Oil pan gasket:

[Captain D]

Hi gents,

Last year or so, I had a windage tray installed as my oil pan gasket. I love the idea / concept behind the windage tray, sure, but it hasn't been the greatest of gaskets for my Charger. I was thinking that maybe I would remove the reusable windage tray, but also use a sealant along with it, such as 'The Right Stuff,' particularly towards the rear of the pan in conjunction with the windage tray.

Just out of curiosity, if I didn't run with a windage tray (which, I still hope to) what is the best oil pan gasket out there, if anything? Pretend money isn't an issue, lol, what is the best o' the best gaskets to run with?

Hey, thanks for any and all replies...!

[metallicareload99]

As some one who hates leaks, I actually had good luck the windage tray/gasket combo from Summit Racing.  I did use a dab of RTV @ the timing cover and block seam and the rear main seal holder to block seams with no leaks.  I tore the engine down and had some work done and the machine shop installed my oil pan and reused the same windage tray/gasket by itself and I didn't have any leaks.

Mahle makes a cork gasket with a steal core that looks pretty good but I haven't tried it, kinda spendy.  As you probably know, you'd need two oil pan gaskets with a standard windage tray

[alfaitalia]

Regardless of the car model I always find the best sump gasket is....no gadget at all. With a gasket you have two surfaces to seal (both sides of it....four with a windage tray). With no gasket you have on one seal to worry about (two with tray). The modern high modulus sealants are pretty amazing and rarely fail if correctly applied even on pitted and distorted  surfaces. Just remember to thoroughly degrease the surfaces....put a a good bead of sealants on and lightly nip up the bolts ensuring a good seal all round.....only fully torque them AFTER the silicone has dried. That way you get a good thick gasket that does not all get pushed out when you tighten the bolts. Never had a leak using this technique.

[ACUDANUT]

Regardless of the car model I always find the best sump gasket is....no gadget at all. With a gasket you have two surfaces to seal (both sides of it....four with a windage tray). With no gasket you have on one seal to worry about (two with tray). The modern high modulus sealants are pretty amazing and rarely fail if correctly applied even on pitted and distorted  surfaces. Just remember to thoroughly degrease the surfaces....put a a good bead of sealants on and lightly nip up the bolts ensuring a good seal all round.....only fully torque them AFTER the silicone has dried. That way you get a good thick gasket that does not all get pushed out when you tighten the bolts. Never had a leak using this technique.

Good advice. I guess I am old Fashion. Metal on metal needs a gasket. Summit makes a rubber gasket and won't collapse like cork.

[timmycharger]

I tried the one piece deal from Summit, even modified my oil pan filling up the valleys on the rail to make it perfectly flat and it still ended up leaking like crazy. Ended up pulling it out and tossing it on the shelf. 

I ended up going with gaskets from Superformance, Mancini Racing has them, and unlike the cork ones, you can actually stack them with the windage tray and they don't get all floppy and collapsing when trying to install from under the car.   That pretty much cured my leak, or at least from the pan. Now I have a leak from a valve cover to address but that's easy compared to the pan.

[c00nhunterjoe]

Are you sure its the pan leaking and not the rear main cap/seal. I have not heard of issues with the rubber overmold gaskets.

[Captain D]

Thanks all for the replies - finally catching up on the thread (vacation). But, yes, I'm 200% sure the Summit Racing windage tray gasket doesn't seal the best on my Charger. So, come the fall or the spring, unfortunately we'll have to drop the pan & try it all over again. I appreciate the replies and info to help make a decision what to change differently this time round' 😉.