mtrumpet
Hamburg, NY
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Just wondering if anyone has changed their Oil Pan Gasket on their engine? (REF. Cummins 350 ISC)
Mine isn't critically leaking, just some very minor seeping in a couple of spots. If I wipe it off, I don't even have to wipe it off for another month or so and even then, it's still not that bad. In fact, it's never enough to drip down onto the ground. Nonetheless, I bought a new Gasket from Cummins (just-in-case)and they even made copies of the proceedure from their service manual for me. It certainly seems easy enough and no big deal to change (aside from having to have to drain out all of the oil).
However, as is usually the case when I attempt something "new" that I haven't done previously on my DP, there many times seems to "that one slight detail" that someone forgets to inform me about.
Therefore, just wondering of there's anything special that I should know about with regard to replacing the oil pan gasket?
Mark & Cherie (& Chloe)
2002 Newmar Dutch Star DP 3872, Cummins 350 ISC, Spartan Chassis
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Sully2
Cincinnati
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Leave it alone! Check engine oil at every fuel stop and watch the oil pressure gauge with "one eye".
Take it to Cummins this winter and have them pull the pan and replace it.
2000 Country Coach Allure; Cummins ISC 330 HP; 71/2 - 8 MPG regardless
2002 Jeep Liberty
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weasel4
Alberta
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mtrumpet
Check and see if the bolts around where it is seeping, are torqued to the proper tension.
BTC
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mtrumpet
Hamburg, NY
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Sully2 wrote:Leave it alone! Check engine oil at every fuel stop and watch the oil pressure gauge with "one eye".
Take it to Cummins this winter and have them pull the pan and replace it.
That's what I've been doing - just leaving it be. As I say, it's not even enough to cause a drip onto the ground. I may, someday when puttering around, just get under there and check the torque on the bolts.
What!? Take it to Cummins?!-in winter?! Shame on you! Coach in heated storage for the winter - never will it see salt or snow (the coach lives better than I do in the winter!) 
There's no way that I'm paying someone else to do a job that I'm perfectly capable of screwing up on my own! Hey, some of us don't have deep pockets like you!
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ScottG
Bothell Wa.
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Are you sure it's the pan and not the draft tube? They can cause oil to show up in some pretty strange places because of the air currents under there.
Scott, Grace and Wesly
2003 Dodge 3500 4x4, 6 speed Cummins (lightly bombed),
2004 Forest River 25RKS many, many mods.
H0NDA eu2000i
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mtrumpet
Hamburg, NY
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ScottG wrote:Are you sure it's the pan and not the draft tube? They can cause oil to show up in some pretty strange places because of the air currents under there.
No, it's definitely the pan gasket seeping ever so slightly in a couple of area's - in fact on the opposite side of where the slobber tube is. Except for those couple of spots the rest is clean and dry.
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Tom_Anderson
Concord, CA
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Drain the oil and leave the drain plug out for a few days before removing the pan. That will help minimize the amount of "black rain" you have to deal with while lying under the engine.
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John&Joey
Some Location
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mtrumpet wrote:John&Joey wrote:Have never done a diesel, but on a gas you want to slowly torque the bolts up in a star pattern. Otherwise you stand the chance of putting a twist into the pan. Which may be the reason it is leaking now.
IMO, I would find the correct torque for the pan and slowly torque the bolts up in the correct star pattern. If they all torque correctly with none of them taking a twist then you either have a bad gasket or pan.
Cummins gave me a copy of the service manual sheets regarding the oil pan, so I have the torque spec as well as the tightening sequence.
It's easy then. Just remember to draw up the bolts slowly. Do 25% torque, then 50%, then 75%, and then at last 100%. All in that star pattern that Cummins says to use. Doing it this way will eliminate the twisting of the pan.
If it still leaks then you'll have to go to plan B (new gasket or pan.) Some will even spray on a gasket seal between the gasket and the pan (only do one side, never the engine side) if you have a problem pan. That is backyard garage/shop stuff, and I'm sure is not Cummins approved.
On edit:
I'm sure you know this, but don't use anything to pry that pan off with if you have too. If you nick the engine side you'll hate yourself.
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John&Joey
Some Location
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Have never done a diesel, but on a gas you want to slowly torque the bolts up in a star pattern. Otherwise you stand the chance of putting a twist into the pan. Which may be the reason it is leaking now.
IMO, I would find the correct torque for the pan and slowly torque the bolts up in the correct star pattern. If they all torque correctly with none of them taking a twist then you either have a bad gasket or pan.
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mtrumpet
Hamburg, NY
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John&Joey wrote:Have never done a diesel, but on a gas you want to slowly torque the bolts up in a star pattern. Otherwise you stand the chance of putting a twist into the pan. Which may be the reason it is leaking now.
IMO, I would find the correct torque for the pan and slowly torque the bolts up in the correct star pattern. If they all torque correctly with none of them taking a twist then you either have a bad gasket or pan.
Cummins gave me a copy of the service manual sheets regarding the oil pan, so I have the torque spec as well as the tightening sequence.
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