Dorman Oil Pan

[grasscutter]

Forget that Dorman pan. Send it back. Go OEM scrapyard on E-Bay with correct gasket. Have no idea why Dorman put those grooves there. Actually, I'm shocked at Dorman for makin a pan like that. It doesn't match OEM !!!! Shame on Dorman !!!

It's starting to make sense. I put a phone call into Dorman's tech line. "Jim" says that GM did away with the deep grooves for the pre-made silicone gasket in later model years. He says the Dorman pan has the updated design. So what I did is find the GM part number for a 2006 Buick Lucerne oil pan. They have one on eBay. Sure enough, there are no more deep grooves. It's flat.

Here's a picture of the updated GM V6 oil pan ( not Dorman )

 

[50yr Street Mech]

Ahhh, they changed the design. Makes sense now.

 

[kschachn]

What is up with the shallow grooves in the Dorman pan? Am I supposed to put a tiny bead of sealant into those grooves?

I'd try to find out. On my old ECHO there was a similar groove in a pan but the FSM had you putting the RTV on the outside edge. I figured the groove was to capture a bit of the excess so it didn't end up in the pan.

The FSM gave a bead size and showed a specific placement. Typically it was outside the bolt holes for the most part and then it circled them.

 

[Nessism1]

I agree. Honda bond is junk, but it's used all over the Honda's. That just gives you more insight into the Honda brand itself.

There are various types of "Hondabond". Some are RTV and others acrylic sealant. Made by Threebond.

 

[50yr Street Mech]

Run the RTV right down the middle and circle the holes. Install the pan. READ THE DIRECTIONS !!!!!! Hondabond has a 24hr set up time, others are faster. You don't wanna be dumping oil in that pan right after installation. The leftovers will end up in the sump screen....That's why I like a gasket. Install it, fill it with oil, job complete.,,,,which is why I said go back with the OEM pan from the year of the car. But, either way will work. New version will take a bit longer to complete job.

 

[Chris142]

Sealant will work well if you can keep oil off it long enough for it to cure.

 

[50yr Street Mech]

Yes, put it on the pan.....wait a few minutes...then stick that sucka on. Bolt it down and let the stuff cure as per directions on whatever RTV you're using....This I would def torque ( goes against my grain, I'm old and old school )

 

[TomYoung]

What is up with the shallow grooves in the Dorman pan? Am I supposed to put a tiny bead of sealant into those grooves?

Maybe not "tiny," but the right amount. The Dorman pan grooves are not continuous, so you want to connect by running your bead on the inside of each bolt hole. This may be slightly improper, but I would probably draw circles (in Hondabond) around each bolt hole. Again, TE Videos on YouTube to get the bead size and feel demo. He has a few oil pan vids. And again, I would give the old college try to getting and OE or direct equivalent pan and gasket.

 

[TomYoung]

I agree. Honda bond is junk, but it's used all over the Honda's. That just gives you more insight into the Honda brand itself.

I don't track with this sentiment at all. There is no insight to be had on Honda vehicles, which I have been buying since 1985, and driving hundreds of thousands of trouble-free miles. (on each vehicle!!!) Honda has changed the world with cars that are superbly reliable, quite easy to maintain, and have always been a little, or a lot more interesting than the (also excellent) Toyota products. I have owned many of them, and recommended the brand to everyone I know. I am including Acura's in this discussion. I am kinda driving Euro sleds right now, but there are a few Hondas in the driveway and I expect I will go back to Hondas when I grow up a little bit.

I have used HondaBond a few times. While I am not exactly and RTV/Sealant expert, and am not called to use sealant as a home, highly amateur, mechanic, I have found the stuff easy-to-work with. The time in takes to dry and seal is partly time I require since I am not using sealant that often. I like the discussion, but not getting the HondaBond vibes!

 

[50yr Street Mech]

Take it easy Tom. If you read my post , I was ranting about the robots in the factory squirting Honda Bond on the assembly line. Clogged nozzles, air in the lines. The robots missing spots. A human, ( like us, not on an assembly line ), would not make a mistake like that. We're not under the pressure of that moving belt. I've used Honda Bond without any problems. But, I've had problems with my Honda's that had Honda Bond. Oil leaks. Again, I blame the robots. You got lucky, and I didn't. Plain and simple. Maybe you're robots were just serviced. I mean, the robots puttin that stuff down have to be cleaned every so often. That stuff is sticky.