Hi,

I have a 1988 IROC with a 350 L98 V8 engine.

I was doing some work under the car and decided to replace the factory sump which was badly dented and had a couple of cracks repaired with bondo.

The parts store sold me a chrome Chinese sump for the L98 and it appeared to be the same.

I eventually got the old sump out by removing the engine mount bolts and lifting the engine. Took ages to find the extra nut on the coolant pipes that mount on a stud for the sump!

The old sump was a tight fit to remove, but I can't get the new chrome sump back in.

I've tried jacking the engine a bit higher.

I've also beaten the bottom of the new sump down a bit with a rubber mallet.

Reading posts here it appears the generic L98 replacement sump is different to Camaro L98 sump.

Any suggestions or should I just keep massaging the sump with the rubber mallet?

 

How does it compare side by side with the old one?
Only two types of factory L98 pans I am aware of; Corvette as shown on the right( the sump on the pan is longer and shallower )
and all the rest same as ZZ4 pan ( sump is deeper and shorter ) shown

 

@vetteoz - thanks for posting the pics.

In hindsight I should have bought a black painted sump rather than the cheaper chrome one.

The chrome one is more square in the shallower section, missing the ridge that runs up the side towards the front of the sump.

Eventually I got the sump in by lifting the engine up a fraction more.

One problem I'm pondering now is how the sump gasket is sitting around the curved rear section on the sump.

When I installed the gasket it sat fine, with the lip of the gasket being visibly even around the front and rear curved section of the sump.

However, when I tightened the bolts the lip of the rear of the sump gasket was pushed out of the groove in the crankshaft rear flange.

I remove the gasket, rechecked the fitment and carefully retightened the bolts on the sump, but the same thing happened again.

Any suggestions appreciated.

 

Here's a picture of the sump gasket rear.

Now sure if it is seated properly or good enough to avoid a leak?