I ve replaced the oil pan gasket twice since Ive swapped this engine and now its leaking again! Is there some procedure I am not doing to keep it from leaking? A friend of mine said that I over filled it with oil and that it will eventual level out and stop leaking. Doesn't sound right to me. I put RTV on it last time but its leaking pretty bad now and the bolts are all tight.
I have a breather on the valve cover. I didn't use it the first time and it leaked so i went back and put some on there and it stopped for while but now its really bad.
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08:37 PM
fastback 88 Member
Posts: 200 From: sturgeon bay WI USA Registered: Sep 2006
Mine has somewhat of a leak itself and I can tell from the build up on the cradle when I get under the car. My motor doesnt leak as in drip but it does seep out little by little somewhere. I have read about this issue several times and want to say that it must be a common issue with the 3800s. I have used a thin coat of RTV on almost every gasket I have installed and have never ran into any problems. Many say not to use it, the books say not to use it but I use it and have no problems with it. Is you leak a drip or like the one I have?
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10:53 PM
Jul 25th, 2007
Darth Fiero Member
Posts: 5922 From: Waterloo, Indiana Registered: Oct 2002
Subject: Engine Oil Pan/Gasket Leak (Seal with RTV Sealant) #01-06-01-008A - (04/22/2002) Models:
1995-2001 Buick LeSabre, Park Avenue
1996-1999 Buick Riviera
1996-2001 Buick Regal
1997-2001 Buick Century
1998-2000 Chevrolet Lumina
1998-2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2000-2001 Chevrolet Impala
1995-1996 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight
1995-1999 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight
1998-1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue
1995-2001 Pontiac Bonneville
1996-2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
with 3.8 L V6 Engine (VINs K, 1 -- RPOs L36, L67) and Stamped Steel Oil Pan Condition: Some owners may comment on a repeat engine oil pan leak.
Cause: The engine oil pan leak may be due to an uneven (rippled) sealing surface on the oil pan.
Correction: Seal the leak with RTV sealant using the following procedure:
Remove the oil pan from the engine. Follow the oil pan removal instructions found in the Engine Mechanical section of the Service Manual. Remove the old RTV sealant from the engine block at the joint face sealing surfaces and the oil pan. Use only a plastic or metal scraper as described in Corporate Service Bulletin # 00-06-01-012. Important: Ripples which appear in the oil pan sealing rail surfaces of the oil pan will not affect sealability when using this procedure. Do not replace the oil pan for this condition.
Inspect the oil pan sealing rail surface for bends or distortion which would affect sealability. Clean the engine block and oil pan mating surfaces using a solvent that leaves no residue, such as P/N 12346139 (in Canada, P/N 10953463), or equivalent. Important: In the steps that follow, it is strongly recommended to use a 5 oz. (142 ml) RTV sealant cartridge and a hand-actuated caulking gun. This will help assure that a continuous bead of RTV sealant will be applied to the gasket surfaces.
Use a new oil pan gasket and windage tray assembly, P/N 24502397.
Apply a continuous 1/4 inch bead of 5900 RTV sealant, P/N 12346286, on the top of the new gasket. Apply RTV sealant directly over the gasket's raised sealing bead. Install the oil pan gasket and windage tray assembly to the cylinder block. RTV will hold assembly in place temporarily. Install the oil pump pipe and screen assembly.
Tighten Tighten the oil pump pipe and screen bolts to 15 N·m (11 lb ft).
Apply a continuous 1/4 inch bead of 5900 RTV sealant, P/N 12346286, to the bottom of the new gasket. Apply the RTV sealant directly over the gasket's raised sealing bead. Install the oil pan on the engine.
Tighten Tighten the oil pan retaining bolts to 14 N·m (124 lb in).
Follow the remaining oil pan installation instructions found in the Engine Mechanical section of the Service Manual. Before adding engine oil, allow the RTV to set for 30 minutes. Add the proper amount of engine oil, then verify on the dipstick. Run the engine and verify the repair.
Parts Information
Part Number Description Qty
12563240 Assembly, Engine Oil Pan 1
24502397 Gasket, Engine Oil Pan 1
12346286 Sealant, 5900 RTV, 5 oz. (142 ml)
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I redid the oil pan gasket on my L36 3800 per the TSB that Darth posted; however I DID NOT install a new gasket/windage tray. Instead, I removed the old RTV from the original gasket/windage tray, cleaned the plastic thoroughly with brake clean, then applied a new, fatter bead of red RTV to both sides of the plastic - right in the same groove that the original RTV was. That was several years ago and no leaks since.
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09:55 PM
Riceburner98 Member
Posts: 2179 From: Natick, Ma, USA Registered: Apr 2002
Damn that's 1/2" of RTV if I'm reading that right! That doesn't squish out and end up inside / outside the oil pan? I'm in for a replacement myself, as the whole pan is coated in oil with little puddles on all the bolts... Have an aluminum pan I want to try out while I'm at it too. Guess I'd better stock up on RTV, although if the AL one fits I guess I don't have to worry about the "ripples"...
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10:55 PM
Jul 26th, 2007
darkhorizon Member
Posts: 12279 From: Flint Michigan Registered: Jan 2006
thanks darth....i only put the RTV on one side of the gasket I think. I'll redo it with a new gasket and see how it goes.
Where did you apply it? If it was on the motor side, I would take it off and put it on the oil pan side, but if you put it panside, I would look for problems elsewere, or try something completely different.
Damn that's 1/2" of RTV if I'm reading that right! That doesn't squish out and end up inside / outside the oil pan?
It did squish out a little on the outside on mine - probably on the inside too. I believe I put a 3/16 bead down on both sides. The bottom (oil pan) side is the real problem. The ripples in the corners of the flange on the sheet metal pans are pretty big. No wonder they all leak.
