What is the best way to keep my pan bolts tight? They come loose every couple runs. They did on my last engine as well. These are factory bolts with the captured washers on them. Do I burr up a thread? Or use some silicone on the threads? I'm sure you long term racers have already solved this simple problem. Going racing next Saturday night. I'd like to fix this in the morning so I'm not working on it next week at the track.

Rick

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2 Mopars come with Spark plug tubes. One is a world class, racing machine. The other is a 426 CI. boat anchor!

12.70 @ 104.6

Studs with metallic (not nylock) locknuts?

Olaf

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Aspenized

Loctite red 271 or stage 8 fasteners.

http://www.stage8.com/moparoilpan.html

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/stg-8702


I would choose one of those.


also you can make oil pan studs out of Allen type set screws.. Loctite them in and use bolts with lock washers and more Loctite on the threads.

Greg

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http://www.youtube.com/hyperpack

Tighten your pan bolts further, and/or retighten after initial install... Did you balance your rotating assembly? I have not had this problem except an occasional few bolts here and there that I retightened. Some of the bolts you could put double (or aero) nuts on from the top??

I overtighten everything, but my stuff (almost) never loosens up. Best way is to tighten til it breaks (or in your case distorts pan or leaks), then back off a 1/4 turn. In other words, a few broken/stripped bolts along the way (mostly 10-20 yrs ago), then you find the sweet spot(s). Another example is I run my head bolts at 85-90 ft-lbs, and have never broken one and only had one head gasket problem (overheating gasket due to fire ring in chamber and on highish boost). A few times I went to 100+...

I saw a 2000 Mustang Cobra at the track last night shear all of his left rear wheel studs off (luckily) right on the starting line. Loose lug nuts... Why not tighten the hell out of them (100 ft-lbs) - it's your life!

YMMV, and I claim no liability for anyone's use of this casual internet advice...

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

I balanced the rods and pistons myself. No professional balancing. Engine feels smooth as silk to me. I have re-tightened the bolts already and I am squeezing the gasket too much at one place. So I guess I'll pull all the ones I can and try lock tight on them. If I pull the motor the Stage 8 fasteners will be in my future, as well as the silicone pan gasket. There is not much room to install any "trick" stuff in the car

I did talk with someone at Wilkesboro and he said he had the same issue. Can't remember if it was Ron Hamby or maybe Norm Foster?

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2 Mopars come with Spark plug tubes. One is a world class, racing machine. The other is a 426 CI. boat anchor!

12.70 @ 104.6

Weird. Hard to know how smooth to you and smooth to the bolts is different... Good to know.

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Are the bolts really getting looser, or is the pan gasket just getting softer...............

I think it's the pan gasket getting softer.

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

Bolts are definitely getting loose. I took all of them out that I could get to and tried as best I could to clean the oil off. Then I put on the locktite. We shall see,

Rick

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2 Mopars come with Spark plug tubes. One is a world class, racing machine. The other is a 426 CI. boat anchor!

12.70 @ 104.6

I would try and turn 'em to the right. That's just me.

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66 Lil' Red Piggie Valiant (Mater Crusher) - Thanks Zilla!!!!! 72 Demon (Number 1 Son's)

Thanks Cookie! That's something I never thought of !!

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2 Mopars come with Spark plug tubes. One is a world class, racing machine. The other is a 426 CI. boat anchor!

12.70 @ 104.6

Sorry I'm late to the game but how about the mopar bolts with the nylon lock insert nub in the thread area? I swear I've pulled oe pan bolts out that were like this (probably on a B/Rb engine like shown below) and bought some new ones too (dealer), but neither of the two slants I've torn down where like these:



I thought the idea is like a slightly boogered thread, the nylon nub 'grabs' because it sticks out of thread form oh-so slightly? (the yellow dot on some of the bolts shown is actually the nylon 'nub')

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1966 Coronet Deluxe

Hi Sprag, make a little test first, and check if they can take the heat. Some nyloc inserts simply turn to butter when heated, even if they look like high quality.

Olaf

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Aspenized

The Valiant has the same issue but only on the right side. I would have to retighten them when it would start leaking which was about every 3-4 runs. Lost a few bolts in the process by not checking. They sure do turn out rather quickly...thought maybe that side of the block was weaker and the oil pan would flex a bit trying to work the bolts loose. Glad I'm not the only one with the issue.
Later
Ryan

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10.74 @ 127.47 mph 1320 ft
6.65 @ 107.80 mph 660 ft

http://www.youtube.com/c/turbo66valiant
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my dart did the same thing, ended up being an air gap between the pan and block.... got lucky on that one...

i used long allen studs and blue locktited them in, then nylocks, never been an issue after that...

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1965 Plymouth A/FX 512ci (under construction)
1968 Dodge Dart SL6 14.25 @ 91.5 1.91 60'
1973 Dodge Dart SL6 Stock
Killer Bee's Member Since 09'
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/sho ... p?t=128702
http://www.youtube.com/user/805moparkid

There is another solution that I suggested a long time ago as a replacement for manifold nuts, but again, it require the oil pan bolts to be replaced by studs. These nuts are two-piece, and the nut facing the material to be clamped, can be torqued to specs, and then be locked in place by the second piece.

It has the same effect as clamping two nuts by threading them hard together, but without risking to ruin the threads.

You find them low on this page, they are named Two-Piece Thread-Clamping Locknuts.

Olaf

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Aspenized