oil pan sealing

[Dan Harshey]

So i need to re-seal my oil pan, pretty sure the oil is starting to get blown up onto my timing belt. My question is, oil pan gasket or no oil pan gasket?  I know from factory there isn't one, mitsu just uses RTV or something similar.  Just wondering what you've done with your oil pan and what your results were.
Thanks 

[Brett Haviland]

i have always used RTV to seal the 4g63 oil pans... never had a problem with it.


Just watch out for the bolts that go into the aluminum front cover.  Two of them will be shorter then the others.. and they also strip out very easily if your not carefull and overtighten them.  Also 2 of the bolts that go just under the timing belt area of the oil pan will be shorter then all the otheres.  If you mix them up and put a longer one in their place it will cut a groove into the timing belt.  Dont ask me how i know this.

[John Hartman]

and for the 3rd time, 2 are shorter, put em where they go 

yea, no gasket, just clean it well, on both parts, and make sure the pan is flat, flat, flat!!  No waves, dents etc.

[Marke Bailey]

I just did mine and I used the gasket and RTV. bolt torque is 60in lbs or 5 ft lbs. don't over tighten.

[Brett Haviland]

uh oh!! was it a rubber gasket marke?

From what i have seen with using RTV and a rubber oil pan gasket is that it never seals properly for long.  The RTV caused the rubber gasket to squish out badly and then its no time at all before it cracks and starts to leak.  If you were to try and use a rubber gasket i would only use a TINY amount where the rear main seal casing/front cover meet up with the block.  Anything more and its asking for trouble.

Why did you decide to use a oilpan gasket on a 4g63?

[Marke Bailey]

I don't think it was rubber, it was a felpro I got it from Lordco. my oil pan had a stripped bolt hole for the turbo return line and was leaking through a shit load of RTV I put on it. I got a replacement pan and had the gasket already. The shop that built my engine used a gasket as well and I never had any leaks from that area. Also the manual says to use one. on a side note the manual also states to put the RTV on the pan bolt flange then the gasket on that. I also cleaned it real well with brake clean to remove any oily residue, and did the same with the gasket surface on the block itself.

[Brett Haviland]

well time will tell i guess!

I have had issues with the oil return lines leaking where it connects to the pan.  I was always able to get it to seal up tho using the felpro paperish gaskets and RTV.