Replace pan gasket and rear seal on a 1957 Silver hawk with a 289 engine.

[RadioRoy]

Some folks think that our old cars should be as neat (leak free) as modern cars. If our cars had modern seal technology that would be no problem. Conversely, if modern cars had 60-80 year old seal technology, they would be a lot messier underneath.

[Studerick64]

I thought all that extra oil was to prevent the floors from rusting!

[GTCruiser]

'63 Champ needs an oil pan gasket, rear main seal, front cover seal, distributor gasket, valley cover gasket, fuel pump gasket, & valve cover gaskets. Oil leaks are extensive. Engine burns oil sometimes at start-up. Hope is that upon getting inside there are no further issues regarding shafts, etc. Also there is a need to close a hole in the Y-pipe or replace it.

[Dwain G.]

[QUOTE=aftontrix;862921]

I have been shopping for the gasket set and seal. I have found the gasket set available at a couple of places. My question is where is the best place to buy them at as the price varies and the material is different. Some appear to be cork, some rubber and one says it is a mixture of rubber and cork. Any recommendation will be appreciated.

Who sells a rubber sump set, do you remember?

[StudeRich]

I sell the Neoprene impregnated Cork, an improvement over Old Cork, but there are NO pure Neoprene Pan Gasket sets.

The Originally advertised, highly touted 1961 "Improved Sealing" on all Studebaker Engines was the change from Victor cork to Fel-Pro cellulose Gaskets that were originally installed on all '61 to '64's and in the NOS Gasket Sets. They included a Paper composition Timing Cover Gasket, the kind you have to chisel off of the Cover.

Some may still be around but only some of them, like the Lifter Cover Gasket actually helped a lot.

[aftontrix]

Dwain G,

I checked my notes. StudeRich is correct. The pan gaskets I found were cork or a combination of rubber and cork. The rear seals were rubber. Sorry for the confusion. I have decided to listen to the good advice and try to slow the leaks without replacing the seals and gaskets first. If that does not work, I will be sliding under the Hawk.

If I do replace the gaskets, I will use the cork/rubber one. I did not know StudeRich sold them so I now have a good known source.

[JoeHall]

I agree try all else first, including trying to to learn to live with it as is. But if you do later decide to drop the pan, do a search here first to learn others' lessons learned, and tips for doing the job fastest, easiest and for best probable outcome.

[Chucks Stude]

Also, check the small hose that goes from the back of the right cylinder head, and goes to the oil pressure gauge. They fail. Just a thought.

[rkapteyn]

http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb.dll?Parta~PartSort~A0~cadffdea~~~~A50~A41

Replace this hose.