wow you are one lucky sob i cant imagine taking down a pan and then not puttin up a new gasket, quite alot of work if it leaks for such a cheap part, not to mention ive never had a gasket come down in one piece

 

I must be doing something wrong. Seriously. Do you tighten them to spec or "smoke tight and a quarter turn?"

 

If it's a newer steel w/ rubber overmold, you can reuse it all you want. If it is just rubber or worse, fiber, you are taking chances with the possibility that it has been over torqued. The newer aluminum pans with the o-ring groove for a seal can be reused over and over again, but you should clean the groove and check the gasket for damage whenever you do.

 

i've only ever seen that type on the 4.3's i've taken apart.

 

Alright guys, My buddy was over this evening with the scope.
we can see down past the shaft the distributor sits on and no file. we got the cam all the way down and think it might be beside where the oil pump bolts in. standing vertical. but its hard to tell. this file is roughly 8" long.

Does anyone know where i can find a parts diagram or even a picture of the block looking down, even a pic of the bottom withouth the oil pan on would help alot.
we fished around with a small magnet but it kept getting caught up on the very bottom of the distributor balance shaft, if thats even what its called.
With the cam it's really hard to tell the size of something. or how far it is away. dont think we got the cam into the pan though...

Chris.