Oil Pan Leak

[Editor_Reid]

Hi team, my turn for a tech question...

...I have a BN2 that I call my "perfect car." It's the one pictured below, in my signature. However, although it may look perfect, the oil pan seems to be leaking. We can't seem to get a good seal. I'm not opposed to buying a new/different oil pan, although it would be nice to have some assurance that the new/different one would seal up nicely.

Just wondering about your experiences with new (reproduction?) oil pans, best source(s), price you paid, etc.

Also if you have any oil-pan-sealing secrets, I would like to know about them. Just post them here and we'll all keep them secret...

...thanks! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

 

[Randy Forbes]

Loctite 515 (I think...) flange sealant. It's a red gel that semi-hardens. I believe it is also referred to as their gasket eliminator.

 

[John Loftus]

Hi Reid,

My bet is the flange is distorted around the bolt holes due to overtightening. With the pan off you can gently straighten it out by backing it up with a auto body dolly or other heavy piece of metal and using a suitable hammer. Then a new gasket with hylomar should do the trick.

Cheers,
John

 

[Dave Russell]

[ QUOTE ]

Just wondering about your experiences with new (reproduction?) oil pans, best source(s), price you paid, etc.
Also if you have any oil-pan-sealing secrets, I would like to know about them. Just post them here and we'll all keep them secret... ...thanks! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Hi Reid,
The BN2 pan is usually one of the easier ones to get sealed since it has a continuous flange around it.
The usual precautions apply:
Make sure that the pan flanges are flat & free from dimples around the bolt holes. A small socket used as an anvil & tapping any dimples flat with a ball pein hammer helps. Actually I hold the round end of the hammer against the dimple & smack it with another hammer. Better control this way.

Make sure that all pan flanges sit straight & flat against a flat concrete surface or such.

I glue the gasket (two piece with dovetail joints) to the pan flanges with weatherstrip adhesive to keep it from slipping out of place & use Hylomar HPF on the engine side of the gasket.

Get all of the bolts started & pull them up a bit at a time evenly to prevent pan warping & tighten to just snug, about three ft/lbs.

I did later install a DW aluminum pan on a whim. Of course it doesn't have the flange distortion problems & is easy to get a good seal on. It did require shortening the oil pump intake screen which was a bother. It was so heavy that in the limited space under the car I was forced to carefully jack it into place as I started the bolts.

A side note:
The standard hard line from pump to block has been known to fracture on more than one car. This can cause a real disaster. There are braided steel flex lines available for this & I highly recommend the extra insurance. See pic.
D

 

[Dave Russell]

A pic of the DW flex line.
D

 

[Michael Oritt]

[ QUOTE ]
A side note:
The standard hard line from pump to block has been known to fracture on more than one car. This can cause a real disaster. There are braided steel flex lines available for this & I highly recommend the extra insurance. See pic.
D

[/ QUOTE ]

Mine fractured a few years back--luckily I saw the OP guage needle falling and shut down in time to avoid any damage.

I got a new flex line from AH Spares via Healey Surgeons-I think DW also makes one. In any case make sure that both nuts swivel (I am told that some of the early-manufactured ones did not) as otherwise it would be difficult to install the line in the tight space available.