Man VS OIL PAN! - Dramatization
 

Word had got out, I said it, I had cursed the oil pan, and the pan knew it. Twice it had leaked oil all over the floor in retaliation, even after careful assembly. But this time was going to be different, some how, some way, I was going to get my freshly rebuilt engine to not drip a drop. Mazda had done it, without so much as some grey rtv sealant, and as god is my witness I was going to do the same. The new oil pan was rejection the engine like a bad organ transplant, and my time, and patience was running thin.

It was a warm day in December, the sun was out and the wind was tame. I decided to spend the day with my other woman. The fun started by removing the two engine mount bolts, raising the engine, and lowering the front subframe. Three bolts on this side, three on that, and four on the steering rack, and the subframe can be pulled down. The oil pan can clear the oil pump pick-up line and be slid back just from lowering this cross member. Next, I scraped both pan and engine with a razor to remove all the old sealant. Then, I sanded both surfaces until clean (I removed most paint from pan mounting surface). Keep in mind that sand paper could break down and fall into the pan. I checked that the pan was straight with a straight edge. After that, I cleaned both surfaced with carb cleaner, and applied a bead of ultra grey rtv sealant. When you remounted the pan, allow the sealant to cure. The rtv requires 1 hour to set and 24 to fully cure. It uses the moisture in the air to cure, so don't add oil too soon, and keeping the drain plug out might help the process.

Engine mounts and successful oil pan sealing: The left engine mount on the 93 models was originally aluminum, and had a raised spot to help support the oil pan. The new steel mount does not have the support. I found some aluminum stock in my box of goodies that would create a flush support. I JB welded the spacer to the pan. The pan had been leaking from this location previously! Currently the pan is curing so I will update you guys on the progress. I will wait 24 hours before I add oil, and currently the drain plug is out.
TO BE CONTINUED...

Did you thought about getting a oil pan brace?

Yes, I have looked at them, and I might put down the $120 to get one if this attempt fails.

It has been 24 hours since I added oil, drove the car twice, and oil pan is not leaking. :)

lol....it is just lulling you into a false sense of security.... :egrin:

(awaits anxiously for the other women to realize you used cubiczicosilverrtv gasket instead of OEM ring on her pan .. * bites finger nails * will she notice ? will she throw it in your face and with it make a big mess if your garage , throwing a fit of black tears .. or will she spend the rest of her days oblivious to the cheap fix ? )

Yeah, mine is a spiteful little biznittle too. Definitely going with the brace upon rebuild. Good luck.

Things have been real good between the pan and I lately. I did see a few drops of oil on the ground, but surely it is not coming from the oil pan!

Here's the only method that we've found that gives you a fighting chance:

(1) New oil pan<-----this one is important
(2) Oil pan brace
(3) Stud kit with lock washers under all hardware (including motor mount bolts)
(4) Right Stuff Silicone (no OEM gasket)

All four of the above are completely necessary, unless the existing oil pan is mint (which is extremely unlikely).

Ray Crowe told me some time ago that most shops he dealt with ordered new oil pans on a regular basis.

Great info, makes you wonder how Mazda ever made it work.

They didn't. Well, maybe for the first year or two until the gasket started flexing.

Can anyone else chime in on this? My stock engine didn't leak for 18 years.

UPDATE: jacked up the car and to my pleasant surprise the oil pan is still not leaking.

I have no oil pan brace- I do run -10an lines and a big oil catch can with a large breather/filter for oil pan vent. I have one line on the rear iron oil drain and the second line on the RE filler neck- 400HP 15psi not one drop of oil as of yet. So I would say increase your ventilation and see what happens..

I re sealed my oil pan exactly like Goodfella said and mine leaks:(. I cleaned both surfaces, made sure they were dry and free of oil, and torqued everything properly, waited more than a week to add oil to the engine to make sure it is dry.

Dont know where I went wrong as followed the steps exactly a described:(.

I will be resealing my pan with the factory gasket and some permatex form a gasket. I will see how that goes. It can not leak much more than it already does:lol:.


John

I sanded the bottom of the engine with 400 grit and noticed black goo accumulating on the irons. Took a while to get the engine side completely clean.

I had my engine out and on a stand. I too sanded it. That is what is really frustrating me. I feel like I did something wrong but do not know what. I even used a BRAND NEW bottle of the right stuff rather than using one that I had open on the shelf:lol:.

I have rebuilt many engines and transmissions for heavy equipment and I do not have leaks. So that is why I will be using the gasket and permatex. That is what I have been using for years with out problems in other stuff so I will see how it goes for this application.



John

That is very frustrating. I decided to try to seal mine one last time without the gasket when I found a missing pan brace on the engine mount.

I'm scared ... oil leaks are taboo! here.. they give you the death sentance for less ..

January 4, 2012

Dear diary,
The oil pan has been treating me well, no leaks to speak of. Today I mark the oil pan off the list, pat myself on the back, and move on to item #632.
With love,
Sc

Awesome thread!




It gives me hope. Perhaps I will try to seal the pan again without buying a brace ... nope, doubt it, diary entries or not ... I'll be buying a new pan and new brace eventually. It's just much of a pain to cheap out.

Did you record the thickness of the spacer?

Sorry, I did not.

My pan has not leaked in 18 years. But now that I am pulling a purectly good engine to tamper with, I am scared that by pulling of teh mounts I will have started a cascade So, I have ordered a new Series 8 pan (N3G1-10-400) from Mazdaspeed (I forget what they changed, I think I read something positive years ago), will use Moroso stud kit and hopefully find success.

so does this brace act like a gasket?

The brace distributes clamping force around the entire pan instead of just at bolts. My accord has one built into the pan.

I sealed my pan with the right stuff and a brace about a year ago. Guess we will see if its sealed when wire tuck is done