Oil leak
 

I just got done putting my smallblock in my car and firing it up. Took it for a ride and I get back to the garage and I got oil dripping off the front suspension :evil: I take a closer look and its my front main seal were it meets the timing cover. So What I'm asking is does any one have any tricks to putting a new gasket in while in the car :?:

Leak
 

What manufacturer? I've had pretty good luck with the Felpro one piece gaskets in the SBC.

Confused me, is it the gasket, or the seal?

I think He is talking about the front pan seal where the timing cover meets the pan....If so, I would blast it good with brake Cleaner and run a bead of silicone over it then smooth it with my finger....shit I do that with it while it's on the engine stand...never had one leak yet....knock on wood. It is a pain to replace the gasket in the car but I've done it...either got to get the pan loose or pull the dowel pins from the front of the block to get the cover off...if you have a chrome timing chain cover that's probably why it leaked...wire brush the chrome off or rough it up if that is the case.

If you are talking about the seal in the center of the cover where the balancer goes that one would be easy to change...but I've never had one leak. Is the balancer rusty or rough where the seal rides? Are you sure the balancer is all the way back onto the crank?

Leak
 

I think it is the seal that goes across the pan on the front main on a SBC. But, it could be the front seal on the timing chain because we don't even know what engine it is yet. Hell, maybe it's an arctic seal. :?

Re: Leak
 

It is a Chevy because he has a Chevelle....He has mentioned that in previous posts is why I know(I think I know)

You have to run the correct lip seal for the timing cover you have also. There are 2 different thickness...

sorry aqbout the confusion. I had the SBC on the stand and put a aluminum timing cover on it and a milodon deep sump pan because I had this problem before. It seemed like the gasket pushed up in the timing cover to far??? I guess I should have put the rtv to it more?

Wrong gasket it sounds like...

HUH?
What do you mean pushed up in the cover, that doesnt make no sense at all.

I'd try what Tod suggested as a quick fix, but before you get in a hurry and crank it up to check for leaks, let it set overnight, preferably 24 hours or more to let the silicon completely cure.

If that doesn't work you'll have to take the pan off and replace the gasket, depending on what chassis you have, sometimes it's easier to go ahead and pull the motor rather than fight it tooth, fang and claw laying on your back.

Goodluck>Cp