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Loose oil pan bolts again?

13K views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  niceguy 
#1 ·
Hey guys, just wondering about the oil pan bolts on my '94 Grand Voyager 3.3.

It seems every few months I start seeing a few drops of oil on the driveway and find that the oil pan bolts need at least a few turns each to snug them up.

Is this the case on most of these vans? I remember having the oil pan gasket replaced twice in the past couple of years because I thought the mechanics weren't cleaning the surfaces properly but now I find the bolts are the culprits. I asked a mechanic friend about using a light dose of loctite on them but he didn't think it was a good idea (me either but this is aggravating).

Any fixes for this or suggestions?

Jeremy
 
#2 ·
Hey guys, just wondering about the oil pan bolts on my '94 Grand Voyager 3.3.

It seems every few months I start seeing a few drops of oil on the driveway and find that the oil pan bolts need at least a few turns each to snug them up.

Is this the case on most of these vans? I remember having the oil pan gasket replaced twice in the past couple of years because I thought the mechanics weren't cleaning the surfaces properly but now I find the bolts are the culprits. I asked a mechanic friend about using a light dose of loctite on them but he didn't think it was a good idea (me either but this is aggravating).


Jeremy
Any fixes for this or suggestions?
Is the gasket rubber or cork, if cork you might try star washers which I suspect. Hope the holes are not stripped.
 
#3 ·
I replaced my pan gasket with a Fel pro gasket that was rubber coated steel. It works very well and my pan is sealed nicely. To keep your bolts tight without using loctite, you can try removing the pan and cleaning everything with brake-kleen. This means the bolts and the threads in the block. Get all the oil out and off the gasket and sealing surfaces and the bolts may have enough friction in the block to not come loose again. I believe the oil on the threads is making it easier to loosen up time after time.
 
#4 ·
He doesn't have to remove the oil pan. He can take out all but the four corners and clean them then do the four corners. Oil on the gasket isn't going to make the bolts come loose, how ever do agree with the brake-kleen in the bolt holes. Good suggestion:ThumbsUp:.
 
#6 ·
That's a good suggestion but only a tiny wee drop on the end of the threads of the bolt and it will work its way up as you thread it in. The reason for the blue one is that it does not require heat to loosen it, and upon removal you will have to clean out the threads on the bolt with a wire brush and in the hole with a thread cleaning tap.:ThumbsUp:
 
#7 ·
Thanks for the replies fellas....I need to go and buy a proper torque wrench soon...I've had a cheap needle type (from autozone for $20) that seems to care less about how accurate it is....

I think I have a leaky power steering line up top that's also contributing so I'm going to degrease it good and see what needs fixing...

Jeremy
 
#8 ·
Let us know how it works out.
 
#9 ·
On page 9-114 of my 94 FSM it lists the oil pan screw torque as 105 in. lbs.
On page 9-106 in the oil pan installation instructions section it lists the screw torque as 200 in. lbs.
The same difference is found in the 2.5L instructions.
The 3.0L spec. is 50 in. lbs. in both the torque spec. table and the assembly instruction section.

Very confusing!

I would use the same torque for the engine oil pan screws as the tranny oil pan screws.
165 in. lbs. Just my $0.02.

FredB
 
#10 ·
Have you recently replaced the gasket? If with what? OIl pan bolts don't just "loosen up". Rather they appear too due to shrinkage of the gasket. A new proper gasket will have washers built in. So it just tights up to the washers. Never used a torque wrench on one and never had one come back either. GItta use good part though not come cheap replacement.
 
#11 ·
Not sure what gasket it was....I had a pretty competent mechanic do it for me since I was in a hurry (he builds and races his own SC Vipers). I'm going to check it all out this week sometime and will report back after the diagnosis..

Thanks

Jeremy
 
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