Mahle vs Fel-Pro?

[pressureangle]

For the oil pan; The Chinese Conspiracy is real and active. I built my 400sbc with Fel-Pro gaskets; the front cover-to-pan seal started dripping after about 500 miles and after 15k was throwing out a quart every 2000 miles. I thought surely I'd done something wrong, or used the 'thin' seal instead of 'thick'. After searching a bunch of sbc forums I found that it was a common complaint recently, and that it seems the seal is made of cheap Chineseum that hardens quickly and shrinks. So my advice is this; no matter the brand, give the pan seals a reasonable coat of Ultra Gray or Super Black RTV when you install them.

 

[Scooterwrench]

I've used Fel-Pro one piece oil pan gaskets since they started offering them and they do not leak. Use a little dab of ultra grey in the corners where the caps and block create a right angle. It's also a good idea to go over your oil pan rails with a straight edge and a small hammer and bump down the high spots around the bolt holes. The one piece gaskets have little anti crush bushings in the bolt holes that make it almost impossible to overtighten the pan bolts.

 

[Lilgringo82]

For the oil pan; The Chinese Conspiracy is real and active. I built my 400sbc with Fel-Pro gaskets; the front cover-to-pan seal started dripping after about 500 miles and after 15k was throwing out a quart every 2000 miles. I thought surely I'd done something wrong, or used the 'thin' seal instead of 'thick'. After searching a bunch of sbc forums I found that it was a common complaint recently, and that it seems the seal is made of cheap Chineseum that hardens quickly and shrinks. So my advice is this; no matter the brand, give the pan seals a reasonable coat of Ultra Gray or Super Black RTV when you install them.

that pretty much me right now. I rebuild the engine everything was good and the the leaking started lol. I'm thinking what the heck! what did i mess up so did some research and figured the oil pan gasket. a friend of mine recommended Mahle but my dad likes the Fel-pro so hear I am. Thanks everyone! I will go with the Fel-pro. I will make sure to grab me some Ultra Gray too!

 

[Schurkey]

"Grey" is not the proper RTV Silicone to use with rubber gaskets.

"Grey" is intended for "high torque/high vibration". A rubber oil pan gasket won't qualify as "high torque" due to the small bolts, wide bolt spacing, and squishy gasket.

If this were me, I'd use dots of Permatex The Right Stuff (Black) in the corners. I prefer the "one minute" version in aerosol cans or caulking-gun tubes. The normal squeeze tubes increase the wait time to one hour.

Less-expensive solutions include other "Black" RTV Silicones. Permatex "Optimum Black" has "maximum oil resistance" and "maximum flexibility" which would be important on an oil pan sealed with a thick squishy gasket. But now you're at a 24-hour wait time like most RTV Silicone products.

 

[bk performance 19]

If your replacing head gaskets without a perfect surface get the felpro's A MLS gasket needs to have freshly decked surfaces for a proper seal. Felpro's are more forgiving as far as imperfect surface finishes. As long as you have not put a cam in it you can go a bit thinner to gain a little compression.

 

[bk performance 19]

Most if not all small blocks have the piston in the hole .010-.015 so head clearance is not an issue. the only case would be after a block is machined to zero deck

 

[Hipster]

In the process of doing the head gaskets on my truck. I can go with either Mahle or Fel-Pro. For the most part I've always ran with Fel-pro gaskets and they've been okay. But I'm really not too interested in pulling the heads off due to a cheap gasket. Research online has come back inconclusive, some swear by Mahle, some swear by Fel-pro. Just curious what others experience has been between the two on these trucks.
AFAIK its a tired 350 with 212k miles so not making big power. TIA in advance for the input!

I've used head gaskets from multiple manufactures. Fel-pro, Mr Gasket, Cometic,GMPP, James for M/C's, Sierra for marine, Enginetech, ect. They all do their job adequately "IF" the head and deck surfaces are flat. When a head gasket goes you need to check surfaces with a machinist's straightedge.

 

[Schurkey]

Most if not all small blocks have the piston in the hole .010-.015 so head clearance is not an issue. the only case would be after a block is machined to zero deck

Worse than that. I'd have said ".025--.030", and more still with aftermarket "replacement" pistons that are .010 to .020 short on compression height; so as much as .050 down the hole.

In-cylinder turbulence takes a dump. Requires excess spark advance for max power, while at the same time encourages detonation.

 

[Hipster]

Worse than that. I'd have said ".025--.030", and more still with aftermarket "replacement" pistons that are .010 to .020 short on compression height; so as much as .050 down the hole.

In-cylinder turbulence takes a dump. Requires excess spark advance for max power, while at the same time encourages detonation.

Been my experience as well, a replacement piston might be .035-.045 in the hole, coupled with a.045-.049 severe duty gasket is a disaster. Deck height and gasket thickness matters for the multiples reasons you suggest.

 

[Scooterwrench]

"Grey" is not the proper RTV Silicone to use with rubber gaskets.

"Grey" is intended for "high torque/high vibration". A rubber oil pan gasket won't qualify as "high torque" due to the small bolts, wide bolt spacing, and squishy gasket.

If this were me, I'd use dots of Permatex The Right Stuff (Black) in the corners. I prefer the "one minute" version in aerosol cans or caulking-gun tubes. The normal squeeze tubes increase the wait time to one hour.

Less-expensive solutions include other "Black" RTV Silicones. Permatex "Optimum Black" has "maximum oil resistance" and "maximum flexibility" which would be important on an oil pan sealed with a thick squishy gasket. But now you're at a 24-hour wait time like most RTV Silicone products.

Grey has worked for me for years. All your doing is sealing that corner.
Caulking gun? You must be one of those guys that plugs up oil pump pickups with big globs of sillycone.