Flat Head Oil Pan Help

Hello, hopefully someone can shed some light on what I am missing.

I got rid of a chrome oil pan on my flat head due to leakage and installed a steel one. I have the one piece front seal on my engine. When I reinstalled the pan I filled up the valley in the pan that meets the seal using The Right Stuff from Permatex as well as coated the bottom of the seal. I also put dabs of The Right Stuff in the areas where the cork gasket meets the seal. I did cut a fork style pattern into the cork so it would fit around the seal tightly. I'll be removing the pan for a third time because it is still leaking, not as much as the first time I tried but still leaking. What am I missing? Should I be leaving the valley in the pan where the seal sits empty of silicone so drain back can happen through that drain hole? Should I be using something other than The Right Stuff. I have tried calling a few of the flat head builders and the ones I've talked to have never used the one piece seal. Any help would be MUCH APPRECIATED...

Thank you

 

I had one but took it out. The rope seal works great. It is the one place that does not leak. I would pull the front cover and the pan and put the rope seal in. The one piece seal is a solution for a non existing problem. PS, I have several that came in the Speedway gasket kits if anybody wants one!

 

I use the one piece units and have had good luck with them. If you look at the recess in the pan where the seal sits, you should see the little weep hole that points back into the pan. If your one piece seal also has a weep hole, you should position the two together. Also, you do have the slinger on there, right? I use just plain clear silicone around the one piece seals and I really like the Best Gasket pan gaskets.

But, Andy has a good point in that you don't ever hear of any problems with the front rope gaskets. I think the tip there is to soak the gasket in oil for a day or two before installing.

 

I have the one piece seal also and never had any problems with it. Been in there at least eight years. As 36tbird says, Do you have the slinger on. Is it facing the right direction? Also, does the surface the seal is riding on have a worn spot on it or have spiral grooves in it. If so, you need a smooth one or they make a shim that covers the spiral grooves.

 

Thank you for the responses so far. I didn't install the seal myself, it was in place when I bought the car so I'm not entirely sure what you mean by 'slinger'. I don't believe there is a worn spot nor does it have spiral grooves I don't think. When I have it off again I'll have another look. I'm new to the flat head world. I am using Best Gaskets, they are great quality. As far as pulling it apart to put in the rope seals, wouldn't I have to pull the crank pulley to do that? My flat head is in a 32 Ford so space as you well know it at a premium and I'd hate to have to pull the rad assembly as I just had the heads off this winter to replace gaskets....but sometimes you gotta do what ya gotta do...

 

Just curious too, 36T Bird, when you said plain white silicone, you're not talking about your run of the mill silicone used for bathrooms etc available at Home Depot are you? Being in Canada I find a lot of products aren't available here when they are in the US, not speaking of that run of the mill silicone. Just some stuff when I have been to Napa isn't available here due to different laws and regulations regarding their chemical make up. Silly if you ask me...

 

Oh and another related question, does anyone know what might dissolve what I have used, The Right Stuff, when it comes to taking the pan off again. I'm having a hard time finding out what might be best to use.

 

No, I said "clear" silicone, but black or red, wouldn't matter. I have not resorted to using bathroom calk yet on any of my cars.

A tip I found on the Fordbarn was that all you have to use on the intake manifold is grease as a sealant. It makes it nice for re-using. I have been thinking about trying this on the pan side of the pan gasket so that it would not be ruined if I have to drop the pan again. (I am having an issue with some oil pumps being too low pressure.) I'll permatex glue the pan gasket to the block side and try grease on the other side. It may not be a working idea but I put a lot of trust in those Best Gaskets.

 

It's possible that the seal was not installed properly. If you aren't careful, the spiral ring can get dislodged and not allow the seal to work properly.