whats the best way to change the oil pan gasket on my 95z28 camaro

 

The timing chain cover needs to be removed as the front of the oil pan gasket is covered by the timing cover. A lot of guys don't pull the timing chain cover and have leaks later.

 

You got that backwards. The oil pan goes over the timing cover. The timing cover does not have to be disturbed to change the oil pan gasket. Now, if the timing cover gasket is leaking, then it needs to be replaced while the oil pan is off, because the oil pan goes on after the timing cover.

 

Nah, that's not correct. You can change the gasket without removing the timing chain cover and have zero problems. You do have to loosen and lower the oil pan to change the gasket on the timing cover....

 

When I did mine I took out the two long motor mount bolts. Used my engine hoist to lift the motor up while making sure I didn't crush my oil pressure sender. Drained the oil and remove the oil level sensor. Pull your dipstick (I left the dipstick tube in) then with a little wiggling slide the pan out. When you put the pan back on I like to use plenty of RTV.

 

I've used this same method and had it done in about 2-3 hours in my driveway. I prefer to put the gasket on dry though. With just a few dabs of RTV on the corners of the timing cover and rear main.

 

when i did it like that i couldnt get enough clearance between the motor and the subframe to get the pan completely off, i still managed to get the gasket in but it was a pain getting it around the oil pickup tube. to get it all the way off i had to unbolt the subframe and drop it a few inches, then come to find out that what i thought was a bad oil pump turned out to be a spun rod bearing when i seen it shreded at the bottom of my oil pan

 

I replaced my pan gasket by just letting the pan drop as far as it would go (a little over an inch). cut the old gasket, took it out, cut the new one on the driver side a long diagonal and sealed the cut with ultra copper. Years ago and not a drop of leak yet. Next time the pan comes off, that part that is stuck on both sides of the gasket with sealant is going to be a problem, though.

 

I would not recomend doing it that way but if it worked then good for u

 

Me neither. This resulted from a mistake. I had to replace a clutch and wanted to replace the rear main seal. The way to do this is prize the seal out with two screwdrivers but this isn't what the manual says to do. I dropped the pan and took out the seal by removing the bottom piece that is part of the pan seal. Major failure, big leak when I put it back together. Then I replaced the damaged gasket and it worked ok, at least up to now.

 

Thanks for correcting my mistake; sorry for the mis-information.

 

I just put my rebuilt engine in last week and I have a small oil leak from the oil pan gasket at the front along the timing cover. Unfortunately I followed the Fel-Pro instructions to install it completely dry. Next time I will use some rtv at least at the seams, maybe even the whole bottom of the timing cover. I installed the gasket while the block was on the motor stand so it was under perfect conditions. Never dry again.

 

I replaced my oil pan gasket a number of years back, but I 'cheated' and didn't remove the pan all the way.

- Drop the pan as far as you can go, like an inch or so.
- Take the new gasket and slide it *under* the pan, such that it is sitting under the oil pan, against the K-Member.
- Gently (!) stretch it, one side and then the other, onto each pan rail.
- Inspect to make sure you didn't tear it. Mine had no issues.
- Voila, only 10 minutes spent.

 

I did mine the same way by stretching the gasket over the oil pan worked out great.