[cmitchell17]

So I'm trying to prep for hopefully my upcoming can install of I can decide on what to get and gather up everything I need. I'm not planning on pulling the motor since I don't have the tools it the resources, I could also see a bunch of PITAs occurring and a lot of broken things by pulling the whole motor out. However it might look like I will need to.

I pulled off the air deflectors, and what GM calls the "shear plate" I'm not sure why it's called that unless it is structural and is part of crash resistance but anyway I had noticed a drop off oil collecting at the bottom of the oil pan. So I figured this would be a good time to look up in there.






If you look at the last picture that is looking straight up at the bolt on the oil pan you can see oil is pooled up around it, I feel like the leak is definitely coming from the pan.

Since you are technically supposed to pull the motor to do a can swap it would be a good time to fix it, however does anyone think it could be coming from somewhere else?

I don't know why GM had to switch to rtv instead of gaskets everywhere in the LT1 especially when it appears things leak more. I'm hoping it's not a rear main seal it something like that since that would make me think crank bearing it something like that is wearing out.

I guess the first thing I should do is ensure the oil pan bolts are properly torqued? Since maybe somehow it got missed at the factory, which I highly doubt with today's quality control, I could then clean it up and see if it still leaks.

[appleman22]

yes my money is on your pan bolts being loose

[Jaxcam02]

I've read multiple times on the forum that pan bolts not being torqued from factory correctly. Tighten them up, clean it up and check again in a week.

[cmitchell17]

Originally Posted by Jaxcam02

I've read multiple times on the forum that pan bolts not being torqued from factory correctly. Tighten them up, clean it up and check again in a week.

Ok thanks guys, I crawled back under there and sure enough almost all of them were loose. Makes me second guess my cam install and worried about my engine and what else the factory "forgot" to do haha

I got my torque wrench and torqued them to 25 Nm for the 13mm and 12 Nm for the 10mm according to the sequence in the service manual as best I could. A few of them I had to use a gear wrench to tighten and not the torque wrench since I couldnt get it in there.

[Brudda*Termite]

Ugh, looks like I might have to put mine on the quickjacks this weekend, the wife noticed a couple of oil drops on the floor of the garage. My oil pan had the same thing, not quite ready to drip yet. Any chance of the dipstick tube being a culprit?

[cmitchell17]

Originally Posted by Brudda*Termite

Ugh, looks like I might have to put mine on the quickjacks this weekend, the wife noticed a couple of oil drops on the floor of the garage. My oil pan had the same thing, not quite ready to drip yet. Any chance of the dipstick tube being a culprit?

I don't think so I think they just skipped tightening a few of them, mine was built in March 2017. If you just get under there you can reach up and feel if the screws are loose or not. Be careful when you tighten them up (aluminum threads) or use a torque wrench to 18 ft lbs (#2 in picture), back 2 screws to 106 in lbs (#3 in picture) follow the sequence, some bolts you really won't be able to get a torque wrench on unless you have good tools but do the best you can:

[EMTNLSS]

I noticed the same thing a while back during a oil change and some of the oil pan bolts were loose. I torqued them to the proper spec and 5000 miles later when I did another oil change there was no leaks.

[Brudda*Termite]

Originally Posted by cmitchell17

I don't think so I think they just skipped tightening a few of them, mine was built in March 2017. If you just get under there you can reach up and feel if the screws are loose or not. Be careful when you tighten them up (aluminum threads) or use a torque wrench to 18 ft lbs (#2 in picture), back 2 screws to 106 in lbs (#3 in picture) follow the sequence, some bolts you really won't be able to get a torque wrench on unless you have good tools but do the best you can:
Attachment 1026574

Thanks for the torque chart! It'll help pass another weekend of social distancing, who the hell is going to get under the car to bug me? I have a couple of torque wrench options, so I have officially run out of excuses

[OVRKLL]

I had the same problem one day before my warranty expired. I took it to the dealer and they say they "replaced" the gasket. In any case it doesn't leak now. I think it was just a matter of loose bolts, but since I had warranty...why not have the dealer deal with it!

Seems like GM missed tightening a few cars here!

[oldman]

I like the BMR engine mounts if you intend to work on the car, that said RR of the oil pan does make the cam install a bit easier. It takes 1.5 hours start to finish. Remember BMR mounts at the same time...

[MackSteelPrivateEye]

Is there a TSB for lose bolts? If so dealer should tighten at no charge.

[Phantom_2SS]

Do you guys know how to get the metal sub frame cover piece off to access the oil pan bolts? I can't find anything about it. I think my oil pan bolts are loose too, got an oil leak.

[Redlinez]

They had to reseal or replace my oil pan gasket due to oil leaks right around 35000 miles on my 17. Also replaced my oil cooler due to leaks a little earlier than that.

[Robby23]

Originally Posted by Phantom_2SS

Do you guys know how to get the metal sub frame cover piece off to access the oil pan bolts? I can't find anything about it. I think my oil pan bolts are loose too, got an oil leak.

there are i think 6 bolts maybe 8 that hold it on. then you have to drop the rear of it down first then it will pull out. the front of it is "scooped" around something to help prevent it from moving around i guess even though its bolted in.