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bolts that won't stay tight...


bgd73
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I went through half quart of oil in 200 miles, I should be smokin like an exterminator. but I wasn't. So I checked oil pan bolts, cam casing, valve covers. It was soaked to the point of a drop waiting to happen of my new oil.They all took yet more tightening casually.the first go with this was several full turns on the oil pan bolts about 25k ago. They only took half/.75 turns now. I hope i am winning the old neglected gasket that was soaked due to loose bolts. I even thought the engine shrunk all parts after keeping it much cooler without egr, and better intake, and even vented the front grill/bumper.Does bad mains vibrate the engine apart? Or am I overthinking....

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they are slicked up from leaks. The valve cover bolts stay tight the longest (rubber grommet). The oil pan could be conquered now, if not, I will use some lock tite of some sort. The cam casings tighten with a "crak" noise, leading me to believe the engine really did change density... It does happen, even on cast iron blocks (in Maine anyway).Aluminum is very responsive to thermal, regardless of how tough they made it. Thanks for replies.. :)

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The cheap oil pan gaskets do that. They soak up the oil, and then the bolt pressure gradually "splits" the gasket in half with the center ridge of the pan. Your bolts are not getting "loose", but rather the gasket is getting thinner. I had one of the cheap cork models do that, and as I gradually tightened the bolts over a period of weeks, eventually the gasket just split in half completely and part of it just fell out the side.

 

Dealer only for those pan gaskets. They are cork as well, but are already compressed, and have a coating on them. Prepare the new gasket by coating with a thin layer of RTV, and allowing it to dry before installation.

 

GD

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I found once these gaskets start leaking that don't stop if you just tighten them up. They need full cleaning/replacement. The oil seems to stop them from sealing. Just my experience anyhow. I used RTV, works better then most sealants.

 

How true...

I just look for chunks missing. Nothing yet. I learned this on older cars with same crappy cork rubber. they either disintegrate or petrify perfectly. They all needed retightening.As long as nothings missing, I am at petrified/chunking stage. There is still some squish, I have no worries just yet about failure.The tighter it gets, the less chance anyway.

I like the steel dome of an oil pan on this engine, for reasons I don't even want to babble.As long as that has no dents. :)

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