Please Help, oil pan gasket blows...

1.2gees · 1.2gees's Garage

I have driven my car a total of less than 10 miles since my rebuild which was enough to blow the oil pan gasket in two places... I'd really appreciate it if anybody could give me leads as to why this is happenning...
Thanks.
Ahmet

951carter · 06-08-2002, 02:03 PM

You didn't put silicone on it did you? Did you put Loctite 574 or equivelant on the corners to hold it in place? You didn't jack it by the oil pan did you?
How was it running otherwise?

Bob's944 · Bob's944's Garage

Hmmm, anuther turbo problem... my first guess, again I'm not by any means an expert on turbos, would be rings that aren't seated correctly, causing blow-by into the lower part of the engine. As the pressure increases, it needs to find the weakest way out, the pan gasket, and the gas pressure forces the oil out of the weakest part of the gasket... the 2 spots you are finding.

1.2gees · 1.2gees's Garage

I put black sealent on it, I'm not sure if it was silicone (I think black rtv). I used a lot of it but this gasket looks blown out, the gasket is ripped from it's metal rings in a couple of spots... Didn't have any leaks until I parked the car earlier yesterday. I didn't and wouldn't jack it by the oil pan. Problem was not apperant until I had driven the car(5 miles), and about 15 minutes after shut down. Then I drove it to my friends house, jacked it up, and saw where the gasket had come out from. Tried to push it in with no luck, so I decided I'd drive the car to the shop today to put it in after loosenning some more of the surrounding bolts (didn't have any wrenches at friends place). By the time I drove the car a few more miles, it had ripped and blown from one more spot...

Aside from that it's running absulutely great, low end response and off boost power have been transformed. It also runs a lot smoother but unfortunately not for long enough to enjoy the car (haven't broken in the engine yet, so didn't see how boost more than a few pounds felt). The engine was pretty loud for the first few minutes but has quieted down considerably. There are no other leaks that I can see at this point.

I've heard of somebody else having this problem on a 951, but don't know how it got concluded.

I'd really appreciate any help, I'll be doing the gasket again on tuesday night and don't want to have to do it yet another time...
Ahmet

88_944 · 88_944's Garage

WOW!! This is the first time I'm hearing this happen. I think it was when you put the new gasket on some of the bolts wasn't torque right.

AFJuvat · 06-08-2002, 03:50 PM

Going on the assumption that you are using a proper gasket (Porsche part), I/m almost willing to bet that the silicone stuff you used allowed the gasket to slip out.

Another possible cause is improper torque on the bolts.

Don't use silicone, you should only use loctite 574.

I'll email the relevant pages from the service manual.

AFJuvat

1.2gees · 1.2gees's Garage

The only thing I can believe is a combo of overtorqueing, and wrong sealent, but this gasket really does look blown out so I dunno... I feel like if I overtorqued them (probable), the gasket may be squashed but why only towards the outside?

Anyway, I really appreciate all the replies/help guys...
Ahmet

951carter · 06-08-2002, 06:39 PM

It is the silicone(RTV). Use loctite only on the corners and torque it correctly. You may be able to reuse the gasket if you clean it off real good and it is not damaged. Looks like you are going to have a fun rest of the weekend =(

1.2gees · 1.2gees's Garage

I'm doing the job again today. Thanks for the replies and I'll update you guys when done.
Ahmet

1.2gees · 1.2gees's Garage

The gasket has been replaced.

I appreciate all the replies/help. I followed the torque sequence, and specs. Used a bit of loctite 574 (aka porsche glue) on the corners. So far the gasket has been problem free.
Thanks again.
Ahmet

Lawrence Coppari · 06-27-2002, 04:11 AM

Squeezing of the gasket is controlled by an aluminum spacer at each hole in the gasket. You get metal to metal contact. Spacers prevent crushing of gasket.

I used no sealant except at the corners.

1.2gees · 1.2gees's Garage

I think as carter suggested it was the siliconne. It allowed the gasket to squeze from around the bolt inserts (aluminum spacers), since there was no friction between the gasket and the block, or pan.
Ahmet

arnebret · 06-28-2002, 12:05 PM

My 951 needs a new oilpan gasket soon as well. Oil is leaking out in small drops on several places. It seems it's a terrible job as quite a lot of stuff has to be removed to even be able to remove the pan and the gasket with it...

Any experience with this on a 951?

1.2gees · 1.2gees's Garage

All of the replies were about this stuff on a turbo, do you have any questions?

I'm sure a lot of us have done this on a 951... Carter, Lawrence, and myself included. Yes it's a pain to do but by the 3rd time I did this it took significantly less time and was a lot easier.
Ahmet

88_944 · 88_944's Garage

arnebret, Are you sure it's the oil pan seal thats leaking oil? Check to make sure it's not the front crank seal or back main seal.

arnebret · 06-30-2002, 02:33 AM

Nope, i did check that. My mech checked as well and we did not notice any oil there. I can imagine that could be an even worse job than the gasket