Oil pan gasket replacement questions. 99 Tahoe z71

[Baylee Brown]

Before I replace my oil pan gasket, I put a new timing chain in along with a new (plastic) cover. While doing that, the top part of gasket from the oil pan came off with the old timing chain cover so I put some gasket sealer on it and put the new cover on. I got about 5 months out of it before noticing a drop of oil today underneath. My question... do I have to purchase another timing chain cover if I replace the oil pan gasket? — or anything else I should know before replacing?

 

[OR VietVet]

Get ready to get dirty. If you have not done an oil pan before then you tube it. You will not need a new cover. Just make sure when you reassemble that all gasket surfaces are free from the old gasket and completely clean/spotless and I personally use a good AC Delco or Permatex gasket sealer to help hold gaskets in place but don't go crazy with it. A good thin even film is all I use and have had good luck with that. Make sure you use a good gasket set. I like Fel Pro but AC Delco gaskets are good too. When I reinstall everything I like to let the sealer cure for 8 hours or so before I restart the engine. Others here will say different but I am old and set in my ways. Oh, in case I have not made it clear, MAKE SURE SURFACES ARE CLEAN!

 

[exp500]

Baylee, wash it first. Verify leak(s). Retorque oil pan. Wash, verify leak, then replace pan gasket and cover gasket. Use some RTV on front pan seal and at corners of pan and along the pan side of front and rear. just enough to give a little sqeeze . Gaskets on vortec stay in place good. If it is a rear main seal leak try a cheap stop leak like Bars leak for oil. If it works it will only work once, after that its move transmission back to replace rear main seal.

 

[willxfs]

Good luck with the oil pan gasket. It's a process but pretty doable if you are determined. The engine will have to be lifted about 2-3 inches off the mounts to get the oil pan out if your rig is 4wd. Also, you will likely have to rotate the crank shaft via the harmonic balancer bolt in order to get the crankshaft counter weights out of the way to wiggle the oil pan out.