Oil pan gasket

[IanT54]

OK - I finished dropping the oil pan and everything's back together. There really wasn't any sludge, just a bit of heavy oil in the bottom of the pan (still pourable) and a little grunk embedded in the oil pickup filter mesh which I thought was pretty good considering the car has 202,000 km on it. This is probably a testament to owning the car from new, changing the oil every 5,000 km and using a full synthetic.

So - I have an interesting observation. This is the first time this oil pan has been dropped and (I've just realized this) there was not a trace of any gasket or gasket maker on the joint. This makes me think, is it worth trying to use gasket maker with the attendant risks of getting bits of it in the pan and eventually embedded in the oil pickup screen, or is it better to keep the joint dry and put up with any slight seepage?

[green machine]

Anerobic sealer was most likely used. It leaves very little trace. Over time and upon disassembly it looks more like a layer of varnish on the mating surfaces.

[IanT54]

Well - I guess it could have been. There was certainly something that looked like varnish but it was only on about 50% of the joint surface so I figured it was just oil residue.

[earthworm]

From what I have heard, the correct oil pan sealer is harmless(any extra that oozes out)..This should be used, even as good as the engine block and pan machining is; this anaerobic sealant will prevent the galvanization of the two castings as well as prevent any seepage..

[IanT54]

Galvanization huh? Interesting. Well I'm glad I put the stuff on then. Even if it did cost me $17 for the friggin' tube.