why does my oil pan mating surface looks like this?

[ADRIANFARINA]

I'm rebuilding the engine ..
after removing all the RTV , this is what I found
http://www.pic.co.il/Files/A389AD0CCF05407982435B032041DED6/orig_244AA1C7B1814FD38F55DA95029B5567.JPG

all these welding sfots.. and they look original..

[A18A]

looks like braces for the bolt holes to me

[anubis_4_99]

i've never taken apart my accord, but i've had other hondas with oil pans like that as well.

i believe its factory

[Dr_Snooz]

If you are referring to the dimples, they are normal. Your pan gasket should be filled with lots of matching holes.

[88Accord-DX]

Yeah, that is normal. I've never had success with aftermarket gaskets on the oil pan, valve cover & oil filter base. Had to go back & replace it with OEM gaskets. :o

[AccordEpicenter]

those are there so you wont crush the gasket beyond belief. stick to genuine honda oil pan gaskets. everything else ive tried here leaks

[Dr_Snooz]

My NAPA gasket is working just fine. Make sure that you tighten it in a criss-cross fashion, dab the corners with gasket-maker and don't torque the bolts past 10 ft-lbs.

[b345tifall]

i have 2 a20a1 engines and havent open them up yet wonder if there going to look like that

[2oodoor]

kinda looks like you over cleaned it a bit, makes it look harder to seal but maybe not the issue...
definately use Honda gasket, or at least a very high quality one that fits well without using any sealer on the long flat runs, only the block crank seal corners.
best of luck to yaa!

[ADRIANFARINA]

overclean? is this possible? hmmm..

[lostforawhile]

thats normal, I used verachem super tack sealant, this allows you to glue the gasket to the pan side, if you follow the directions, and stick the bolts through the bolt holes to line it up, while drying, it works great, this stops the gasket from shifting while you install it. you don't need sealer on the block to pan side.

[Dr_Snooz]

Why didn't Honda just undersize the bolt holes a little on these gaskets? That's what every other manufacturer does. Then you could screw the pan bolts into the gasket and they would hold while you lifted the pan into place. As it is, they fall out just as you are getting the pan lined up and the gasket rolls back up into the nice ball it came as. Then you curse, start over and repeat sequence 10 times.

[lostforawhile]

Why didn't Honda just undersize the bolt holes a little on these gaskets? That's what every other manufacturer does. Then you could screw the pan bolts into the gasket and they would hold while you lifted the pan into place. As it is, they fall out just as you are getting the pan lined up and the gasket rolls back up into the nice ball it came as. Then you curse, start over and repeat sequence 10 times.

bonding the gasket to the pan side fixes this

[Strugglebucket]

I always put the gasket on the block first. The studs hold it up fine and it stays lined up when you put the pan on.

[Dr_Snooz]

I always put the gasket on the block first. The studs hold it up fine and it stays lined up when you put the pan on.

You must have used a different gasket than I did. Mine went everywhere but where I wanted it to. I finally resorted to tying the blasted thing down with twist ties to keep it in place.

[88Accord-DX]

I agree he has buffed the oil pan up a little too much, but kept my mouth shut on my first post..

Rubber gaskets aren't supposed be adhered with sealants technically. There are actually gasket holders that are made of plastic that keep the gasket near the block until you put the pan on, but couldn't find a pic of it on-line.. ^^ twisty ties off bread works too! Been there, done that. lol

[lostforawhile]

I agree he has buffed the oil pan up a little too much, but kept my mouth shut on my first post..

Rubber gaskets aren't supposed be adhered with sealants technically. There are actually gasket holders that are made of plastic that keep the gasket near the block until you put the pan on, but couldn't find a pic of it on-line.. ^^ twisty ties off bread works too! Been there, done that. lol
the stuff I use isn't really a sealer, it's more of a gasket adhesive, it does seal though, the main use for it is to hold gaskets in place during assembly, the pan to gasket gets adhesive, but the gasket to block doesn't, you want to avoid using RTV type sealant on rubber gaskets though

[AccordEpicenter]

rtv and sealants arent really needed for honda pan gaskets... you can put a little hondabond in the corners but very very very light coat.

[lostforawhile]

rtv and sealants arent really needed for honda pan gaskets... you can put a little hondabond in the corners but very very very light coat.
I wasn't worried about it sealing, this stuff just holds the gasket in place during installation, it's a very thin material, almost like contact cement but a different material, it's worked great every time I have had to pull the pan

[88Accord-DX]

With the way that pan looks, he needs to spread a VERY LIGHT coat of hondabond on the oil pan.
:sad2:
(good input on the situation guys)