Is it just me that's so unlucky?!!!! oil leak AGAIN!

[Nassau65]

Yes, oil pan is a sump to us brits

 

[Krusty]

Not sure if you mean the upper oil pan when you state "sump"

starting with C5 LS1 the oil pan is 2 pieces
If the lower pan gasket is leaking, is simple, less than 1 hour labor

If it is, the upper pan mounted to the bottom of the engine block is a huge job

Yup, we call the bottom of the motor a 'sump' over here.
It does seem I have been that unlucky (as the thread title says). It is definitely the upper gasket that is leaking and not the easier one... it's never the easy one
It's a big'ish job I know, but at least it has been found. It is what it is and it will be sorted at the end of next month.
I just hope that it is simply a defective gasket and not a bad mating surface on either the motor or pan (or both ).
We'll soon see in a few weeks