Oil Pan Gasket

[globalrider]

A very simple job for anyone needing to do so. In my books, a 1 or 2 out of 10.

Bought a new 1990 R100 GS in 1991 that has been in storage since mid 2016 (*) and noted that I had a few oil drips onto some newspapers that I placed under the engine. No big deal and no rush since it was in storage and I'll get around to it one day. I hate oil drips! (*) bought a new 2016 R1200 GS Adventure.

Even though it was not run since doing an oil and oil filter change prior to storage, it turned out to be the white O-ring at the oil filter. Strange in that I have replaced those countless times at every oil filter change over the years. Anyway, decided to replace the oil pan gasket as well and have a look at the engine internals since it was 33 years old.

Looks clean and frequent oil changes help...


The time consuming part, cleaning the oil pan gasket surfaces...before...


The time consuming part, cleaning the oil pan gasket surfaces...after...


As well as the oil pan gasket surfaces on the engine block...


All oil pan bolts torqued and then re-torqued a few days later as the BMW factory oil pan gasket compressed a tad.

 

[20774]

Nice job! Sounds like you didn't use any sealant on the gasket which is the way it was designed. Did you happen to notice if any of those bolts are through bolts into the engine cavity? I always thought that a few of them were and some non-hardening sealant the threads was needed to keep the oil from working down the bolt threads...and becoming a dreaded drip!!

 

[globalrider]

Sounds like you didn't use any sealant on the gasket which is the way it was designed.

Good thing the factory didn't because it was a bit of a job getting the oil pan separated from the block. No way I would stick a screwdriver between the two sufaces to pry them apart which is best left to butchers. I used a 4" long 2x4 wrapped in a sock and tapped the side of the oil pan with a club hammer.

I was thinking about using my favourite product which is actually a gasket adhesive - Loctite Gasket Adhesive which is a spray-on red product that seals extremely well on smooth surfaces. I recently bought a can of Permatex High Tack Spray-A-Gasket (Gasket Sealant) which I have not tried.

In any case, NO because I now how well the Loctite products can cause a gasket to bond and there are no wedge points on the oil pan and block.

Did you happen to notice if any of those bolts are through bolts into the engine cavity? I always thought that a few of them were and some non-hardening sealant the threads was needed to keep the oil from working down the bolt threads...and becoming a dreaded drip!!

I believe the engine block is a sand cast. Not exactly great at sealing oil. I ran a bottoming 6mm tap and Q-Tips into each hole to clean them. Other than oil, they came out clean. None of my bolt holes were through bolts into the engine cavity. Should it be an issue, I'll redo the job. My oil pan during my time with it (26 years) was always dry...till I did the last oil change.

 

[globalrider]

An O-ring that shifted during an oil and filter change prior to long term storage. Well that explains the oil seepage at the oil filter cover and the drips on the newspapers over the years. But there is another reason why the oil pan was oily, the neutral switch in the transmission. Well it did last 33 years.



By the way, placed in long term storage exactly 7 years ago and it started right up and idled perfectly. Damn! Draining the carbs back then and letting them dry before putting the float bowls back on likely helped. A bit of smoke till the engine storage spray in the cylinders burned off.

What a difference to my 2016 R1200 GS Adventure in size and weight. Bigger is not always better.

 

[lkchris]

Maybe still available today, but in the day there was a guy that sold silicone gaskets for Airheads. Float bowls, valve covers, and oil pan.

The float bowl gaskets were a mistake, as they didn't survive gasoline contact.

The valve cover gaskets weren't necessary, although they worked for me on a bike with chewed up gasket surfaces ... my guess from prying by someone who thought the covers were held on by single bolts.

I found the pan gasket, however, essentially mandatory as it was the only thing that didn't leak. The seller recommended blue loctite on the screws.

FYI ... any BMW gasket with printing on it ... well that's the side of the gasket with factory applied heat activated adhesive. Don't add any more. Printed side to cylinder head, not valve cover.

 

[globalrider]

Just a follow up after more than 2 weeks since replacing the oil pan gasket and doing an oil and oil filter change. Although leaks usually are more noticeable when the oil is thin at operating temperature, I did run it up to operating temperature after the job was done.

And today, all heads to the 14 oil pan bolts are bone dry and so is the oil filter cover flange as it should be.