Found the oil leak - front oil pan seal or timing cover gasket?

So, I knew I was leaking enough oil to coat the underside, but somehow thought it was my valve covers which I knew were leaky. I replaced the covers, then did that again while *actually* setting the gaskets right, seemed much better, oil drips much less.

Well it's amazing what you find when you actually look. Planning to change oil, I put the front up on ramps and got some work lights. I usually slide under from the side, this time I started at front ... and what did I find?


A bulging blown out seal right in the front of the block. Looks like subcutaneous fat putrefying at a jagged infected knife wound. More ugly:

I read up on the front oil seals, but I'm still not sure what I'm looking at. Is that the front curve of the oil pan gasket blowing out, or is it the lower part of the timing cover gasket?

I know I need to replace both, just not sure what I am seeing. The engine is a '73 350, I assume the pan and timing cover are original. (And that means the "thin" oil pan gasket front, not thick.) I will replace the oil pan since it's beat up, should I replace timing cover too?

Here's how much crud came off my engine crossmember, too:

I'm probably gonna take this in to have it done quickly and right; but shop's jammed up thru Thanks. The annoying thing is, I've been chasing a vibration, and had useless local mech, trans shop, and exhaust guys all put her on the lift; nobody spotted this oh well. Oh and need new control arms or at least one:


Any advice and info appreciated. Thanks,
BRetty

Did you ask any of them to look for oil leaks? You knew you had them,I'd assume you knew had them,and didn't care,and look for the vibration like I was told. While the pans off I'd do a timing set.

Looks to me like someone tried stopping a leak with silicone. Pulling the pan and changing gaskets will stop those leaks for sure. Not incredibly difficult to do, but definitely need all the parts unless you have a parts-runner vehicle too. And yes, new timing set while you're in there

IIRC, to get a good seal you have to install the timing cover first, and then the oil pan. Someone may have pulled the timing cover, but only loosened the oil pan just enough to get the timing cover off, and then tightened it all down. Sometimes it seals fine when you do that, but many times it doesn’t.