After an Engine Rebuild I have a very small oil leak caused by (I think) a cracked or porous Oil Pan. The Oil Pan was replaced during the rebuild but may have been defective (it was a used Pan) or perhaps it was set down hard during the process and cracked. I really can't tell because now that it's installed in the Boat you can't see under it. Before coming to this conclusion I removed the transmission and the rear main seal showed no sign of leakage. Anyhow, I suspect this because with out running the engine it leaks just sitting there. As a test the engine was not run for almost 3 months and it leaked almost a quart of oil into a plastic tray I installed under the engine. The proper fix is to remove the engine from the boat and install a new pan but trying to find a facility that will remove the engine is problematic where I live. I'm thinking of lifting the engine up high enough while still in the boat to be able to apply Flex Seal Liquid Rubber Sealant all over the Oil Pan. The manufacturer states that " Flex Seal Liquid can withstand temperatures from -80°F to 350°F" and typical engine temperatures do not exceed that. But, before I go thru the exercise of lifting the engine I was wondering if any one else has used this product and if so what were the results? Any other suggestions?
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Years and years ago I came by a VW with a leaky gas tank. My go to counter guy promptly gave me an epoxy kit for leaking fuel tanks! Fortunately the tank was easily removed. Sand, scour, wipe with solvent and apply! The bug returned to the road for many future repairs.
I have done this make shift repair in the automotive world. It will work better in the marine environment. In a car it is subjected to much greater elements.
Here is how I did it.
drain oil from engine
hook a vacuum cleaner to the oil fill on the engine. May be on valve cover or other. What we are trying to do here is create a vacuum in the engine. This stops the flow of oil downward as much as possible.
CLEAN,CLEAN, CLEAN the area with degreaser followed by brake clean.
Scratch surface with med grit sand paper
Clean again with brake clean
I used traditional JB Weld. I found it stayed in place and was less resistant to sagging. I have also used Marine Tex to patch things related to fuel before. The main difference is the Marine Tex is styrene based and the JB Weld is Epoxy based.
Either way, I think you will be amazed at the results. Of course the right way is to replace it, but sometimes the above method makes sense.
Sterling,
Thank you for your suggestion. I’m pretty sure you’re advice would work but I’m going to replace the pan itself. I’ve thought about doing it as you described but I would have to raise the engine several feet in order to access it. By the time you disconnect all that is required to lift it you just might as well remove the engine and do it right. Tim C.