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Sure Napa has the gasket! You just buy a roll of 1/8" sheet rubberized cork from them and with about a half hour of the time you would spend looking for/ordering one you will have one on your workbench, and enough left over for another half dozen projects.

On my own car I used that wonderful cheez-whiz type of silicone and oozed a gasket in about 3 minutes. Secret is to let it sit about 1/2 hour to firm up before putting the pan up. Of course, that was about 12 years and 40K miles ago so I guess we don't really know if it will hold up....

Double amen on prying the cover off the pickup screen and cleaning it carefully!

Now that's more my style! Why cough up $20 bucks plus S&H for a three piece gasket that I'll have to wait a week or more to get into my greasy mitts! That's the stuff I used for my fuel tank that's sending unit gasket. An Xacto knife, straightedge, compass, and a hole punch. A leather punch works nicely, and if I need a larger hole, I'll just mosey down to the hobby shop and pick up the appopriate sized brass tubing, cut a piece off and sharpen one end.

Thanks for reminding me!

Hi Joe:

I knew an old timer (Charlie Clancy) who owned a '32 Caddy V-12 and he was putting detergent oil in it for years and it didn't hurt anything.

What happens is that the detergency is used up very fast because it disolves accumulated sludge. After dozens of oil changes the motor is cleaned out. The reason for detergency is that oil company research concluded that "varnishes" and acids were harmful to motors. Detergency keeps this stuff in suspension for removal via oil changes. Obviously running the motor with filthy oil is not good, thus, the oil pan and flush before switching.

Now how to determine what oil a motor has in it. One method is the sludge inspection. Another method is to pour a small glass of water into the crankcase while it is running. After ten minutes or so, park it for a week, and then drain the oil. If first thing that comes out is water then the motor probably has non-detergent oil it in. If the water is absorbed (emulsified) then it is detergent. Still another method is to look at the dipstick after the car has been sitting. If the oil looks cleaner than when parked then in is probably non-detergent.

Joey, I picked up a cheap 1/4 inch drive socket set at a yard sale. I ground down the edge of socket end and use a short extension to make a punch for different size holes. It works for me. Good luck with your project, It sounds like you are making good progress.
Packardtaximan

Ultramatic Dynamics sells the one piece oil pan Gasket. That is where I got mine from.

Thanks, BigKev.

BTW, I began to read your blog when I first joined this community, and I just want to say how much I appreciate your dedication and time to this platform. It has encouraged me to document, explain, and photograph my process in the hopes that I may have some nugget of information that could be of help to others.

Your blog and several others, including 51 Packard's, along with guys such Ross, and HH56's insightful comments are going a long way to educate me as to the pitfalls and solutions of this endeavor, and I'm learning how and where to research and find answers. Additionally, I'm impressed with the ingenuity and just plain common sense of you all, and your interest and desire to help others, including newbies like me!

Yeah, and the Evapo-Rust is incredible, too! Northern Tool and Equipment has it for $79.99 for a five gallon bucket. I paid $29.99 for a gallon at Harbor Freight, and I think that is the only overpriced item I have ever found There!

I will post more on my blog when I get a chance. Thanks all!

Joey

Joey,

For many years I have run Kendall Super D-3 15-40. A high detergent oil that keeps everything inside almost spotless. I used it from the start on my 93 S-10 2.8 V6. At 300,000 miles I had to pull intake manifold to reseal shot rear intake manifold RTV seal. There was less than a pinky nail size accumulation of sludge on either side of the top of the oil gallery casting. Ultimately put 366,000 mile plus on that engine and it was using less than a pint between 3,000 mile interval oil changes.

It also does a great job of cleaning out poorly maintained engines. A first change at 1000 miles and then 1500 twice and you are good to go every 3000. Am planning on using in my 327 nine main.

I just crawled under my S8 yesterday for the first time, and it looks like dropping the pan will at the minimum involve raising the engine a few inches. Is that correct?

Thanks!

Perhaps so if the front motor mount has excessive sag to it, and it might ease the job in any case but I've removed oil pans for 356s in postwar Clippers and Custom 8s without jacking the engine. It IS close quarters and calls for considerable dexterity - small fingers definately help.

You will however, after removing the pan bolts, probably have to rotate the crankshaft one or more times as the counterweights may be in a position to block it.

Thanks, Owen. It looks like some of the bolts are under the crossmember and at least two have access holes directly beneath them. Some more don't, and looks like some careful and dexterous work with some combination wrenches might get it. A little cleaning will be at hand before some can be accessed, too.