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The original small block 4-piece oil gaskets are notorious for leaking, and if it leaks it's no easy gasket to change! If you have to install or change the oil gasket, you will want to do it only once and do it the right way. A new one-piece oil gasket has been developed for the 1956 to 1974 small block V8 engines that will make this difficult job a breeze. The gasket is made of high-temperature silicone and with one construction so there will be little chance of oil leakage.
Time Frame: 2 hours
Original and replacement small block oil gaskets consist of a front and rear neoprene seal with a left and right side cork rail gasket. Leakage between the gasket ends and around the cork is quite common.
The front neoprene seal fits in a groove on the bottom of the timing cover, while the rear neoprene seal fits in a groove on the rear main cap.
The side rail gaskets have tabs at each end that will slip under the front and rear neoprene seals.
At the joints where the rails meet the front and rear seals, most engine builders will apply a small dab of gasket sealer to try and prevent leakage at the corners of the oil pan.
With the old-style gaskets and seals in place, the oil pan can be bolted to the bottom of the engine block. This is easy to do with the engine upside down on an engine stand, but if the engine is in the car, it can be a juggling act. This is where the trouble begins when using the old cork and neoprene 4-piece oil gasket. The sheet metal oil pan is never flat (particularly one that is 50 years old) and when bolting the oil pan to the bottom of the block, you may experience tight spots where the oil gasket will squeeze out. Mechanics sometimes glue the gasket to the block, and leaks may still happen.
Here is the answer to this long-time issue: a one-piece oil gasket! The new one-piece oil gasket is silicone with steel ring inserts at each bolt hole. The steel rings allow the oil pan bolt to crush the gasket for sealing, but not too tight to squeeze the gasket out.
The one-piece oil gasket will just about fall into place. All of the oil pan bolt holes and the dipstick hole will line up. Installation is a breeze even if the engine is in the car. When installing the silicone oil gasket, no gasket sealer is needed.
With the block and oil pan clean of any oil, bolt the oil pan to the block. Work your way around the oil pan several times until all bolts are tightened the same amount. The one-piece oil gasket makes a tough job easy, and you can bet you won't have an oil leak.