Oil pan bolt torque

[4t8v8]

Can anyone tell me what the oil pan bolt torque is for an 8BA? My manuals don't mention it.

[B-O-B]

Van Pelt should have them on their site. I usually just get the snug & not over tight. Go from side to side & front to back. I'm think some of the books state 5/20 ft#s,or try google.

[supereal]

In addition to the above info, check all the bolt holes around the mounting flange to see if any are deformed by over tightening. If you find any, place the flange on a flat surface and hammer them flat. This will help prevent oil leaks. The rope seals should be well oil soaked before use.

[4t8v8]

I believe Best Gaskets says not to soak theirs, but to lube them well before installing pan. I've heard it argued both ways.

[Ol' Ron]

Snug!!

[Bubsyouruncle]

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Ol' Ron is right.

All you are trying to do is keep the pan snug to the engine. If either the pan or the block is wavy, extreme tension would not help.

3/8 inch diameter screws fail at low torque.

[cas3]

5/16

[Mart]

2 white knuckles.

[Paul Bennett]

12-15 lb-ft

[FortyNiner]

15 -18 to the block
10 - 15 to the rear engine plate

Per Ford Flathead Engines: How to Build & Modify page 117

[4t8v8]

Got it. Thank you.

[Flathead Fever]

From Wikipedia. "Sturtevant patented the torque wrench in 1938 and became the first individual to sell torque wrenches".

How many of those dealer rebuilt Flatheads before 1938 had their bolts torqued? I'm guessing zero.

If your tightening against a cork gasket I would "not" torque the bolts. The cork could keep compressing until it splits before you reach the bolts torque limits. Its tree bark technology. Your really suppose to watch the cork compress a little but not start squeezing out of the sides rather than worry bout the bolt torque. If you have a cork gasket that hangs out over the edge and its start to curl at that edge you need to quit tightening. If it has a non-cork modern gasket then you could torque them but you don't need to. It's more important not to overtighten them. I find more leaks from people over tightening cork gaskets than not tightening them enough. Which ever gaskets you have just snug the bolts down. On oil pans, transmission pans and valve covers I either use a 3/8" speed handle with a socket and when its stops turning I just give it little more twist of my wrist or I use a 1/4" drive ratchet and socket with and just grip it towards the front of the ratchet with my fist over the ratchet , not out at the handle end. I only use my wrist to apply the torque. I've done hundreds of cork automatic transmission pan gaskets that did not leak.

I use Gasgacinch which is a contact type cement but the gasket will easily come off later without scraping. This is the best stuff I have found in 30-years. Its a little hard to find and its goes bad pretty fast once you open it so just buy the smallest can they make. You brush it on one side of the gasket and then on the block or pan. Then let it dry until its just slightly tacky. Then stick them together. This will hold the gasket in place so there is no way it can slip out of place. When you use silicone your taking a chance that the wet silicone will allow the gasket to squeeze out of place, especially if you over tighten it. I've seen it happen to guys many times when putting water pumps on late model engines. They get all done and then they have a leak. I warned a guy at work and he told me I use silicone all the time, it will be fine. This was on a pain-in-the-butt Ford F-800 with a 429, four belts that all ran around the pump and you couldn't get to their components to loosen them up, your standing on your head or flying like superman six-feet off the ground while your stomach is being cut into by the radiator neck. These sucked to do! He went to fill it up and the coolant ran out on the ground just as fast he poured it in. The gasket slipped out because of the silicone. If you want use the Gasgacinch on one side to hold the gasket in place and then just a "little" 1/8" bead of silicone on the other side this works good too. If you have a nice machined surface then use the Gasgacinch on that side. If you have something that has cuts, or pits in the metal from people scrapping gaskets off or porous castings then use the silicone on that side and the gasket cinch on the smooth side. Like the other guys said, straighten the pan rail bolts holes if they have been overtightened or you will have leaks. If you have gaskets that meet up against other gaskets put a little dab of silicone where they come together and you should have a leak free repair. Also if your working upside down under a car get yourself four studs and screw them in the block to use as guide pins to keep things in place while your trying to hold the pan up and start the bolts at the same time.

I just checked and Edelbrock is selling Gasgacinch. I'm assuming its the same product with their name on it.

[hardtimes]

Originally Posted by 4t8v8

Got it. Thank you.

As ol ron says...snug !
As important is to 'snug' each up evenly all around, then re-snug (torque) with idea in mind that you are, at some point, going to crush/split gasket....if TOOO MUCH. You really do not want to do this. It doesn't take many...inch lbs of pressure to do the job. quarter inch drive rachet and a finger pull on that may be safe, until you get comfortable with what's necessary.

note regarding pins to help hold pan/gasket in place:
Modern plastic pins are sold for this job, are a great tool and do the job designed for and are cheap.

[B-O-B]

I answered the mans question in post #2 why all this other repeated banter??

[tubman]

Originally Posted by B-O-B

I answered the mans question in post #2 why all this other repeated banter??

It's just human nature; people want to help out. Plus, if you don't want oil spots on the floor, the torque specs alone aren't enough to ensure it. The tips about straightening the pan rail are very useful. Finally, I think that the point about the plastic pins that hold the pan and gasket in place while the bolts are being inserted is also valuable. I didn't even know such a thing existed until I got a set with some pan gaskets for a SBC. They make a usually frustrating job a snap! (The SBC ones fit a flathead, too!)

[ford38v8]

Originally Posted by tubman

...The tips about straightening the pan rail are very useful...

Tip? If you haven't figured it out while cleaning the old gasket off the pan, you need a different hobby.

[Mart]

Personally I found plenty of useful info in the subsequent replies.

Mart.

[tubman]

"ford38v8" - Thank you for pointing out what a rookie I am to the rest of the board. Some of them may have been coming to the opposite opinion from some of my other posts.

[ford38v8]

Originally Posted by tubman

"ford38v8" - Thank you for pointing out what a rookie I am to the rest of the board. Some of them may have been coming to the opposite opinion from some of my other posts.

Now I gone went and done did it again. The social graces are mysterious talents I'm often lacking in.