Thanks to the urging of my fellow forum members, I removed the pan (3 dip) and safty wired the flywheel. Before it gets bolted back on the engine, its my usual practice to tack weld the two inside bolt rails (for the inspection plate) to the pan. Ford didn`t do it this way but it eliminates any downstream problems aligning things, after removing the inspection plate with the engine in the car. Just wondering if anyone else has done this?---any reason NOT to? Thanks, Paul
Welding would work, but just smearing a bit of Permatex #1 gasket cement on the underside surface of those rails works for me. That is when the pan is all clean and dry of oil...
They stay in place in use, and are still there for years
I ran the bolts from the inside, and put nuts on the outside. That makes it easy to keep the horseshoes in place.
rdr
If you want to install an accessory inside oil line, you will need to have those rails loose as they are needed to hold the oil line.
It makes it hard to later install accessory internal oil lines. If you stripped the threads I guess you could still fix it but it would be easier out of the car.
Since the bolt threads actually enter the crank case, I always coat the threads of each inspection plate bolt (as with all bolts that enter the crank case, such as around and under the starter and bendix cover) with Permatex, "The Right Stuff" RTV gasket maker, to seal the threads of each bolt and keep the oil from working it's way down the threads and out through capillary action. One occassional drop from each bolt can add up to a substantial leak on your wife's nice clean garage floor and anywhere you can stop a leak is one less puddle to have to clean up. Jim Patrick
I like Dans suggestion---Permatex #1 is a better way. I appreciate all of the responses, above and THANK-YOU------Paul
Cut the head off of four 2" bolts. Screw them into the bolt rails, shank side down.Use them to line everthing up, Put in a few cover bolts and then take out the 2" Bolts and put in the other cover bolts.
In the old days any auto mechanic worth his salt had a pair of these in his tool box.