[dodgestang]

As some of you already know, the pressure dropped on DT last week the day after the dyno run and while my idiot light was on, a knock was heard. :: This knock also went away immediately when a little RPM was given to the motor and the idiot light went out. ::

So today I dropped the pan to swap pumps and visually inspect the motor. I didn't see any blueing on the rods, there was no pile of rubble in the oil pan and the bearings passed visual muster.

Immediately after dropping the pan, I found what the problem was causeing the low pressure state at idle.

http://www.dodgestang.com/images/pump6.jpg

There were several LARGE chunks of RTV in the pan that evidently squeezed out when the pan was mounted and plunked down into the pan and some of these peices of RTV got sucked up into the pick up and were partially clogging the screen resulting in a diminished oil flow, especially prevalant at idle.....sound like a good theory?

Anyway....after mounting the new pump and doing some visual inspections that Randy (bosssman) insisted on, I put it back together and fired it up on the jack stands and could not hear a knocking sound coming from the motor. But I will not call it done yet....tommorrow I will put the steering back together, re-install the cross member and back it out of the garage where the sound of the mufflers and other standard motor noise won't be quite so loud and check for the knocking.

Cross your fingers for me.

 

[Outlawboss]

Good luck! Hopefully that was all it was. That's an awfully big chunk of RTV in the photo so I would be that's what it was. Glad to hear it wasn't as bad as previously thought (hopefully)

 

[sharkmouth]

With all the diligent work you put into that fine Cleveland, I pray she runs perfect for years!!

 

[Lemondrop]

Thats why I hate RTV , I personally wish the crap had never been invented .
I stopped using it years ago for most sealing pruposes .
I don't know if yours was clogged enough to drop oil pressure , uless some fell off when the pan was dropped . A good friend of mine had a 2.3L Ford ranger that lost oil pressure and it turned out ford gobbed RTV onto the oil pan surface and did not use a gasket . The RTV had come loose and almost completely clogged his pick-up .
I use different sealants now rather than RTV . I mostly don't like RTV because oil (and oil products) make it swell up . Put RTV on a tranny pan and most times it will leak , put it on a T-5 housing and it will leak .
If used sparingly it seals some items well , I just won't use it on valve covers, oil pans, trannies, or as a intake end seal .

 

[boss351]

Did you hook up a mechanical oil pressure guage? What were the readings?

 

[midpack]

Well that`s good, at least you FOUND something

 

[32valve]

The only thing RTV should be used for is joints where the gasket ends meet. If you want to stick on your gaskets, then use Quick tack or weather strip adhesive. Sorry to say I have seen several eng failures due to chunks of that crap in the pick-up. Hope you caught yours in time !!! ::

 

[Lemondrop]

Ive found (from other mechanics I work with) that a good product to attach gaskets with is spray adhesive 3M , for interiors , etc. Spray it on the gasket , spray it on where the gasket will stick and then wait for the adhesive to tack over . Once it's tacked over (30 sec-1 minute) then stick the gaskets together with the surface . It won't move around or leak . People must remeber that gaskets are for sealing the irregular surface and that sealants are not needed for a gasket unless there is a joint in the gasket .
The best thing about spray glue is the gaskets like oil pans and tranny pans (cork,etc.) don't slide around when your apply torque to the bolts . With RTV cork gaskets like to squirm and half the time they split near the bolts and then leak a few days later . The spray glue keeps the gaskets from sliding off as they are hard glued to the area you wish sealed .
Good stuff .

 

[7DMACH1]

Glad you found the problem. You're lucky that's all it was. Are you going to the NMRA at Atco next weekend? RAY

 

[dodgestang]

I'll tell you tommorrow
When I know I am fixed for sure.

 

[stangfever]

Good Luck ! Dodgestang. ::

 

[roadracer]

Good luck tomorrow!

 

[Art]

RTV is like alcohol.... O.K. in moderation!

1/16" bead is sufficient for most applications.