Oil pan gasket and pickup tube seal replacement

[JonnyTahoe]

Hey Matt. I would start another thread for further questions (no matter how related they may seem) This is my thread. You'll get more visibility with your own I assure you. A service manual has all the pictures you need. I'll give this one to ya but I'm pretty tired answering questions that can be answered easily with a service manual subscription or via a quick Google pictures search.


View attachment 215996

Great Diagram.

 

[Mr T]

HELP! I've been doing the same job to my '08 Denali 6.2L. Loosened the steering linkage for it to drop, removed the axles but that much of a drop for the differential still wouldn't let me get the pan out. Thus, I removed the front differential. Was able to have free access to clean out the block and pan and apply RTV on the corners and front and back.

My troubles is I have the pan back in, all connections made and steering linkage in tight and right. Used thread lock on those as I saw it on there when I removed each long bolt. HOWEVER, I am really struggling how to get that differential back into its proper position. I don't have a lift; I do have a son helping me jack the differential while I try to teas it into position. I ran out of strength and am calling it a night. I just couldn't figure out the right angle to get it to slip in. Does ANYONE know how to angle it when lifting the front differential into position? I know you let the passenger-side hang low at first, but do I twist it? Any suggestion would be very welcome!!!

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

HELP! I've been doing the same job to my '08 Denali 6.2L. Loosened the steering linkage for it to drop, removed the axles but that much of a drop for the differential still wouldn't let me get the pan out. Thus, I removed the front differential. Was able to have free access to clean out the block and pan and apply RTV on the corners and front and back.

My troubles is I have the pan back in, all connections made and steering linkage in tight and right. Used thread lock on those as I saw it on there when I removed each long bolt. HOWEVER, I am really struggling how to get that differential back into its proper position. I don't have a lift; I do have a son helping me jack the differential while I try to teas it into position. I ran out of strength and am calling it a night. I just couldn't figure out the right angle to get it to slip in. Does ANYONE know how to angle it when lifting the front differential into position? I know you let the passenger-side hang low at first, but do I twist it? Any suggestion would be very welcome!!!

Hrm... i ran into a little trouble but not much...

I supported the pumpkin part of diff with jack. Another person SLOWLY raised jack as i held diff in alignment.

We had to raise and lower a couple times to get it right.

I first put in top most bolt then fiddled with jack to get lower bolt in.

Lastly torque tube...

I left all bolts completely loose. Just enough threads on nut to hold nut on. Once everything fit i tightened things up..

Oh and if you took steering arm appart.... you will want to redo with castle nuts or red locktite. You dont want that puppie comming apart on you.

Last note i still have a leak. I think seal on my front cover is also compramised

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[SnowDrifter]

Five seconds without oil pressure is not scary.

Speak for yourself! I about shit myself waiting for the queue time after doing anything major. Seconds feel like hours to me until everything normalizes. Start the thing. Tick. Did it go right? Tick. Hope I didn't **** something up. Tick. Oh **** did I tighten this bolt? Tick. Nothing's happening. Should it be happening? Oh jeez oh man!! Tick. Phew everything's alright

 

[Mr T]

Hrm... i ran into a little trouble but not much...

I supported the pumpkin part of diff with jack. Another person SLOWLY raised jack as i held diff in alignment.

We had to raise and lower a couple times to get it right.

I first put in top most bolt then fiddled with jack to get lower bolt in.

So you don't require any special angle or lifting? Perhaps what isn't working for me is I thought it had to be slid up into the pocket at a slant then rotated somehow. Last night was painful as I was worn out after all the work was done and this sucker weights at least 75 to 100 lbs.

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

So you don't require any special angle or lifting? Perhaps what isn't working for me is I thought it had to be slid up into the pocket at a slant then rotated somehow. Last night was painful as I was worn out after all the work was done and this sucker weights at least 75 to 100 lbs.

Nope goes straight up and in. Mine had a tendancy to not want to stay aligned. So i had to hold it level as guiding it in. It likes to droop to the one side.

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[Matahoe]

My guess would be the oil sensor. I think i had same problem way back when on my camaro. Actually felt it would be hard to mess up the job... but interestingly was way easier on the camaro.

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Well here is the much needed and helpful news all of you have been waiting for!

(spoiler alert) What I can tell you is that my leak is not from any of the sensors I removed. those were dry. Ok...read on.

