Is this the proper Fel-Pro pan gasket?
 

Well here it is almost 2 years later and I've made a commitment to get the Miata back together and on the road again. Today I cleaned the pan and block in prep for putting the pan on with a Fel-Pro one piece gasket #OS 34508 R. In a trial fit it sure looks like the gasket gasket isn't right for the pan. The pan has a raised ridge in the crank flange area and the gasket has no reciprocal mating grove. Now, it may well be that it'll all pull down with no problems.

Engine is a 1991 5.0 from a T-Bird. I pulled the engine in March of '17 to investigate a odd little noise and to build a different front subframe allowing for under a set of chassis headers (Hedman Mismatch) vs Martin's headers I'd been running.

Any and all help is appreciated.
RonR
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RonR

Looks like the correct gasket.

Flip it over, and look at the tabs at the corners. Those tabs are meant to sit down in to a space made for them. Often, those tabs are too big, and cause the gasket to bunch and leak. With wire cutters, trim the inside and outside edges to about 60*. And cut about 1mm off the end. During assembly, put a dab of silicone sealers down in each corner. That eliminates most leaks.

I prefer to use a factory Ford oil pan gasket. I have installed hundreds of them since 1983 without any issues. Use Ford sealer in the corners only, and you should have no issues. Just make sure that everything is clean & dry before assembly. Fel-Pro makes good stuff (and they might even make the gasket for Ford) but, for something that is such a PITA to change, I always use a Ford gasket. https://www.cjponyparts.com/ford-rac...CABEgJ8MPD_BwE

With that gasket, it doesn't seem to matter one way or the other. But a little dab in each corner where those tabs go will really help.

I'm sure you have seen my chronicle of problems with oil leaks listed in my build thread (installed both fel pro and Ford, both wet and dry, on 88 Lincoln HO). If you have no leaks now, then I would just do the 4 corners and be done with it. I truly think there is something wonky with my pan, and if it leaks again, I'm going to straight edge it, and probably take a ball peen to the bolt holes to make sure they are not raised up causing sealing issues. I had not heard of the trick to trim the 4 tabs down, good to know. Thanks Bob.

I went through the same thing. I installed 2-3 different gaskets, thinking that was the problem. I just assumed I was incompetent, and couldn't get it right. I checked the pan flanges a couple of times. Used silicone, and no silicone. I even changed the rear main seal once.
Finally, I got smart, and started thinking the leak was somewhere else. I had a friend at a local shop connect a smoke machine. Turns out the leak was at fuel pump block off plate. I resealed that, and the leak magically disappeared.

Mine kept leaking at the humps/corners of the block. Knock on wood, I think I have it this time. I've run it multiple times, and so far, so good. Ended up using Delco gasket sealer on both sides of blue fel pro gasket, extra heavy in the humps. I got my oil pan from Martin, an A/M unit that he modded, not sure if there is an issue with the stamping or what else would cause my problems.