January 24, 2010 03:40AM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 183 |
Hi All,
Can you suggest a DIY bandaid fix to stop a cracked sump from dripping until I can get it fixed properly? I was enjoying a great drive down a dirt road and, sure enough, the vulnerably-low M20 sump hit a rock and now has a crack which is slowly dripping. I'm going on holidays (not in the E30) in a couple of days and don't have time to get it fixed before then, so I'm just looking for a DIY way to stop the leak until I can get it fixed in a fortnight's time. If necessary, I can avoid driving the car until it's fixed properly, just need something that will avoid me losing all my oil and getting kicked out of my apartment for leaking oil in the carpark! Thanks heaps, Simon Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/24/2010 03:43AM by nomis3613. |
January 24, 2010 05:48AM
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Admin
Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 584 : Vermont, USA |
I can't think of a way to fix that short of pulling it off and welding it. If it were me, for a quick solution I think I'd park the car where it could stay for a while, and then drain all the oil so that it didn't leave a big mess all over the ground. There will probably be residual oil still seeping through the crack, so I'd also leave a pan under there to catch the drips while I was away.
__________ Dave '91 325iX |
January 24, 2010 06:41PM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 1,869 : Amagansett, New York |
This will work if you can get the crack to stop oozing oil, you might try draining the oil and jacking the car up in such a way that the small amount of oil left in the pan will drain in another area. Clean the crack with thinner and then alcohol after scuffing the whole area with 100 grit sandpaper, and then clean again with the alcohol (99% pure stuff, alcohol usually comes with oil mixed in). Then give the crack and 1/2 inch surrounding a blister pack with JB weld on a warm day (you can force it with a bright lamp if the day is damp or cold); a blister pack is nothing more than a piece of two inch masking tape over the mended area to force the JB stuff into the crack and hold the goo in place till it hardens. A true blister pack is used in fiberglass repairs with clear plastic sheet and you squeegee the bubbles out of the repaired area under pressure from the pack. Good luck, Rick |
January 24, 2010 11:48PM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 183 |
January 25, 2010 10:07AM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 609 : SoCal |
January 25, 2010 10:53AM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 1,869 : Amagansett, New York |
Yes, as Alan points out, it's mighty tough stuff but everything has to be hospital clean for the JB stuff to stick and work right, I've got it on one of my motorcycles (yup, on the alloy oil pan) and it's held for two years without a drop of leakage. I have a new pan but haven't got a chance to pull it down yet. I do feel better having the pan in stock though It sounded like your leak was a slower constant type so if you monitor it with a piece of cardboard under the pan you should be able to keep tabs on it. Did you drain the oil and clean that crack the best possible?, did the crack stop oozing oil before the JB weld went on?? Rick |
January 25, 2010 06:57PM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 202 : Knoxville, TN |
I fixed a hole in the top of one of my VW crankcases with JB weld at least 10 years ago. It's still doing just fine. If you get it in there right, it'll last as close to forever as you'll need. John |
January 25, 2010 08:21PM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 183 |
January 26, 2010 05:54AM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 797 : Ottawa |
To prevent busted oil pans, get yourself one of these. They're worth their weight in oil.
Custom made Skid Plate for E30: http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=111469 |
January 26, 2010 09:43AM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 1,869 : Amagansett, New York |
That looks like a nice shield Ferdy, but can you change the oil with it in place, and do you get brackets??? Rick |
January 26, 2010 11:01AM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 670 |
January 26, 2010 11:35AM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 797 : Ottawa |
You get that bag of necessary nuts and bolts, and instructions. No brackets required. You do need to drill 7 holes in the lower rad support to attach the front end of the plate. The two holes in the lip at the back end of the plate line up with the bolts of the steering rack where it mounts onto the suspension crossmember. You use those same bolts. It's a slick setup. This photo shows the skid plate installed, with the normal plastic splash shield removed. After installing the skidplate the splash shield goes back on so you don't see that row of shiny bolt heads. The circular hole in the skidplate lines up with the oil drain plug. If you're careful the oil drains out cleanly without touching the plate. If you're not careful it splashes onto the plate and makes a mess. |
January 26, 2010 02:01PM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 1,869 : Amagansett, New York |
Sounds and looks like a winner Ferdinand, anybody who has put an oil pan on an E30 should see this as a cheap insurance policy Rick |
January 26, 2010 02:19PM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 670 |
January 27, 2010 06:20PM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 183 |
Despite my pathetic initial attempt, it actually sealed the main leak so now it's dripping slow enough that I would be happy to leave it for a week with a drip can. But anyway, I decided to have a better 2nd attempt last night- hopefully it will fix the sump permanantly and I will have a car that doesn't need immediate fixing when I get back in a week's time. Regardless of what happens with this sump, I'll get a spare sump off a wrecker cos I know it could happen again. Thanks, Simon |
January 31, 2010 08:32PM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 232 |
Hi Simon, While I have little practical advice to help, perhaps you will settle for some amusement instead. Rejoice that your car does not look like the monster below which apparently requires both an oil pan accessory and a tire block chained to the front bumper for parking on level ground. At least the beast has the honestly of olive drab paint and no chrome fittings. I snapped this shot during a trip to New York City. Although not inherently obvious in the photo, the driver has chosen to park along side a yellow curb at Carnegie Hall. Kelly |
February 07, 2010 10:30PM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 183 |
February 08, 2010 04:25PM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 1,869 : Amagansett, New York |
Perseverance furthers, old Taoist saying Rick |
February 12, 2010 06:23PM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 183 |
I've driven the car a couple of times since I've been back, and I think the crack is growing. It is about 1/2" long and right in the front-right corner of the oil pan. Would welding (proper, not JB ) stop the crack from growing? Or is the oil pan now destined for the scrap heap?
Thanks, Simon Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/12/2010 06:23PM by nomis3613. |
February 12, 2010 07:27PM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 202 : Knoxville, TN |
Welding should fix it. It would be even better if you can drill a small hole at each end of the crack to eliminate the end of the crack that's trying to spread. John |
February 17, 2010 12:16AM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 183 |
Thanks John.
The permanent fix with be a change-over oil pan (avoids the time the car is off the road dragging out while waiting for an aluminium welder). A reco'd oil pan is ~US$175 which seems fair enough, but 2 independant workshops have said about US$350 in labour to swap the oil pan. That's more than a timing belt swap! They say it's a hard job, so I think I'll cough up the cash and leave it to the experts, but I'm just wondering why is it such a big job?? (my car is right hand drive, by the way) Has anyone here done it themselves? |
February 17, 2010 08:44PM
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Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 1,869 : Amagansett, New York |
I've done it and It is a pain in the ass job; it'll be 350 well spent |