Ok, long story short I have a semi-tweaked oil pan which means it won't line up with the rubber gasket. I even got another cork gasket for it and the rubber timing cover seal won't let it sit.

The rubber gasket is also too thick for the bolts to reach.

SO... I need to know which is better: cutting from a sheet of cork all the way around, or spreading a bead of RTV black all the way around.

I have plenty of rtv on hand, and I would have to go spend money on cork.

 

What would be the problem with getting a pan that's not screwed up?

 

I like my aluminum one. haha... It's not that screwed up, it fits perfectly without a gasket, just every gasket I can find doesn't want the pan to line up.

 

I have problems with my one piece gasket. Apparently GM at one point or another has made timing chain covers with different widths on the lips where the oil pan gasket sits. I've tried two different brands of the one piece gaskets and the rubber will not fully seat on the timing chaing cover. I've even applied tons of RTV to try to fill in the gap and the engine still leaks up front and really leaks if I go WOT (saw it while on the dyno). The oil pan is new and so is the timing chain cover (been through two of them trying to fix it). I just haven't had the time to buy the standard cork gasket and try to replace it.

 

^exactly^ the cork gasket fits 100 percent better than the rubber one for me... well maybe 75 percent better, the timing cover I have on has a gap that is too narrow.

I'm just going to chop up the cork 4 piece and fit it with rtv, even though rtv doen't bond well to cork. I think its better than the whole gasket out of rtv

 

Well I just ended up buying another oil pan from summit. the rubber gasket fit on the timing cover with a little persuasion from the rounded end of the hammer and all is right.

Funny though, the new pan cost me $40, and all the different gaskets and rtv and bolts cost me over that :/