Oil Pan Gasket Maker

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Which gasket maker would you guys recommend for the oil pan on an 05 Honda Civic? Its been leaking some oil and its time to fix it. Planning on using synthetic oil btw if that matters.
 
HondaBond is essentially Permatex Ultra Gray
If you can get a Fel-Pro gasket, that'd be preferable.
If you have the time, and want a longer lasting deal, I'd go for Ultra Black.
 
I have used Honda Bond on many aluminum Honda oil pans without any problems.
I like the idea of the gasket from Fel-Pro, they make one for each of engines offered. I would go this route personally, Fel-Pro makes excellent products that work.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
I have used Honda Bond on many aluminum Honda oil pans without any problems.
I like the idea of the gasket from Fel-Pro, they make one for each of engines offered. I would go this route personally, Fel-Pro makes excellent products that work.


How long did you let the honda bond set before pouring oil into the car?

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
I'd be wanting to try the Right Stuff if a gasket wasn't available.


I want to use The Right Stuff but don't know if I will have enough time to install the pan before the stuff starts to dry. There are alot of nuts and bolts.
 
Originally Posted By: mrcoolguy
I want to use The Right Stuff but don't know if I will have enough time to install the pan before the stuff starts to dry. There are alot of nuts and bolts.


I've wondered the same thing. I think they only give you 5 minutes working time before it sets up.
 
+1 on fel-pro

The gasket I got for the 62TE in my T&C is holding strong after a year, even with one of the bolts missing because it sheared in half...
 
Quote:
How long did you let the honda bond set before pouring oil into the car?


Not long. I clean the block and pan spotless with a plastic razor blade then wipe it down with brake cleaner.
Get 4 bolts the same thread but about 50mm -75mm long, mark the side of the block and pan in 4 places where the bolts will align, 2 on each side.
Put a drop of loctite blue or loctite blue tape on each bolt and put them in a bowl ready to go.

Apply the Honda Bond to the block (or the pan, i prefer the block).
Carefully lift the pan up and instal one long bolt in pre marked holes on one side and then then the other, instal the other 2 bolts (just finger tight).
Do not allow the pan to contact the block yet, let it hang on the long bolts.

Get a bolt ready and push up in the middle of the pan and instal it finger tight, do the same with one on the other side.
I use a 1/4 inch impact or a cordless drill with a socket to run the rest of the bolts up, do not tighten with the tool, just run them up, it goes quickly.

Replace the long bolts with the originals and torque all bolts cross ways in 3 steps to spec. Leave it overnight before filling with oil.
It takes me about 3-4 min once the Honda Bond is applied.

I would really consider using a gasket, if they make one for the 3.5 now i will use it.
 
Just FYI, Honda does not recommend Hondabond for oil pans, they tell you to use Ultra Flange II sealant. This is what I used on my friend's Civic when we replaced the oil pan where Walmart cross-threaded the drain plug. Here is an older article that discusses sealants:

http://www.acuralegendwiki.org/images/d/d6/AcuraServiceNews_1998-03.pdf

There are newer TSBs out that say the same thing, but this is a good overview.

And you don't have to get the pan clamped up within the specified time, you just have to get the mating surfaces together. Then put the bolts in and tighten it up as directed in the manual. But the idea of getting some longer bolts is a good one, I cut the heads of of three of them and just used them as guide pins. That way you don't have to worry about smearing the sealant on anything as the pan is directed onto the block.

I'm sure Permatex gray is fine too, but this wasn't my car and the pan was a lot of work to replace. I didn't want any chance of it leaking later, and blaming it on the sealant - right or wrong.
 
You don't let it set at all. You practice getting the pan installed (and how the sealant is applied), and you get it up and mated as quickly as possible. You don't get nuts about it and make mistakes because you are hurrying either, but at the same time you don't delay. The 4 or 5 minutes they give is actually plenty of time.

Originally Posted By: mrcoolguy
How long did you let the honda bond set before pouring oil into the car?
 
And a couple of other things. When you use a sealant (instead of a gasket), it is very helpful if the engine is upside down (like on a stand), this keeps residual oil from leaking down over the mating surfaces as you are trying to work. But since that's a difficult thing to do when the engine is installed on a car, I usually let the oil drain as long as possible (a whole day or more if you have the luxury of time), and then stuff paper towels up where I see oil still trickling down. Then just before I put the pan in place I pull the towels out (making sure you get them all and nothing tears off) and this usually gives enough time to properly seat the pan before oil has a chance to run down. It's not as big a deal when oil runs down after the pan is installed, but you do not want a trickle of oil across the block mating surface before you install the pan. This is a good argument for using a gasket for a replacement but I couldn't find a gasket for my friend's Civic.

Also make sure you wait the specified time before adding oil to the crankcase and before starting the car. IIRC the can of Ultra Flange II gave specific times for both of those. In my case we had time so I waited a whole 48 hours before doing anything. But if you just do what they say you will be fine.
 
Honda makes a special sealant for the oil pan which is a little slower setting up, I think in the 15min area. I can't find the number right now but will post it when I find it.
Ask the parts guy about it. I used it on my Acura and didn't have to hurry to get it in place.

Smoky
 
Any of the one sealants you mentioned will do fine. I have use all of them and all work well. Ultra Grey might hold a bit better and I think it's marketed towards more rigid applications- like two thick, cast surfaces such as an iron block and cast aluminum pan. I've been using the Right Stuff lately, which works great. As was said, make a dry run or two and you'll have more than enough time.

Also remember- clean, clean, clean! If you would hesitate to eat from it, it's not clean enough.

As for the wait time, I always wait as long as humanly possible, up to 24hrs. The Right Stuff advertises that you can put the part back in service right away- I've tried it a few times when I was in a hurry and so far, so good.
 
Originally Posted By: mrcoolguy
Which gasket maker would you guys recommend for the oil pan on an 05 Honda Civic? Its been leaking some oil and its time to fix it. Planning on using synthetic oil btw if that matters.


Ultra Black
 
Not to go OT, but I just can't see a good reason to not have a purpose specific gasket to do the job. Honda really doesn't use them?

I get it that a shop can't stock every last gasket, and sometimes needs to make one... But it seems to me that if you have time to prepare and get one, it's by far the easiest approach.

Or see they just that much harder to clean off or something?
 
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