[vincent]

I found differencies in the groove depth and shape of various oil pans. For example the groove in my french flatheads differs in width and deepness with the US Ford oil pan. When using the US pan I had to reshape that groove with a formpiece that was clamped over the groove that I filled with JB-weld. After curing I had the same shape in the pan as in the upper timing cover. After redrilling the drain hole in the pan groove I inserted the rope seals and let them protrude around a millimeter over the surface of the cork seal. The rope in the pan is also a millimeter higher than the surface. Doing it this way gives me a dry seal every time on these engines.