[Hothead]

hothead
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Melb
Posts: 126 Name: Rocky

Here's the thread.

Steve's right, much easier to take engine out of the car. I did mine the other day in the car and it was a pain but as someone else suggested, doable. A couple of pics of the job if this helps.

Pulling old seal out.

Cap ready to go in.

Other half using the shoe horn.

Ready to put back together. As Steve mentioned make sure no RTV on the seal just where tha cap meets the block. Mine went in with about 10mm offset.

[epluribus funk]

thx for the pics Rocky- well i got the pan off and found something very strange inside. my pan has got a huge nylon bolt type thing on the outside that's threaded into the pan and in the inside a 2 or 3" nylon probe that's pinched off at the end and there is 2 little white wire type things about an inch sticking out of that. it looks like those ties you see at the end of a loaf of bread! weird- also a 1" nylon spacer that was laying in the bottom of the pan. any clue what the heck they're for? see pic

[epluribus funk]

[epluribus funk]

also, how do i tell if i have a 1 or 2 piece rear main seal? thx again brothers

[omarcamaro]

thats a oil level sensor check it mine leaked thru the middle of that sensor also you cant take oil pan off with that sensor in

[john68]

don't you have a 96. lt1
LT1 is a one piece rear main seal, Most engines 86 and up are one piece seals.

[MRCOOL_RSSS350]

this is how your engine looks from the back if you have a 96 lt1

and the answer is still yes you can do it with the tranny off

[bigblockragtop]

Oh crud I have been reading this thread and did not realize this was a 96 lt1 BEFORE you go crazy with the rear main seal that is not the problem. The 96 lt1 had a gasket under the adapter for the oil filter and it is notorious for leaking I had a 96 impala and my bro in law also had the same problem so please try that first!

[epluribus funk]

i did notice a fair amount of oil residue around my oil filter before i took the pan off Mike, hopefully that's all it is (cross fingers) Omar-i left the oil sensor in when i took off my pan-maybe i broke something (that little nylon washer) doing that. do i even need that sensor?

[prostreet69camaro]

You do not need the oil sensor. But I would make sure it doesnt leak around or thru it. I dont know if they make a plug for it. It is probably a metric thread. You might be able to tap the middle of the sensor and put your own plug in it. That is what I did to a LS3 oil pressure sensor.

[bigblockragtop]

Bummer you already pulled the pan to bad I did not catch it earlier. Maybe this will help someone else with the same problem.

[epluribus funk]

it's all good Mike- gave me a chance anyway to look up into the bowels of the mill and see what's doin'. everything looks clean-even noticed a cross-hatch pattern on one of cylinder walls (maybe piston does'nt go down that far-dunno) gonna reuse my oil pan gasket it's heavy duty rubber with metal inserts for the bolt holes. looked at a replacement one at oreillys and looked a little cheaper made. should i use laquer thinner or mineral spirits or carb cleaner to clean it up?

[bigblockragtop]

I would not use laquer thinner I would imagine it would damage the rubber but I am not an expert. I think you can use a rag with mineral spirits then just wash it off with some detergent(like dawn) and water then dry it.

[bigblockragtop]

Did you check out the o-ring? Just curious. I would bet money on it actually.

[epluribus funk]

have'nt checked the o-ring yet-will post update and pics tonight