merc 470 oil pan flange, is it supposed to be flat?

[montejw360]

Looking for some help from someone that has experience with these engines. I took my leaky oil pan off and have found the flange to be dimpled up towards the engine block at each bolt hole. Like would happen if you installed a really hard gasket and really torqued the bolts down tight. Or up tight in this case.

I think it should be flat, but have never seen a new oem oil pan. A new one is ~$400. I could flatten the dimples out, but then the metal has been worked a little and probably be prone to just doing it again.

I installed the pan with a new gasket, it destroyed the gasket, tearing it at the bolts because the dimples are pointed up, causing a high pressure point on the gasket at each bolt.

The engine is out of the boat, the oil pan has been installed with a gasket maker compound, Permatex Right Stuff. I can still change it, but would rather not if the Right Stuff is as good as Permatex says, and don't want to spend another $400+.

 

[hivoltg]

Re: merc 470 oil pan flange, is it supposed to be flat?

Hope this helps:

 

[dccordell]

Re: merc 470 oil pan flange, is it supposed to be flat?

Here is a picture of the oil pan on my 470. I don't remember it having any dimples on the bolt holes. I think that would cause problems, as you're seeing.

 

[montejw360]

Re: merc 470 oil pan flange, is it supposed to be flat?

Here is a picture of the oil pan on my 470. I don't remember it having any dimples on the bolt holes. I think that would cause problems, as you're seeing.

thanks. the vid was too fast to really tell, the dimples are pretty shallow. looking at the way the light reflects off the flange it could go either way.