While tracking down a persistent oil drips on my garage floor, we determined with the help of fluorescent dye that the weeping seemed to come from the front of the oil pan. Ah-HA! Gasket failure! Brimming with confidence we commenced the messy chore of dropping the oil pan. We expected to find either a four-piece seal a/o plain ol' RTV in yucky condition. Instead, we found a single piece Felpro gasket in excellent condition. Closer inspection with a flashlight revealed this:



We were incredulous that a compression bearing surface such as this would be made of ABS plastic. Research on the presence of a plastic timing cover turned up the probability that the thing is a temporary cover installed there by the crate engine refurb folks AND that it should have been removed and replaced by the engine installer. We pulled the accessories off the engine and found this:



We replaced the temporary timing cover with a compatible metal widget.

As I finish the last bits of this hours-long unnecessarily complicated and frustrating "oil pan gasket replacement job" my pent-up ire needs direction. Why would a crate engine fabricator install a temporary plastic timing cover..? Why would the crate engine installer ignore something so obvious..? The prior owner fifteen-thousand-miles ago owes me a jug of oil, a jug of coolant, reimbursement for a new oil pan gasket and timing cover, and a mea culpa case of beer for their negligence.

 

Well, the rebuilders use those to keep dirt and the related stuff out during testing, packing,and shipping. Believe me it saves on warranty costs. However that's why it says in bold letters replace me. But you have to realize lots of people who put engines in are not mechanics. It's really more than likely an oversight, not someone trying to be maliciously cheap.
​​​​Another thing to think about is that engine has a rebuild date that is 25 years old... Time will kill seals regardless of mileage...