83MONTESS 496/8.5 build

[565bbchevy]

I have a deep aluminum pan on my 400 trans and the sealing surface is perfectly flat (with no raised ridge to put pressure on the gasket) and I tried a couple different gaskets mounted dry and with sealer and I would still see a very slight leak or residue so I ended up trying a Hylomar sealant with a good Fel-Pro paper style gasket and it has not leaked since.

 

[pontiacgp]

Been awhile since I updated this! I got 99% of the wiring done. I have my Griffin radiator at a fab shop getting a shroud made for the 16" electric fan. I finally got around to mounting the other 16" electric fan on the front side of the radiator support so it will be a pull/push setup with two 16" 3000 cfm fans to keep the big block cool.

Now for the problem. I cannot for the life me get my trans pan to seal. I have tried 2 different gaskets - one cork and one paper - but it still leaks from the rear driver's side. Not like gushing out but if I leave it for a day I have a pretty good sized puddle under it. I think im just gonna get it going, put some miles on it and see if that helps.

I think you should try to fix it before you put any miles in it. By the look of your car it's really clean on the underside and it would be a shame to coat it with transmission fluid

 

[-83MONTESS-]

I went ahead and pulled the pan back off. The pan was surprisingly flat but I hammered the bolt holes in and took a metal working hammer (sharp point) and hit it evenly around the perimeter of the pan rail. I bought a cork/neoprene gasket today after talking to a few guys about my issue. They say cork is the best but 99% of people over tighten the bolts causing the gasket to split in the middle and push out on the inside and outside. Makes sense. My only question is to RTV it not RTV it? I always RTV the pan side and let the gasket sit on it while the RTV sets up. That way the gasket doesnt move. Any ideas?

 

[pontiacgp]

I do the same as you with the RTV and I agree that cork gaskets are best on a transmission pan

 

[godlemmy]

Don't remember what Trans your running but I had same problem with my th400.if I drove it everyday it didn't leak let it sit it would puke all over the floor. I think it had tone do with how the Trans cooler was mounted.if cooler is mounted above the level of the Trans it will back drain and over fill Trans. Check the position of the cooler.

 

[-83MONTESS-]

Don't remember what Trans your running but I had same problem with my th400.if I drove it everyday it didn't leak let it sit it would puke all over the floor. I think it had tone do with how the Trans cooler was mounted.if cooler is mounted above the level of the Trans it will back drain and over fill Trans. Check the position of the cooler.

I have a TH400 as well but the cooler is empty since the transmission has yet to be run. My old TH400 would leak bad out of the front seal if it sat for over a few days.

 

[-83MONTESS-]

I had yesterday off so I got some stuffs done on the monte. I put the trans pan on and torqued the bolts to 9 lbs-ft. I havent put fluid in it yet though. My big accomplishment was installing my radiator and new electric fan shroud. I had a local fabricator make me a sheet metal shroud because my old aluminum one I had made for my stock radiator was too small to fit my new Griffin. It pretty much fit together like a dream but fan to water pump pulley clearance it TIGHT! Heres the evidence
radiator1 by bwollens1983, on Flickr
radiator by bwollens1983, on Flickr
And here is what the front looks like. I will have (2) 16" 3000 cfm fans in a push/pull setup. I mounted the front fan to the X braces I made.
radiator 2 by bwollens1983, on Flickr

 

[L.A.X-RATED]

:shock: REALLY CLEAN there brennan!!! be expecting a pm when i get around to installing my bbc in my 2wD k5 :wink: how much were the fans? links PLEASE!!!

 

[-83MONTESS-]

:shock: REALLY CLEAN there brennan!!! be expecting a pm when i get around to installing my bbc in my 2wD k5 :wink: how much were the fans? links PLEASE!!!

Thanks. The fans were $40 each but since I bought 2 the Derale salesman gave me $10 off. I got them from a Derale salesman at a local swap meet about 2 years ago so I don't have any links. All I know is that they are rated for 3000 cfm.

 

[-83MONTESS-]

Well now I have 2 puddles of ATF on the floor. I have a small leak from the temp sender bung and a pretty massive leak at the front of the pan now. So the pan is going in the garbage and im going to get a cast aluminum one.