Gyarghhhhhhhh 
who designed this piece of crap?
Spent several hours last night lying on my back trying to fit my newly welded sump back onto my Pinto....
gave up in the end, will have another look at the weekend. Just wanted to vent my spleen...
was looking forward to finally getting some oil into my engine!
I once used much longer bolts (around 30mm) than normally used with a nut along the length. This allowed me to locate the sump in place and then the nuts were tighten up. It's alot easier than trying to do up those tiny bolts plus you can also use this for rocker cover which is usually a sod to do on the pinto.
I was thinking of going out and buying a bag of longer bolts today - just forgot to check what size they were... M6?
Yep, M6. Never had much of a problem myself. What you need is a nice shallow socket 10mm socket (you can reduce the depth by putting an M6 nut inside first) then put the socket on an extension or screwdriver handle and the bolts are easy to locate.
It's more getting the gaskets and those bloody silly rubber bits to stay in place while yuo lie under the car getting crap in your face whilst
lifting the sump with one hand (and my sump is now considerably heavier as i have user 3mm steel plate for the base to prevent against speed ramp
disasters!)
Haynes manual suggests using gasket sealer (available from any Ford dealer they say). This might stick the bits in place enough to help.
Coincidentally, I was going to do my sump today but it's so miserable,not sure that I can face garage
I was using Aerograde Hylomar but it's just not sticky enough to keep the rubber bits in place
Gasket sealer is the way to go, i also had huge problems fitting the short sump with the extra box on the side as i could not get to the bolts above
it easily, ended up cutting down an allen key then 1/8th turn at a time.
If i fitted one again i would fabricate one with the extra capacity towards the front not the side.
fortunately that is how i have done it... I have the extra capacity sloping up and forwards...
Sump gasket sealer from Ford is the slightly expanding, black, super-sticky stuff, much better than the stuff from motor factors.
I didn't use it this time, but then I do have a slight leak, next time I'll be using the proper stuff...
Evo-stic glue the gasget to the engine block 
its the best way to do it
Jacko
Just be thankful its not Front Wheel Drive!
Never have I had such a Bast**rd job as doing the Sump Gasket on a Vauxhall XE Engine. Its 2 seperate gaskets with a baffle plate imbetween and it
requires the exhaust heat sheild off, the exhaust off, the clutch cover off to get to it... only to put it all back for atleast the 3rd time and it
still leaks!
Even with a single piece rubber gasket and baffle plate combined instead of the cork one!
So i've given up.. it only drips a slight bit onto the exhaust after slowing from a long or hard run.
quote:
Originally posted by MkIndy7
Just be thankful its not Front Wheel Drive!
Never have I had such a Bast**rd job as doing the Sump Gasket on a Vauxhall XE Engine.
Finally got it sorted...
turned out that the blanking plate on the bellhousing was part of the problem.. so applied a little light force by way of a big hammer and sorted the
clearance! 
I took MrWhippy's advice and bought a bag of 60mm bolts. I then cut the heads off 5 and screwed them in a locating studs. that then made it
fairly easy to locates and get the bots in - and also kept the hasket in place
was easy to then remove the studs at the end and replace with proper bolts....
As with all things on this car... got there in the end - just required some lateral thinking...
cheers for all the help.