[mmm]

I am finally assembling the 455 I scored from Lemans1. My Felpro gasket kit did not come with an oil pump gasket- if it did, it has vaporized into a parallel universe along with a few of my sockets. Anyway, is a bit of form-a-gasket ok, or should I make one out of a piece of thin cardboard, or do I need the exact gasket?
Thanks, Mike

I'm right at home in a filthy garage

[mmm]

I am finally assembling the 455 I scored from Lemans1. My Felpro gasket kit did not come with an oil pump gasket- if it did, it has vaporized into a parallel universe along with a few of my sockets. Anyway, is a bit of form-a-gasket ok, or should I make one out of a piece of thin cardboard, or do I need the exact gasket?
Thanks, Mike

I'm right at home in a filthy garage

[mmm]

I just used an exacto to cut one out of another gasket- no biggie. On to the next problem- how many different sizes / stlyes of windage tray did Pontiac make? The one I had was from a '72 455, but I believe this block is a '70. I'll have to check the numbers to be certain.

I'm right at home in a filthy garage

[SCOTT ESTERLE]

Throw the windage tray away & get a pan with a baffle. Less headaches when the windage tray cracks.70 & up blocks used the short tray. Earlier blocks used the full length trays.

[mmm]

Thanks for the reply Scott. I just went out to the garage again to make sure I wasn't seeing things, and it sure looks like the tray has 4 mounting holes where the 2 & 4 caps are (its a 3/4 tray) and only the #3 cap has 2 mounting holes. Needless to say I see credit card usage in my future! This is going to be a relatively mild (as this board goes) street engine, so I may follow your advice and go with the baffled pan setup. My next question is... I have seen suggestions on this board that say a crank scraper & baffled pan is a good setup for the avg. street machine. Are crank scrapers a pain to install, and has anyone ever had a problem because they used one- i.e. it broke, fell off, etc...? Is the baffled pan sufficient on its own?
Thanks again,
Mike

I'm right at home in a filthy garage

[Michael G]

Mike, What year is your block?
The later blocks, I believe 75 and 76 had no provisions for the windage tray. The two holes on the #3 cap are for the dipstick tube extension.

[larry davis]

For a "mild street engine" a baffeled pan & scraper should be good enough.
But, I use & reccomend the Canton tray, scraper, & baffeled pan. Fit-up & installation is longer, but well worth it.



SECOND AMENDMENT: AMERICA'S ORIGINAL HOMELAND SECURITY.
I Misus Rash'!

[JKGTO]

That oil pump gasket was in a little manilla envelope in my Felpro kit.

[SCOTT ESTERLE]

Your block was originally set-up for no tray just a baffle in the pan. Thats what i use & i would reccomend. I don't think you need a crank scraper for the street.

[mmm]

I jotted down a few numbers-
The block code is 485428 which looks like a '74. Would the installation of any tray, aftermarket or otherwise, require modifications to the other caps? If so, that is out. I might give the guy I bought it from a call to see what it had in its previous life- what a concept! I am probably going to take Scott's advice and just do the baffle pan, but I still want to check all of the options. Since every Pontiac engine I have ever owned has had a windage tray, it just seems kind of naked without it... BTW, I looked at the underside of the box on my Felpro ks2617 gasket kit and found an itemized list of the kit's contents. Sure enough, no oil pump Gasket. Must just be part of that big conspiracy to put me over the edge!
Thanks, Mike

I'm right at home in a filthy garage

[67cruiser]

Seems like you didn,t get a answer yet?? I made about 10 extra,s, need one,??? send me a envelope
ill mail you one ,2 ,3???

[mmm]

I recently mounted the water pump to the timing chain cover, so I used an exacto to cut a gasket out of the material from the water pump gasket since I did not plan on using it. That should be fine huh? The only difference is that the material is a shade thicker than the oil pump gaskets I have used in the past. PS, just flipped on CNN & saw that they found & recovered 5 POW's this morning. Kick ass- makes me appreciate just how trivial my troubles are!
Thanks, Mike

I'm right at home in a filthy garage

[bob8748]

had a buddy that kept his gaskets for a templet only, cut the gaskets from a cereal box. Would open the hood and see "Fruit Loops" behind the timing cover. Was a quick little Ventura though.

So let me get this straight:
Your Honda has 1.6 liters and my bottle of Mountain Dew has 2?

[fiedlerh]

I might have some extras and I'm in Illinois.
Greg Merrick reccommends to use the black gasket in the FelPro kit, not the white one that comes with the pump.

http://fiedlerh.home.att.net/