How to remove old oil pan gasket?

I took the oil pan off my '84 VW Rabbit (diesel). Unfortunately, most of the old (paper) gasket stuck to the bottom of the engine. How do I remove it? It's practically superglued on. I've tried gasket remover, a scraper, a razor blade, a wire wheel on a Dremel... the stuff clings to my engine block with tenacity!

Any tips on getting it off before I take a grinder with a wire wheel to it?

Reply to
tylernt
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Dont know what they are called but they look like little discs made out of SOS pads. They are about 1.75 inches in diameter and attach to a high speed angle grinder. I got mine at the auto parts store, and now that I think about it, I dont recall seeing them anywhere else. Jim

Reply to
gobroncos

They're called "Roloc" pads, 3M makes them and it would be wise to point out that they have been documented as causing major catastrophic engine failure because of the level of contamination they cause inside the engine. Most OEMs have banned their use.

Reply to
aarcuda69062

You've got the right ideas. Now if you can just find some of Job's patience. Some things just cannot be hurried. (*G*lue the new one onto the pan!)HTH, s

Reply to
sdlomi2

Don't glue the new gasket to the pan, just get one of the new steel-core neoprene gaskets. They are reusable and hold their shape so no glue is required. I used one on a Corrado when I replaced the rod bearings maybe 4 years ago and it still doesn't leak. This way you will never have to scrape off an old, hard cork gasket again :)

A real, honest-to-God gasket scraper is a lifesaver here. It's like the bastard child of a putty knife and a cold chisel. It is the right tool for the job. Your FLAPS should have one. A little spray carb cleaner can help loosen the old gasket as well, just don't let it drip in your eyes. Once you get a clean spot, you ought to be able to catch the edge of the old gasket material and work your way around the whole flange pretty easily. The oil pan flange can be cleaned up with a wire wheel in a bench grinder or hand drill, will work much faster than a Dremel.

My advice is not good for all engines, but I know for a fact that the nice gasket is available for a VW 4-banger, because I've used the exact part you need. I think I got it from parts4vws.com. I believe that they are also available for Ch*vy valve covers, if anyone cares (will try a set on my Studebaker next time I need to replace valve cover gaskets, as I'm using aluminum valve covers with no flanges and apparently Ch*vy and Stude valve covers are close enough to the same size/shape that they will work.)

nate

Reply to
N8N

I seldom use anything but a good sharp stainless steel scraper. (I make them myself from stainless steel putty knives. Sharpen them on a grinder and then with a stone.)

I have used white spirit, alcohol, etc to mop the gasket area to help it turn loose. Sometimes it helps a lot, sometimes not.

But with perseverence, you can get it off.

Reply to
<HLS

My tip is not to use a grinder wheel. :) A razor blade in a holder has always worked for me. It is tedious work and will take a while.

----------- Alex

Reply to
Alex Rodriguez

last thing you wanna do is nick what your gasketing together or you'll never get a good seal again even with a gasket. .

Reply to
ed

This is the approach I took and it worked great. The razor blade was too flimsy and the scraper too dull until I combined the best of both worlds. ;)

Thanks, everyone, for the replies! Including N8N for the neoprene gasket tip.

Reply to
tylernt

I tend to use razor blades and a die grinder with the least abrasive surface prep pad. The sharpened scraper approach is a good one.

I would add one caution: Make sure you do not gouge or dent the pan mating surface.

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Reply to
Barry S.

Will a sharp wood chisel work?

Reply to
larry moe 'n curly

a harder material will always cut the softer material.

My solution would be to use the edge of a piece of hardwood, and tap it along the gasket flange pushing the old junk ahead of it. Oak would be a good choice, and tap it along with a deadfall hammer or such.

Lg

Reply to
Lawrence Glickman

That's actually a good idea, or a hard plastic scraper, but sometimes you can't help but have to use a steel scraper, as anything softer will dull rather than scrape off the old gasket. Yes, steel is harder than cast iron - the trick is just to never use the *corner* of the scraper and always keep the sharp edge flat on the sealing surface, that way you won't remove any significant amount of iron but will be able to get all the gasket off.

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

Some of the steels, including some of the stainlesses, are softer than cast iron, but your basic comment is right on.

I round off the corners on my scrapers, slightly, to avoid the gouging and scratching you are fererring to.

Reply to
<HLS

Thats right i got some with the corners off too. gasket scrapers , dremels screwdrivers, razors all work just fine.It'll seal if you nick it just dremel them off, and use gasket sealer.

Reply to
none2u

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