Leaking oil drip pan - liner?

Mary51 · #1 (**permalink**) 08-05-2008

I have an oil leak (working on it) and finally figured out how oil gets into the bilge. The oil drip pan is two pieces welded together and I can see daylight at the cross-pan weld. It looks like stainless steel.

It can't be removed without hauling out the engine, so I'm wondering if there's something I could use to line it. It would have to be flexible. Heavy, heavy duty aluminum foil?

This is a tiny little gear problem, but I'm sick to death of dealing with the oily bilge.

All comments (serious,comical, practical) welcome!!!

Thanks.

Mary

sailingdog · #2 (**permalink**) 08-05-2008

jb weld.

Mary51 · #3 (**permalink**) 08-05-2008

Not happy to see the word "weld." Trying to stay in my area of competence here (no, not cooking).

Besides it's leaking from several different places. . .

Mary

sailingdog · #4 (**permalink**) 08-05-2008

You must not be a Cartalk listener. JB Weld

Omatako · #5 (**permalink**) 08-06-2008

Wouldn't it be better to concentrate on where the oil is coming from? An oil leak is never a good thing. Any form of fixing the drip tray will only last until it is full then the oily bilge is back. Maybe one of those oil absorbent sausages in a net bag (can't remember the name) would be able to staunch the flow to the bilge

I.ve never used the product so can't really be certain but the JB Weld appears to be an epoxy compound that would want a pretty clean surface to bond to and I don't know if a drip tray that can't be removed from under the engine would ever fit that description.

Andre

Rockter · #6 (**permalink**) 08-06-2008

Mary...
Have you got a wee picture?
I don't know if it's the sump or some sort of oil catchment pan you are talking about.

SEMIJim · #7 (**permalink**) 08-06-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mary51

Besides it's leaking from several different places. . .

I was almost going to suggest getting all the oil out (trickier than you might think) so you could seal up the leak, but it sounds like what you're describing is the entire weld failing? If so: I'm afraid you're going to have to have the engine pulled and the oil pan replaced.

It's not an "oil drip pan" or a "drip tray," it's an oil pan, period. Even when the engine's running a goodly portion of the engine's oil is in that pan. When the engine's stopped, 75-80% of the oil is in there. There's a sump near the bottom, somewhere in that pan, connected to the oil pump, that brings the oil up out of that pan and pumps it throughout the rest of the engine. More accurate to think of it as the "oil reservoir" than a drip pan or tray.

Worst case: If that seam fails catastrophically and dumps your oil in the bilge while your engine is running, your engine will almost certainly be toast before you can possibly shut it down, even if you do have a low oil pressure alarm.

Jim

Mary51 · #8 (**permalink**) 08-06-2008

Thanks for replies. I used to listen to Cartalk, but haven't tuned in for while.
I really can't get at all the leaking places and/or get it clean enough for the JB weld, I don't THINK. I may yet try it.

I am concentrating on the leak. Long story, and will be back with another question when I pinpoint it.

There's a spout on the catchment pan (everybody happy with that term?), and I can rig a bottle if necessary to catch overflow. Not a perfect system but workable for the meantime.

But I need a temporary liner that can be folded to get it into the space. Any problem with using heavy duty alum foil for short term?

Thanks all.

I'll try for a picture this weekend.

Mary

sailingdog · #9 (**permalink**) 08-06-2008

If there isn't any contact, I don't see why you couldn't make up a liner with heavy duty aluminum foil.

Mary51 · #10 (**permalink**) 08-06-2008

Thanks for all responses & info & suggestions. This weekend, I'll try the foil fix and try to pinpoint the leak.

Mary