Hi guys. I was just wonder if you have som advise when installing gasket and etc. This winter i have just finished my first Y block, but later this summer it startet leaking. It looks like the oil pan,oil pump, crankcase vent house and even the oil plugg on the oil pan is leaking a little bit. Its not much, but its kinda anoying. You know, the oil leaks here and there in the street. Also, do i need to take the engine out to take off the oil pan ? The car is a 55 ford 272 Yblock.



Best regards

Robin Norway

Make sure the gasket surfaces are clean and flat. If there are any gouges, fill them with epoxy and file flat. Make sure the bolts are tight.

I usually apply a very thin coat of silicon, and I mean very thin, get a dab on your finger and spread it onto the gasket.

You do not want to torque the fasteners for the oil pan when using a cork gasket. If you do, the gasket will squish out. Tighten it by feel while watching how the gasket behaves. You will need thread sealant on the two rear, center pan bolts or studs.


Lawrenceville, GA

If you do a good inspection, you might save yourself a lot of extra work. Start looking at the highest point where oil can leak on the engine and work your way to the bottom of the engine. It will flow down the back side of the block, along the pan rails, and drip from several spots. Start with the valve covers, PCV or road draft tube, and valley pan. If not seeing a leak, check the oil sending unit, fuel pump, block plug. Then the oil pan gasket, timing cover and crank seal, dipstick tube, oil pan to pump tube and oil pump. You also can get a oil leak kit that has a florescent dye you add to the crankcase and run the engine. Then you can shine a light around and trace where it is coming from at the highest point. It may be as simple as retightening the valve covers, pan bolts, etc.

57 Black Tbird 312/auto

One of the proactive things I did in mine when I rebuilt it was to use machine screws to hold the valley pan.I drilled and tapped for about 6-8 machine screws around the valley pan.The big problem with the valley pan is the way it is mounted with 2 bolts towards the centre.Too tight and the edges lift.Too loose and it leaks around the edges.A lot of times oil runs down the back making it look like the rear main is leaking.I did however end up with a slight leak somewhere.Havent found it yet but I will check the oil filter and see if its not comming from there next time I take the filter off.

  

The valley pan is a problem. Mine have 2 screws who are locatet in the center off the block as you say. Maybe i drill those hole this winter. The oil filter is also leaking, i have considering to buy spin on filter adapter. Anyone experience with the concour/Dennis carpenter adapters ? Thank you for the advise, i will check it out. If i have to remove the oil pan, do i have to take the whole engine out ? Like i told you, its a 55 ford fairline.



Best Regards

Robin Norway

By removing and moving some of the pieces on the bottom of the car, the pan will come out without pulling the engine.  You will probalby have to unhook the mounts and jack the engine up some to allow the pan to slide out.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

If you are looking for Y-Block parts try "joblot.com".They have a large selection of Y-block motor parts at reasonable cost.The oil filter spin on kit is $15.00.These parts are stock items not high performance.My buddy just ordered parts from them.Very helpful.You might ask them by email to send you a catalog.

  

You can remove pan in car, rotate engine to #1 on TDC, this puts the crank throws up into block and i drop the sway bar mounts, loosen the big nut on the pickup tube on side of pan , then undo totaly the nut fitting that goes into oil pump and drop sump down to clear rear cap studs and presto! she,s out!.

  AussieBill            YYYY    Forever Y Block     YYYY

 Down Under, Australia

If you do decide to drill and tap for screws on the valley pan get a good quality drill bit.It is NOT hard to drill and tap the cast iron block.Just watch on the sides where there are ribs in a couple of places.Drill a little over from them.6-8 spaced out is sufficient.Do this and the pan will never leak again.I think "Hoosier" gave me this suggestion.If the oil plug is leaking you can buy the correct copper washers for that from "joblot".Much better than the plastic ones others sell and they also have new replacement screw in plugs which are the big size and hard to find.Did you put a new neoprene seal on the oil tube where it goes into the oil pump?

  

Thanks for the help guys. When i rebuilded my Y i ordered the gasket sett from fel pro. This is the gasket that was following the kit and noe is mounted on the bottom part off the engine.



-Seal on the drain plug, this one was in cobber from what i remember, and it was the same shape like the old one. (I also think it follow a plastic seal like mentioned here) But the cobber seal that was in the gasket sett is mounted. Am not shure, bit i think it begin to leak not before several months after i staret the engine.



-Cobber seal on the oil tube(Innside the oil pan), No seal on the nut outside the pan. The one on the innside was a flat cobber seal.



-Seal on the innlet tube (Tube to oil pump) This one was a bigger one, and also have the same shape as the old one.

It looks to me that the gasket between the pump and the engine is leaking. It looks a little thin, maybe a ticker one would be better ?



Best regards

Robin Norway