Oil pan seal made of nothing but RTV?

Well the oil pan seal leak on the AE92 has become way too fast for comfort. The dealership has none and says the engine needs none, but I can find them online. I could have one sent here but it would take forever and the shipping costs would make NASA cringe (dollars per pound, that's no joke), and then I'd have to pay duty on the parts. Is making a seal of nothing but RTV a good idea? I know making seals isn't easy so even if this is a viable option, I'm probably not going to get it right.

Yes I have a very busy weekend ahead of me...and I haven't posted about any of the Samurai stuff yet.

I can't speak for the Yota, but the Miata (at least the 1.6L motor) only has RTV as a seal on the oil pan.

Basically run a bead down the sides of the windage tray between it and the block, then run a bead all the way around the oil pan and install.

Lots of OEMs do that. Having said that, there are different RTVs. The gray appears to be the most oil resistant but the mating flanges have to be clean, as in no trace of oil. Lacquer thinner on a rag does a great job of getting the mating surfaces clean enough. The black stuff works well too, don't bother with orange, blue, clear, copper hi temp etc.

The FC3S RX-7 had a gasket "optional" from the factory- some had it, some didn't.

ArtOfRuin wrote: The FC3S RX-7 had a gasket "optional" from the factory- some had it, some didn't.

On those I've had the best luck with the gray RTV mentioned above.

Yeah, someone makes a gasket, but Toyota doesn't. I use Ultra Black RTV. I clean everything very well, clean it again with some carb or brake cleaner, then put a bead of RTV on it and snug it up, but not too tight. Then the next day, I tighten it all down.

http://www.permatex.com/products/Automotive/automotive_gasketing/gasket_makers/auto_Permatex_the_Right_Stuff_Gasket_Maker.htm

They says not for use as a head gasket, but they's lyin'.

Yep, The Right Stuff is good stuff.

I have a tube of gray silicon sealing the motor in my Monte Carlo and for 14 years it hasn't leaked. It had a one piece oil pan gasket but a friend helping me change a timing chain cut the front out of it thinking it was multi piece. A big blob of the gray stuff from GM and it's been good as new. I ended up replacing most of the gaskets with it and while it has many problems, it doesn't leak.

I had to reseal the pan on my SE-R and I tried the gray stuff it sucks.I went to the shop next door to my place and asked what they use ends up the use a certain brand of GE window and door caulk.I was pretty hesitant at first but two years later not a single drip.The owner said his brother has used it for years on his drag cars.If you can hold off till Monday I'll get you the part number for it.Another bonus is it dries clear so you don't have some gray turds hanging off the side of your oil pan.

certain mazda cars couldn't use oil pan gaskets. fel-pro and the like make them for them, but if you try to put the pan with gasket on, the bolts won't reach to the threads.in the block.

Right Stuff is what we use at Flyin' Miata. You can get it in a pressurized can that makes it really easy to lay down a nice bead

been using GE clear silicone II (the $5-6 a tube stuff) from home depot for years with no troubles.

grinch77 wrote: I had to reseal the pan on my SE-R and I tried the gray stuff it sucks.I went to the shop next door to my place and asked what they use ends up the use a certain brand of GE window and door caulk.

I never heard of that, but I had a bitch of a time sealing the oil pan on my old SE-R as well. I tried it with RTV 3 times before I finally found out Fel-Pro made a gasket for it ($6 from Autozone) and after that, no more leaks.

My E30 had a while side missing from the oilpan gasket when i got it (found out when i replaced the oilpan) and it was all orange RTV keeping it from leaking. (it would drip on occasion)

I just got the new gasket and put it in right and havent had a drop out of it.

They make the optional gasket for cars that have damaged flanges or tweaked pans. Get it clean and follow the tightening sequence in the manual, and RTV will probaby work great.

If you want to be cheap...er, grassroots, go to the Dow Corning site. Check out their nice assortment of RTVs. Plain stuff to military spec. Just request a free sample.

My 1983 Camaro (2.8) had silicone gaskets on the valve covers and oil pan from the factory. I think they got the application tool from Krispy Kreme. The oozed-out material made its way to the oil pump screen, clogged it, and spun a bearing.

I have used the nissan brand red gasket maker with great succes where other sealants didn't work so well.

When I ordered a all the gaskets/seal/O-rings to R&R the top ends on a Ducati 900SS I used to own, (Ducati 2V motors in 92-93 had a little problem w/ cylinder studs) all the paper ones had superseded to Loctite 518. It was also the fix recommended by KTM's tech guys when the fuel level sender started puking gas.

For a pan use Permatex silicone, Right Stuff, Yamabond 4 or it's equivalent from 3 Bond. Do make everything surgically clean.

I took a Toyota tech training course on rebuilding engines, and for the 5sfe's they had us rebuilding all that was supposed to be used as RTV

If your really worried about it just make sure you use the RTV for imports (black?) as its supposed to have move give to compensate for mating to metals with different thermal expansion like import engines like to do.

RedS13Coupe wrote: If your really worried about it just make sure you use the RTV for imports (black?) as its supposed to have move give to compensate for mating to metals with different thermal expansion like import engines like to do.

I don’t think there has been any automotive engine made any where in the past 15 years that doesn’t use dissimilar metals at mating surfaces. Different coefficients of expansion in metals can be accommodated with proper fastener selection and spacing during the engineering phase. That being said I also use a black or gray silicone I have from my Mercedes days. Black for any time there is a stamped steel-mating surface. The gray is for machined surfaces (except head gaskets). I am about out of both and need to find replacements.

Ya know, that Loctite 518 is good stuff. I wouldn't use it for an oil pan but to seal a cut gasket IMHO it has no equal!

porksboy wrote:

RedS13Coupe wrote: If your really worried about it just make sure you use the RTV for imports (black?) as its supposed to have move give to compensate for mating to metals with different thermal expansion like import engines like to do.

I don’t think there has been any automotive engine made any where in the past 15 years that doesn’t use dissimilar metals at mating surfaces. Different coefficients of expansion in metals can be accommodated with proper fastener selection and spacing during the engineering phase. That being said I also use a black or gray silicone I have from my Mercedes days. Black for any time there is a stamped steel-mating surface. The gray is for machined surfaces (except head gaskets). I am about out of both and need to find replacements.

Thats why I said if your really worried about it rather then insisting it to be a necessity regardless... Just telling him what the permitech rep who came and spoke to our class said.