It seems that my '94 Z28 with it's new engine at 28k miles has a leak. Upon an initial inspection the mechanic thinks both the oil pan gasket and the transmission pan are leaking. I have not had a chance to take it for a complete diagnostic but just wondering if anyone knows how labor intensive this is going to be. Someone said something about dropping the engine..yikes!

what do you all think?

 

Transmission pan can be accessed without dropping the engine for sure. The oil pan gasket, Im not 100% sure. It looks like theres enough room to just drop the pan and swap gaskets, but again, havent done the job so Im not 100%. I would think with your low mile engine the gaskets would be fine, maybe you can try snugging up the pan bolts.

 

If you have an engine hoist, you can lift the engine up high enough to get the old gasket out and the new one in. Mind you, though, this is a PITA from what I've heard. Check the front and rear main seals as well as the timing chain cover before you got nuts. These are common place to find leaks, as well as the front/rear of the intake.

Tranny gasket takes 20 minutes at best. Buy some tac to help hold it in place.

 

the oil pan gaskets on the lt1 are flexible and new ones rarely leak. there is a spot where the block, front cover and pan come together at the front that can leak if rvt is not added there. mine leaked a little on the side but when i checked it the bolts were in need of re torquing. the intake manifold on the other hand are know for leaking on each end. the front cover seals are more prone to leaking than the pan and can also look like a pan gasket leak. the water pump seal in particular. if its not installed correctly the iner part/half of the seal can invert to rest between the shaft and the outer half of the seal. without using the correct tool its very easy to make this mistake. this causes a short life and leaking.

 

if its a new engine with only 28k minles, is there any warranty on it? You install it yourself?

 

There is a warranty on the engine, 3 years unlimited miles. I paid a mechanic to install it, took him about 2 weeks and I have not had any trouble with it except these leaks. Runs great, sounds great, really glad I did it. Only problem with the mechanic is as soon as he finished the install he sold his shop to someone else, who I do not like, no attention to detail and he will not honor anything that the previous owner may have done incorrectly. So I'm looking for another mechanic and have trust issues when talking to them about my car. Maybe because I'm a girl and they think I'm an idiot...or maybe it's just me.
That's why I come to this forum, so that when I do take it in to be looked at, I have some information about it.

 

good for you girl, dont let em take advantage of you. my daughter gets the same treatment. dont be afraid to get under there and have a look for yourself to make sure the problem is real and the work is done.

 

FWIW, this is what I did to lift the engine to get the oil pan out, no engine hoist needed: