Project Tow Mater. 1955 Dodge C3-B Pickup.

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Today I cleaned the whole passenger side of the engine and oil pan. I made sure it was all REALLY clean so oil leaks would be obvious. I also cleaned up around the bottom half of the transmission bellhousing so I could look for a rear main seal leak.

After that I mounted the block off plate to eliminate the mechanical fuel pump. I used blue RTV on the gasket and then used new hardware with lock washers and flat washers. I made sure both surfaces were flat and clean and then I installed the plate.

Then I plumbed in the electric fuel pump. Come to find out it won't spin backwards. I wired it one way to see if it would spin correctly and it wouldn't even turn on. Then I swapped wires and it worked and spun the right way, and filled the fuel filter. So positive is to the ground, and negative is the power, just like my truck is set up. I need to completely isolate the pump from the truck though or it will spark, so I wrapped it in a radiator hose. Now I need to mount it to the truck.

After the plate was installed and the pump was in and running I started it up to check for leaks.

THE FUCKING BLOCK OFF PLATE LEAKS OIL REALLY BAD!!!!! WTF!!!!????!!!!!????!!!!!!

I went through all that effort to be sure the gasket had a good seal on the engine, I tightened the bolts and then checked them again before I started the engine and the fucking plate leaks just as bad as the mechanical pump did. DAMN!

I continued to let the engine run while I looked for more leaks. I can't find anything else dripping. The oil pan gasket looks good, the rear main seal doesn't have any fresh oil on it, and the crankcase vent tube isn't dripping. I seriously think this fuel pump gasket is my only leak, the leak is just so severe that the oil runs along the oil pan flange and onto the transmission bellhousing and drips everywhere in between. This leak is so bad it isn't even a drip, it seriously pees oil out of there.

So, I leared a trick from a hot rod guy I am trying out. I cleaned both surfaces AGAIN. I applied a thick bead of blue RTV to the engine block around the hole I am trying to seal. Then I installed the block off plate but only hand tightened the bolts. Now tomorrow when the RTV is all dried up I will go under the hood and tighten down those bolts. I'm told this should work.

Fingers crossed.

[JTapper]

Is the plate perfectly straight?

What about the bolt holes, do they go all the way through into the block? If they do, a little sealant on them should fix that.

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The plate is flat and the block has a machined surface. I tested the plate there and it laid flush against the block.

The oil is not coming through the bolt holes, it is peeing right out of the bottom of the hole halfway between the two bolts.

Before I goobered it up tonight I double checked for burrs on the plate and the engine, and I also looked for a crack in the block. I don't see or feel anything.

It has to be the engine block. The fuel pump and the block off plate leak the same way.

[boardrider247]

Did you use just RTV? Or a paper gasket and RTV?

You could always buy some thicker gasket material and make your own. I have bought gasket material sets that come with 4 or 5 different types of material in 12"x12"sheets. Some of that 1/8" thick cork type stuff might be the ticket.

I've honestly never had very good luck with RTV. But I know I also almost always over tighten it

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Well, yesterday when it leaked I used RTV and a paper based gasket. I bought thermostat housing gasket material in bulk a while back and I used that on my thermostat housing and on this. thermostat housing doesn't leak, this does.

That thick cork idea sounds good too. hmm

Now the thick bead of RTV trick I set up last night is just RTV, no gasket. I applied the RTV, squished it down a little by hand tightening the bolts, and now today I am going to go out there and tighten the bolts down. Hopefully this works.

If it doesn't work I am welding that fricken thing shut! lol

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YUS!

The thick bead of RTV trick worked. I tightened down the bolts and started the truck up and no leaks!!!

[JTapper]

Kickass!

[boardrider247]

Very nice!

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I was about to mount the fuel pump and the rain rolled in. DAMNIT!

I'll have it all buttoned up again tomorrow I guess.

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Test drive was a complete success!

I got that oil leak fixed with the thick RTV bead trick. Got the fuel pump mounted and took it for a spin. No hiccups, and still no new oil on the driveway.

In case you aren't keeping super close tabs on this thread, my truck had the hiccups because the mechanical fuel pump was on it's way out, plus it was leaking oil. So I replaced the mechanical pump with a block off plate and an electric fuel pump. The electric fuel pump took care of the hiccups.

YUS!

[Sven7]

Good yob! For a photographer you sure don't post many pics.

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I've put about 30 miles on it since I fixed the oil leak at the fuel pump. Early inspections found no additional oil leaks.

There was new spot on the driveway this morning about 2" in diameter, directly under the rear main seal. No other leaks were found. So I will need to replace that it I want to get this thing so it doesn't leave it's mark everywhere. It is WAY better than it was though.

[Kriesel]

So, I leared a trick from a hot rod guy I am trying out. I cleaned both surfaces AGAIN. I applied a thick bead of blue RTV to the engine block around the hole I am trying to seal. Then I installed the block off plate but only hand tightened the bolts. Now tomorrow when the RTV is all dried up I will go under the hood and tighten down those bolts. I'm told this should work.

Yeah, that's what I've done every time I use RTV. If you tighten it down, it squishes it all out right away. I use this same procedure on valve cover gaskets now and then, and diff cover gaskets mainly. Had to do it on my oil pan gasket on the jeep once too. I prefer RTV over paper gaskets for sure, and sometimes even rubber gaskets... Cheap and easy for most applications... Other than the 90% of people on this forum that need a show and shine engine and don't want blue RTV danglin out of cracks... haha

Glad it finally worked out for you!

[JK9K]

Other than the 90% of people on this forum that need a show and shine engine and don't want blue RTV danglin out of cracks... haha

Or the 100% of people who wouldn't want to spend several thousand on a car only to have the motor turn into a boat anchor once you start taking corners like a big boy...because that shit squeezes out on the inside of the seam just like it does on the outside.



Mmmmm...carnage cause by excess RTV!



Bearings are supposed to look like that when you peel them off a crankshaft, right? Be careful with RTV, folks! In this case, it sounds like it was probably the only cheap/easy way to take care of the Exxon Valdez situation. Just keep the potential consequences in mind for motors you might actually care about.

I've seen much less excessive applications of this shit squeeze out and peel away from the inside of a flange and clogify the shit out of oil pickup tubes. In my case it wrecked a really nice weekend of racing, and resulted in a lot of wasted money and time.

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Jessop is correct.

RTV is a last resort. I tried a couple different gasket materials and tried doubling up the gasket to get the proper seal all in an attempt to avoid RTV.

I don't think I have to fear this RTV getting into the engine though. It is sealing a spot that has outward pressure on it so if it gives it will give out.