Leaking oil pan
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: North of Boston MA
Leaking oil pan
So, my 1997 F250HD with the 351W has started leaking from the oil pan. It isn't the gasket and it appears to be just rusted away. When it rains it pours - I found the leak while I was under it replacing a whole bunch of brake lines after one completely let go.
Anyway, has anyone ever had any success repairing a leaking oil pan from the outside? I have some pretty good industrial epoxy that sticks to anything. I was thinking about finding the hole, grinding the area clean and epoxying the hole. Any thoughts?
If that doesn't work, can the oil pan in these trucks be removed without pulling the motor? Can I lift the motor some? If so, what is the minimum I have to disconnect? I don't want to completely pull it out of the truck but if I have to I have to. The leak will only get worse and we are coming up on a good time of year to do the work - warm days, cool nights.
The truck is 4x4 with autotranny if that matters in this case.
If I do end up having to pull the motor, maybe I'll do a 393.....anyone had any luck with that?
Anyway, has anyone ever had any success repairing a leaking oil pan from the outside? I have some pretty good industrial epoxy that sticks to anything. I was thinking about finding the hole, grinding the area clean and epoxying the hole. Any thoughts?
If that doesn't work, can the oil pan in these trucks be removed without pulling the motor? Can I lift the motor some? If so, what is the minimum I have to disconnect? I don't want to completely pull it out of the truck but if I have to I have to. The leak will only get worse and we are coming up on a good time of year to do the work - warm days, cool nights.
The truck is 4x4 with autotranny if that matters in this case.
If I do end up having to pull the motor, maybe I'll do a 393.....anyone had any luck with that?
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2005
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I have a similar setup as you (4x4, auto, 351) and my oil pan started leaking as well. In two spots, actually.
I used JB weld to fix my oil pan. Just drain the oil and clean up and rust in the area- make sure to give the epoxy something to hold on to (as you may already know- epoxy doesn't tend to stay well on smooth surfaces) Some people told me to poke small holes around the hole to give it "something to hold on to". I was also presented the opinion that "you don't want to make it worse by messing around and then end up having to replace the entIRE pan."
I cleaned it up good, sprayed it with brake cleaner and used the epoxy/steel "weld". Gave it plenty of time to dry (overnight) and poured a quart in. Waited a few hours. No other leaks, so I gave her another quart. After no evidence of oil, I filled her up. It's been leak free for about three weeks now. Still looks okay under there. Good luck!
~Matt
I used JB weld to fix my oil pan. Just drain the oil and clean up and rust in the area- make sure to give the epoxy something to hold on to (as you may already know- epoxy doesn't tend to stay well on smooth surfaces) Some people told me to poke small holes around the hole to give it "something to hold on to". I was also presented the opinion that "you don't want to make it worse by messing around and then end up having to replace the entIRE pan."
I cleaned it up good, sprayed it with brake cleaner and used the epoxy/steel "weld". Gave it plenty of time to dry (overnight) and poured a quart in. Waited a few hours. No other leaks, so I gave her another quart. After no evidence of oil, I filled her up. It's been leak free for about three weeks now. Still looks okay under there. Good luck!
~Matt
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From: North of Boston MA
I looked at it again and cleaned it up pretty well and it looks like if I do patch it that it will be very temporary as the pan is very rusty. I was afraid to push in on it since it looked like I could punch right through it with my finger. The epoxy I have is unbelievable stuff - my father "bought" a bunch at the company store and I used it on the oil pan on my '85. It was on there 7 years and never leaked. That one I did from the inside since I was installing a new motor thanks to a rod through the block.
I'm going to put the wire brush wheel on the right-angle grinder and see what happens when I clean it off. Guess I should drain the pan first just in case.
I guess worse case scenario and I have to pull the pan off I can at least see what the bottom end looks like - I have about 126k on it. Runs great anyway. What's a new pan run these days? Anyone have a part number handy?
Thanks.
Ray
I'm going to put the wire brush wheel on the right-angle grinder and see what happens when I clean it off. Guess I should drain the pan first just in case.
I guess worse case scenario and I have to pull the pan off I can at least see what the bottom end looks like - I have about 126k on it. Runs great anyway. What's a new pan run these days? Anyone have a part number handy?
Thanks.
Ray
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: North of Boston MA
Originally Posted by andym
You only have to lift the engine up about 4-5 inches to get the oil pan off.
Thanks
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Joined: Jul 2006
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I've pulled plenty of oil pans without fussing with the engine mounts. All you need to do is jack the vehicle up and allow the front suspension to hang freely in the air. You may even need to disconnect the springs and shocks, but it might be easier than pulling the engine.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Bonita Springs FL
Usually you have to remove the upper intake. It won't clear the firewall if you don't. I'm not sure on the exhaust. I would say... maybe. 
The only way to know for sure is to try it and be prepared.
The only way to know for sure is to try it and be prepared.
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Well, worst case scenario its too nasty and you wire wheel the crap out of it and all of a sudden you have a really big hole.
If you're going to take it off, you probably oughta replace the gasket... just for kicks. I would suggest getting a 1 piece gasket though... way easier to deal with.
If you're going to take it off, you probably oughta replace the gasket... just for kicks. I would suggest getting a 1 piece gasket though... way easier to deal with.
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: North of Boston MA
So I spent Saturday performing the oil pan leak repair. It sucked. It took a while to scrape all the corrosion off the oil pan and all those layers of rusty, flaky pan hid where the leak was. It turned out it was up where the sump curves up to the shallow part of the pan (front side). I power wire brushed what I could, spraped a lot more off and realize got problems to deal with in the near future.
Once I confirmed the leak location, I sanded the hell out of it, put some 15+ year old epoxy on it and an hour after I put it on, it was hard as a rock. I may just cover the rest of the pan with it.
At least I bought some time before I have to pull the motor.
Thanks for the help.
Ray
Once I confirmed the leak location, I sanded the hell out of it, put some 15+ year old epoxy on it and an hour after I put it on, it was hard as a rock. I may just cover the rest of the pan with it.
At least I bought some time before I have to pull the motor.
Thanks for the help.
Ray