I bought a new gasket set and gasket silicone for my 66 289 Mustang. I have the oil pan off. I have cleaned the old residue off of the oil pan. What do I need to do to insure a succesful installation of the gasket? Any tips?

Thanks

 

Make sure the surfaces are flat and true...then at all openenings, like between gaskets, put your silicone. Let it start to solidify and once its quite tacky put it on straight and bolt her down.

 

Ok thanks. I'll probably have to take the steering rod off then to put it straight on.

 

::shudders::

I hear that can be difficult. Is your engine out or in?

 

Engine is in the car.

 

Make sure that the gasket surfaces are dry as well as clean before you put anything down. I generally use acetone for this last cleaning step.


Norm

 

You mentioned cleaning the pan surface, but not the motor. Make sure that side is also free of old gasket material.

I am assuming you have a cork gasket with rubber pieces that fit around the timing cover and rear of the motor. I've always found an extra squirt of silicone where the rubber pieces meet the cork pieces helps. Also, don't overtighten the bolts. If you see the cork squishing out, its too tight. It will tear the cork.

I expect you'll get a few opinions on gasket sealer. Some people swear by silicone - so much so that they don't even use the gasket. Others still like to use the old school form-a-gasket type sealer and apply a thin file to both sides of the gasket. If you use form-a-gasket, I'd suggest you get the non-hardening type. It comes off easier (sooner or later, you'll be taking it off again).

You said "gasket set". If your valve cover gaskets arerubber, you won't need sealer. If they're cork, use sealer.

 

I only used silicon on one side of my cork gaskets for my valve covers on the mach. I siliconed the gasket to the valve cover then let it sit for a few minutes, then put it on the motor. I hate cleaning the silicon off the edges of the heads. Now on the oil pan, I siliconed both sides of the gasket and rubber pieces. No leaks yet....damn, now I am going to have a leak since I said that.

 

If your gasket set uses the multi-piece oil pan gasket I would strongly suggest not using it. Go back to the auto parts store and get a 1 piece neoprene oil pan gasket.

The neoprene gasket is much, much easier to install and does not use any silicone or sealer.

My $0.02 worth.

 

TOSS THE FOUR (RUBBER/CORK) PIECE GASKET SET and use the 87-92 one piece for a 5.0.
Autozone part number OS34508R. The dab of silicone in the corners helps.