RE: Gasket sealer questions

["Brian Shorey" <bshorey@domain.elided>]

>        I think it is very important to drop the lower sump of the bat
wing 
> oil pan on the four cylinder Alfa engine periodically - like every
fourth oil 
> change.  Also pull the valve cover every other oil change to make sure
you 
> change all the dirty oil.

Here's a topic for a new thread!

I've never heard of people doing this.  Russ, are you running synthetic
or non-synthetic oil?

I've never dropped a lower pan as part of a routine oil change.  I've
dropped plenty of them to change gaskets, or during an engine rebuild.

With cars run with non-synthetic oil, I've seen some coking type buildup
around the base of the baffles, but never enough that I felt I should be
dropping the pan every so often to get rid of it.  Really just a thin
coating, after many miles.

With cars running synthetic oil, I don't see any buildup.

If you've got a serious grunge buildup around the baffles, then it would
seem that there is something else going on.  Filter clogged and stuff
getting through the bypass?

I also don't bother with the cam cover removal and draining/replacing
what's around the cams.  For a routine oil change there's a miniscule
amount in there, quickly diluted by 8 fresh quarts.

YMMV,

bs
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