VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1965-1970 1965 Oil Drips

Hello...I am restoring a 1965 283 Impala. I have a slow oil drip at the oil filter canister. I was told that there is a gasket or washer missing where the bolt holds the canister on (not the rubber gasket at the top of the canister). What is that gasket?...Is it metal, rubber, cork, and where can I find one, or can I make one?. I also have a small oil leak at the front engine bearing (I was told)...What's involved in fixing that? Any help is greatly appreciated..
Best wishes,
Chuck

Use a crushable washer on the bolt before putting it through the canister. The front oil leak can be the front seal or the timing cover. Wipe the area super clean and observe while running.

The gasket under the head of the bolt is copper and measures 19/32" I.D. and 13/16" O,D.-the I.D. would be the most important to match. Remove the can, disassemble the bolt (pieces inside of can) and remove old gasket if there is one and take bolt to hardware store. Check out their copper gasket assortment.
The rubber gasket on the front of the oil pan may be leaking. Someone may have cheated and removed the timing cover without removing the pan...thus a small leak. Or if the timing cover seal is old it may have hardened due to heat and old age...common. May be replaced by removing just the balancer.

Thank you very much to both of you...I now have a way to go. Much appreciated.
Best wishes,
Chuck

Gene...I'm afraid I'm in more need of your help in stopping my oil filter canister drip. I took the canister off, but am not able to disassemble the bolt asssembly. The bolt goes thru the canister and I can see the old copper washer just under the bolt head, but inside the canister there is a spring and a bell shaped piece that I am unable to take apart in order to free the bolt from the canister to replace the washer. It looks like there is a "pin" holding the bell shaped piece to the bolt on the inside. I hope I described my problem adequately. I need to remove the bolt from the canister in order to replace the washer. Thanks for all your help.
Best wishes,
Chuck

Chuck,
They were nto designed to come apart. I never had the need to take one apart. There was an article about reomving the cone and spring but I can't find it. Will keep looking. By the way the copper washer was the same one used for brake hoses.
As a temproary fix you get get the bolt pulled out as far as possible and wind some of the faucet teflon paking sting in the gap.
Gene

Hi Gene...I finally came to the same conclusion that they weren't designed to come apart after cleaning it real good and looking closer. The existing copper washer was intact, so I put it back together, snugged it down a little more and, so far, no leak...thanks for your teflon suggestion...I'll try it if need be, so far so good, and thanks again...it's nice to know you veterans are out there. I was going to sell the '65, but I'm getting attached to it. I'm still working on my '39 MD.
Best wishes,
Chuck

Not to make light of your problem but I've always heard if you don't have an oil spot on the floor you either don't have a Chevrolet or you don't have oil in it. Have a nice father's day tomorrow.

Hi Garbo,

I'm thinking you may be the fellow I was talking to (in here) a while back who had gotten his mother's 65. And he was wondering about selling the car; how much it was worth and so on. I was sort of suggesting he hang on to it. They're nice cars, especially for touring, and it was "mom's car" and so on.

I further seem to recall you went ahead and painted it and did some other work. And now you say....


Obviously all of this is none of my business, but the whole thing sounds like a nice story. The fact that you're getting attached to it and so on. I'm glad it worked out (this way).

Bill.

Hi Bill, That was me alright. There's nothing like removing 13 years of accumulated dust and a new paint job to cause you to stop and say, "wait a minute, that Chevie looks great. Besides, I don't have enough problems in my life, so I could use another one." My wife gave me a little support for keeping it too, she graduated from high school in 1965. I changed the color from that aqua green to an original red, not a fire engine red, but a real nice deeper red. I've got most of the outside trim off and am thinking it looks good without it, but I do want to keep it original. There are 2 rear corner pieces I especially wanted to replace...267.00 at Impala Bob's for 2 dinky pieces made out of aluminum...I asked if they were NOS, and of course they're made in, where else, China so I decided I can't be that stupid and am going to rely on eBay. The Sears DieHard battery sat in that car for 13 years summer and winter without ever being charged...and after charging it, it's been puttin' out the juice. Just another good reason to keep her. I still have my '39 and am working up the courage to put on new door panels from Hampton as well as window channels this summer. Thanks for remembering me.
Best wishes,
Chuck

Hi Back Roads...thanks for reminding me that humor is the best tool in the box.
Best wishes,
Chuck

Hi Chuck,

Well at least my memory isn't totally shot!

As I mentioned, nice to hear things are good with you and the '65. You mentioned $267 for two dinky aluminum trim pieces.... another example of how expensive this 'hobby' has gotten over the years. Too bad; but still some fun.

Take care.....

Bill.