MTFCA Forum

Normally, I use Ultra Black on both sides of the gasket which makes it hard to take the cover off without destroying the gasket and the subsequent scraping and cleaning. How dow you seal the inspection cover and allow for the easy removal of the inspection cover when you need to check inside the pan area? I do use the rubber washers on the inspection cover bolts that seem to work well.
Thanks
Tom

I used Permatex to secure the gasket permanently to the pan. The cover side of the gasket is simply smeared with grease to make the seal. Never any leakage problems after 10 years like that. I use the same set up with the transmission inspection cover.

The only thing I would add is use self sealing neoprene washers 1/4-5/16” style under the bolt heads to prevent them from seeping.

Hank

I am sure someone has used copper crush rings before. What say you!

Most probably already know but when rebuilding the engine close inspection of the engine pan itself usually show the bolt holes are dimpled and likewise the pan inspection cover. This happens from years of working on the engine and retightening the bolts over and over.

You can use a piece of flat iron and a ball peen hammer to flatten out the surfaces for a good seal that usually stops most if not all the leaks. Most of the time! But Model T’s have been known to leak.

Like a faithful old dog, marks their territory!

I do the Permatex on the pan side of the gasket - after making sure both the pan and inspection cover aren’t ‘dimpled’ around the bolt holes. Then I wrap the light cotton string used on feed sacks below the head of each bolt. Wrap it about 4-5 times. No leaks

I just buy a few extra gaskets when I need them and have them handy if I need to remove the cover. I smear ultra black on both metal surfaces and let it set up for a few minutes. Then I start two bolts to hold the cover in place temporarily. I smear ultra black on the threads and around the heads of the bolts when I place them and then take out the first two temporary bolts and smear them also. I haven't had a problem with leaks. I usually let it set overnight before I add oil and drive the car.
Norm

Thanks for all of the replies. The dimples have always been addressed. I'll try the gasket glued to the pan. Thought about gluing another gasket to the cover, letting them sit over night then put grease on the two mating surfaces. This assumes the bolts are long enough. This newly built engine should not require any inspection for a while.
Tom

Tom

This newly built engine should not require any inspection for a while.

Not to go too far off topic, but I'd strongly encourage the use of a captured magnet and a lint screen at the inspection door. And then I'd encourage an inspection after 50-100 miles. Your magnet will be full of metal filings and your screen will have band fibers. So, I think an inspection sooner than later on a new engine is actually in order. New oil after about 200 miles, too.

I have used strainers and magnets on strainer for years. This engine will get the same. However, after 2 or 3 inspections or at least until the bands seat in, the strainer will come out. We have had several club members experience large amounts of oil leakage out the fourth main using the strainer. With the strainer out, oil leak gone. There was a recent video on this forum that demonstrated how the lack of lubrication over the bands, caused by the strainer, occurred. Some of our local club members have indicated thoughts of failures of triple gears bushings as the result of the strainer.
I will for the first time in many years, go without the strainer. I may periodically put it in for several miles just to see what's going on inside the motor, but not always. I'm pretty religious about changing the oil and believe that is the key in keeping a new $4,200 rebuild going for a long time, using Rotella 30W oil.
Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.
Tom

Tom does not hurt to add a little zinc additive either.

Hank

To expand a little regarding the accessory band cover screen: I have a couple era screens that are only about 1/2 the size of the available screens manufactured today - when these initially came out on the market, the screen mesh size was quite larger than what comes on today's screen which might result in holding too much oil and quite possibly causing underlying issues with proper lining lubrication and the above mentioned oil leaks at the ball cap.

When Ron Miller Machine Shop completes an engine rebuild, they are very good at giving explicit instructions on breaking the engine in. Rotella 30 W and a bottle of zinc additive are included in the rebuilt kit. Because this is a diesel engine oil, they say it has additives that favor the Babbitt engines. I have never before used a straight 30 weight, always used a good quality 15- 40 or 20-50. Never had any bearing or engine failures.
Tom

I would clean the cover with lacquer thinner of all oil and dirt. Clean also, the opposing surface of the pan of all oil and dirt. When both surfaces are perfectly clean, apply a thin layer of Vaseline to the joining surface of the block side. Apply Ultra Black, or the Right Stuff to the clean inside surface of the cover and screw down evenly with all bolts tightened to the same low torque so as to squeeze the sealant to a consistent thickness of about 1/32” and not the squeeze out all of the sealant. Let cure for a couple of days. When cured, run a razor blade around the outside of the pan and pull off any sealant that has squeezed out. Remove bolts and pull off cover. This should provide you with a permanent rubber gasket on the cover. To prevent capillary action of oil seepage down the bolt threads, clean the bolts really good by soaking in solvent to remove all oil and dirt and before securing the cover, apply the Right Stuff, or Ultra Black to the threads and to the underside of the bolt heads. Make sure you apply enough to seal the cover holes to stop any oil that seeps under the threaded bolt brackets inside the pan that the bolts screw into. If painting, clean well with solvent before painting. Jim Patrick

Two gasket one sealed to each part
If pan out i ultra black the horse shoes in the pan
Tighten the cover hold it this hold them when your under the car to

Great idea to secure the horse shoes to the inside of the pan, Bob. If the block is still secured to the pan, it would be a good idea to soak horse shoes in solvent as well as thoroughly clean the inside surface of the pan opening, all around, from underneath, with lacquer thinner to remove all oil and dirt. Apply Black sealant to one horse shoe at a time, line up holes and secure with bolts, in all holes, tightened tightly and uniformly, as the tightened horseshoes help to flatten the rim of the pan inspection hole so the cover has a good flat surface to secure to. Do one horse shoe at a time so the sealant on one does not start to firm up as you tighten the bolts of the first horse shoe. Jim Patrick