Need advice on prepping my Yukon's oil pan gasket

[Busterbrown]

My 2008 Yukon XL Denali beat me up while I was removing the oil pan. Much more involved than I had expected. Have a bloody eye to prove it. So I'm in intermission mode, cleaning the pan and engine mounting surface. The replacement gasket I purchased is a Felpro Part#: 30693R. I has an embedded rubber seal on it aready. I'm curious if anyone uses RTV gasket sealant with the new gasket for added protection on any of their GM trucks? I read a service bulletin that remedied leaks on the 5.3's, 6.0's, and 6.2's by applying special sealant to the corners of the pan? Looking at the bottom of the engine housing where the gasket seats on, it looks as if every corner has a 1 mm gap. Look at the pic below. Would it be wise of me to apply some RTV high temp sealant in these gaps? Or maybe a thin coat all the way around the gasket? I don't ever want to service this gasket again. 5 hours and only half way done. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[Capote]

It surely won't hurt anything by adding some RTV sealant for extra measure. If I were in your shoes I'd go ahead and do-so. For peace of mind and not wanting to have to re-do the job at some point down the line.

 

[Mooseman]

Like Capote said and I'd be sure there's a little extra for those gaps and transitions.

 

[jsheahawk]

Yep. It can't hurt and can only help.

 

[Busterbrown]

I'm prepping for the reinstall of my oil pan this weekend. I have a few questions though:

1. What are the torque specs of the different oil pan bolts? I've seen different numbers online for different LS engines. Does my aluminum block "L92" engine spec out differently than its iron block cousin? What I've read is this: 2 long thin bolts on the back of the pan (106 in lbs), 12 small perimeter bolts (M8?) around the pan that go into the block (18 ft lbs), and 2 bell housing bolts that secure the bell housing on to the rear of the oil pan (37 ft lbs). The 2 oil cooler block off plate bolts are 80 in lbs.

2. Sequence of tightening of all 3 bolt types above? I've could not find a diagram for this engine but did find one for an older 5.3L.

3. I've read about a strict variance of position of the two rear oil pan bolts that snug it up on the bell housing so the oil pan is flush with the bell housing. (with max gap variance of .010") but absolutely no overlap. How do you adjust the pan to acheive this "flushness" duringthe sequence of tightening the bolts?

 

[Sparky]

I would imagine the torque specs for the bolts would be different when in aluminum vs iron, follow an aluminum LS block spec if you can't find one for yours specifically.

Sequence should be the same regardless, following the 5.3L should be fine as they're all the same engine family and the pans are interchangeable.

 

[Blackwater]

I went with an all rubber one, its also reusable.

 

[Mooseman]

From GM-SI, here are the torque specs attached.

There was no tightening sequence given in the oil pan R&R instructions. Just says to tighten them snug. Can't post the instructions as it comes to over 5MB.

 

[Blackwater]

I would start with getting all the bolts pre snug finger tight. make sure you get the tranny bolts snug first. then start torqueing the bolts in a crisscross pattern from the center of the oil pan.

 

[Blackwater]

I have more advice, when you are ready to replace the gasket put a little bit of red rtv in the cracks on the corners. this will keep it from leaking down your pan.