M. Requin

Very very nice work. One suggestion, I can't afford a nice Snap-On torque screwdriver, so in my toolbox is a 1/4" drive bicycle spoke torque wrench, beam type, from Park Tool, 0 - 60 inch pounds. Very useful for stuff like this. Great writeup, straight into the permanent file.

Speedtoys

Indeed.

SeanR

I like what borland is doing, neat idea.

I also agree with Nettles on his thoughts. Too many have been too gun ho when installing the gasket.

Here is one I did 3 years ago that I didn't put the studs in to at the front, just messing around thinking it was easier to put the bolts back in.

My opinion, when you are torquing these things down, when you think you've gone enough, then chances are you've gone too far. Just put a snug fit on them and you are good.

Cosmo Kramer

So are you saying that 2.65 mm compressed thickness or 15.9% is ideal for the best seal?

G Man

That's a great idea. If there was some sort of spacer/limiter one could torque the nuts tight enough so that they would not loosen up.

borland

Based on my limited testing, I'd say you could compress the gasket to as much as 19.8% compression and not experience any temperature/time related gasket deformation. It should still be reusable with that much compression if you ever needed to remove the pan at some future date.

I only went to 15.9% compression, as a conservative measure.

928mac

Factory normally says 1/3, don't know about this case.

Imo000

I likeit, it's a very cool idea but I too think that crush sleves are what this gasket really needs. I can;t understand why the manufacturer doesn't want to include it in with the gasket. It can't cost that much.

Ben Brand

Very impressive - I did that repair on my 83, but without the scientific angles that you calculated. You must be an engineer. It is worth the extra effort, because as I have stated previously, its not a job you want to be doing every other year. Curiously, when I bought my car (all original w/42k miles) after paying a dealer in Ft. Wayne for a PPI, but not going to see it in person (note to self - don't ever do that again) I realized oil was leaking from somewhere, and some previous mechanic (I bought it from a 70 something architect - I don't think he worked on the car himself) had obviously thought it was the rear main seal, and filled all the openings in the bell housing with rubber sealant (dum dum?) to prevent the oil from dripping on the ground. So if someone thought the rear main seal was leaking, and wanted to trap it in the bellhousing, then theoretically the bellhousing would eventually fill with oil and put the clutch assembly in a large pool of oil - brilliant!

Ben

jeff spahn

I thought you could remove red loctited items by heating up the stud, in this case, with a torch and then unscrewing it.

Ben Brand

You can remove loctited items with heat, but its much safer to use a heat gun or a soldering tool.

Ben

ROG100

Borland,
Based on your calculations what would the hight of the spacer be?
I will see what can be done to add it to the gasket set.
Roger

jthwan22

I use these on VW oil pan
http://www.stage8.com/

Cosmo Kramer

Looking at his chart I would say the spacer would have to be 2.53 - 2.65 mm. If the bolt holes on the gasket could be expanded a few mm small dowel pins could be inserted into the gasket.

borland

It depends on the thickness of the gasket material. For the gaskets I purchased separately from both you and Carl (928Motorsport), they were both 3.15mm thick, so any shim spacer for 15.9% compression would be, according to my spreadsheet .... 2.65mm

Where you place the shim and how large the shim is will impact on the integrety of the gasket's seal. The block is flat, but the pan has large pockets to eliminate gasket slippage. The shim would need to be larger in diameter than the pan bolt holes.

There are probably other things to consider when designing a gasket compression limiting shim. Probably not worth the effort.