a groove and rubber gasket much like a VC gasket. Those leaked like crazy, too.

(As stated, by S3 GM gave up on the gasket and used just RTV)

As others have said, RTV both sides of that ****ty plastic windage tray-style gasket. Also put an extra gob of RTV on the bottom of the engine, at each of the four points where the covers (front and rear) meet the block.
 
The gasket/windage tray is about 50 bucks at the dealership. I used GM engine sealant on both sides and used thread locker on the bolts and torqued to spec. No problems in 6 months.
 


just for the record, i also just ran a bead of RTV around mine when i installed it (black RTV) and it hasnt leaked one drop yet.
 
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