So in a nutshell this is was I did today:

Basically I raised the front on jackstands and took a really long 3 hour look at the pan. That's all. Pretty much just got under and starting looking from the front of the pan..working all the way back trying to see where the leak started. Because as you know when you are going down the road the wind blows the oil backwards... into the bell housing area. That is exactly where I found the droplets forming and falling to the ground. But the oil was on both sides of the bell housing. Not good in my opinion.

I looked and looked ...pretty much looked at everything I worked on or touched.

What I found was a bit confusing to me. It turns out that the first 90% of the pan was dry. I didn't see any leaks on the pan (wish i would have took pics). But the back 10% of the pan was wet.

I also must mention that I first checked he whole front differential assembly as i was crawling up under from the front. The whole assembly was completely dry. Guess I did a bang up job on replacing those seals.

Now I looked back too the row of bolts at the rear part of the oil pan. They were all wet. I had to remove the starter to see if the crank sensor was leaking or not. Nope, dry. Tried to look up to a highest point. I looked all around the pan. Everywhere above the pan sealing surface was dry. In desperation I removed the flex plate and torque converter inspection covers (those round stainless covers). No leaks found under those. The torque converter was dry and so was the flex plate. big relief...but now i am worried the pan gasket is definitely leaking. Crap...it's the only thing left. No sensors leaking, oil filter not leaking, rear main seal not leaking....nothing else left to blame.

I gave up for the night. In desperation I threw in a small bottle of ACDelco fluorescent oil dye so the leaks would show up next time under UV light. I also tightened up a few of those rear oil pan bolts. probably over tightened a few im sure.

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

Well here is the much needed and helpful news all of you have been waiting for!

(spoiler alert) What I can tell you is that my leak is not from any of the sensors I removed. those were dry. Ok...read on.

So in a nutshell this is was I did today:

Basically I raised the front on jackstands and took a really long 3 hour look at the pan. That's all. Pretty much just got under and starting looking from the front of the pan..working all the way back trying to see where the leak started. Because as you know when you are going down the road the wind blows the oil backwards... into the bell housing area. That is exactly where I found the droplets forming and falling to the ground. But the oil was on both sides of the bell housing. Not good in my opinion.

I looked and looked ...pretty much looked at everything I worked on or touched.

What I found was a bit confusing to me. It turns out that the first 90% of the pan was dry. I didn't see any leaks on the pan (wish i would have took pics). But the back 10% of the pan was wet.

I also must mention that I first checked he whole front differential assembly as i was crawling up under from the front. The whole assembly was completely dry. Guess I did a bang up job on replacing those seals.

Now I looked back too the row of bolts at the rear part of the oil pan. They were all wet. I had to remove the starter to see if the crank sensor was leaking or not. Nope, dry. Tried to look up to a highest point. I looked all around the pan. Everywhere above the pan sealing surface was dry. In desperation I removed the flex plate and torque converter inspection covers (those round stainless covers). No leaks found under those. The torque converter was dry and so was the flex plate. big relief...but now i am worried the pan gasket is definitely leaking. Crap...it's the only thing left. No sensors leaking, oil filter not leaking, rear main seal not leaking....nothing else left to blame.

I gave up for the night. In desperation I threw in a small bottle of ACDelco fluorescent oil dye so the leaks would show up next time under UV light. I also tightened up a few of those rear oil pan bolts. probably over tightened a few im sure.

I still have a leak but not from the pan. There is oil on my starter. Just ever so little bit of oil. And also oil coming down onto rear of bell housing. It is not enough to drip but is there and lights up w my dye i put in.

I didnt know about sensor above starter. I may have to check that. Thanks

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[Matahoe]

Your leak description is exactly like mine. Perhaps because we used RTV or we put it on the wrong area. That waffle looking area might actually be a symbol to not put anything on that area? Who knows.

The instructions did say to use a specific sealant. When I had the pan off I checked both the block machined surface and oil pan surface to see if they were 100% flat. The pan was a bit off. Didn't think anything of it. I was hoping the gasket would fill in any gaps.

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

Your leak description is exactly like mine. Perhaps because we used RTV or we put it on the wrong area. That waffle looking area might actually be a symbol to not put anything on that area? Who knows.

The instructions did say to use a specific sealant. When I had the pan off I checked both the block machined surface and oil pan surface to see if they were 100% flat. The pan was a bit off. Didn't think anything of it. I was hoping the gasket would fill in any gaps.

I cannot find a single leak anywhere on the oil oan tho. It appears to be coming from higher on mine. I had kind of woundered if perhaps is leaky intake gasket. But i cannot see back of engine to confirm. My leak is so slow i am just ignoring it for now.

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