57 oil pan seal
 

I'm getting ready to reinstall my oil pan. After cleaning off the old gasket I had placed the pan (bolt holes down) on a level surface. I was expecting the rim to be pretty much flat. However I notice that looking at it from the side I see daylight in between each bolt hole. The bolt holes (or more accurately the metal around each bolt hole) extends approx 1/16" below the rim of the pan. To put it another way, if installed without a gasket, the pan would be tight against the block only at the bolts, showing a 1/16" gap in between each bolt. Please someone tell me this is normal and not the result of overexuberant tightening of the bolts, and that the gasket and gasket sealer will give me a good seal at proper torq.

The metal is distorted due to over torquing of the pan bolts. It's common practice to work it flat by placing flange down on a hard flat surface and using a hardwood block as a drift for a hammer. Cut a block the correct thickness, move it along the flange as you tap away at it. You won't have to hit it hard. A little patience and finesse will get it back into shape.

These pans leaked badly at the gasket surface. Lots of guys don't use gaskets anymore- they use RTV sealants instead. As thin a bead as possible. And less torque on the bolts to keep the flange from distorting. I like to use a thin rubber gasket (shop around) and a thin bead of RTV on both edges.