I'm at my wits ends with this oil leak.
I replaced the oil pan gasket last week (one piece), because of the oil
that was seeping from the lower corner back passenger side, this
job was a 6 (scale of 1-10).
Replaced the oil trap a day after.

Oil leak continues.
Upon further investigation this morning it seems like oil is seeping from
around the passenger side oil pan bolts, starting with the two at the back
corner (passenger side) and then the three following towards the engine.
I wiped the bolts and then I can see that oil reappears at the bolts. The oil is dripping from the passenger side rear corner of the oil pan.
What can I apply on these bolts to stop this seep? I did clean the bolts real good when I replaced the gasket.

The torque for the oil pan gasket bolts is supposed to be 8 ft. pounds each.
I am using a inch pound torque wrench...so is that 8x12 = 96" pounds?
And then
when I have to use a extension 3" and then a 5.5", which changes the torque.
Am I correct that 8lb. torque plus 14" wrench plus 3" extension brings the torque needed to 6.5lb, which equals 6.5x12= 78 inches of torque.
Then if I have to use a 5.5" extension that torque goes down to 5.7 torque, which equals 5.7x12=68" torque? Below is the torque conversion calculator I used.
http://www.engineersedge.com/manufacturing_spec/calculator/torque_adapter_extension.htm

I think I have more oil (from 34 years) on the outside of my engine than on the inside.

Thanks for all advice and opinions,
Joseph in New Mexico

I'm not sure I understand your calculations on torqueing the pan bolts.

If you are using a torque wrench the extensions that you add between the wrench and the socket make no difference in the tightness of the bolt.

Torque is a measure of how tight the bolt is and is measured in foot pounds. What that means is N pounds of force X L feet of lever gives the same value of tightness if you put 8 pounds of force on a 1 foot long lever or apply 1 pound of force on the end of a 8 foot lever. The distance between the business end of the wrench (lever) and the bolt does not matter.

Tighten all the bolts until you see 96 inch pounds on your torque wrench.


Greg

You didn't say if you used an RTV type sealant when you changed the gasket.
Nonetheless here's a little trick I learned not long ago and seems to work pretty good. Take out every other bold in the seeping area (or the whole pan if you can) and put some RTV around the inside of the heads of the bolts. Put them (or you can do one at a time if you're worried about leaking as you work) back in and snug them up to the surface of the pan. Wait about half an hour and then go ahead and torque them in. If you can do all of them so much the better.
If the seeping/leaking continues I would drain the oil and do what you can to get the mating surfaces and gasket edge as dry as possible of oil. Wipe that area down with some rubbing alcohol. Then take some SEAL ALL (yellow tube from hardware store) and put it all around that the edge of the pan and let dry as per instructions. If the SEAL ALL is too loose to use then put in the fridge for about 45 min. I used that to stop a tranny pan tube leak and it worked good.
I have never torqued pan bolts. I just snug them up tight.

Hi Chip ~ I did not use RTV on the gasket.
I was reading online that the gasket manufacturer was not recommending RTV. They claim that the majority of warranty issues are because of RTV use.
Getting the gasket on with such limited space was another reason I voted against RTV. I'm thinking that maybe I should start over and use the RTV on the gasket?

unless your pan tab edge where the bolts go through is deformed it ought not to leak. however a bad rear main seal will send oil downward into this area.

if it was me i would add a bottle of AT 205 into the engine oil and drive it around for 20 miles and see if this slows or stops the leak.

i do not think its your pan gasket they really not tend to leak real bad if the bolts are snug and gasket is intact.

rear main is what it sounds like

Hi Richard ~ if it were the rear main seal wouldn't the oil be coming out of the tranny housing two plastic windows?

oil travels downward and then to each side due to air movement under the car as it drives down the road. you have been under there and no first hand the connection between the bellhousing/engine/transmission support bracket is littered with spaces for oil traveling downward to migrate.

you can continue on this path, that's your choice, not mine, for the source of your problem.

pan leaks have seldom been much a problem i experienced if the gasket is intact.