How not to fix an oil leak

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed that the Maverick was dripping oil, not a lot, but a couple of drops. After a week or so, the spots were getting bigger. So one day I stuck my head under the car while it was running and noticed that it was dripping off of the drivers side rear section of the oil pan. So I figured that I should fix this before the cold weather got here, and I had to do this without yanking the engine out.

I went to our local Advance Autoparts and purcahsed an oil pan gasket set, high temp silicone, a floor creeper, and a 2.25 ton floor jack.

I drained the oil and then jacked the car up and slid the tire ramps under the tires and threw some extra wood blocks under there for safety, and proceeded to unbolt the front sway bar (which was easy). then took out all the bolts to the oil pan, and tried to slide it out, but it was about an inch too high, and it couldnt move down any father due to the steering linkage. So I figured I should take that apart, I had to destroy the cotterpins and then removed all the nuts, and tried to remove them with a ball-joint seperator from one of the other auto shops (they loan them out with a deposit), I guess I didnt hit it hard enough because it wasn't moving.

So I went to plan B. I unbolted the transmission and the bolts that kept the engine in the mounts, and proceede to jack the engine up. After the engine came up out of the mounts the pan dropped out.

I spent about 2 hours scraping the baked on gasket from the bottom of the block, I then used some steel wool to remove any remaining boogers, and sort of polished the space nicely. I then shifted my attention to the pan, and noticed that the remaining oil in the pan was kind of black and thick, so I cleaned that out, then threw some gas in to remove the baked on oil from the inside of the pan and then cleaned off the lip. After I was done the pan looked like new, and I knew that any oil I put in the car will now be somewhat clean anyway.

I climbed back under the car put teh high temp selaer on the block, got the gaskets in and lined up, put some sealer on the pan, and put it back up to the block, went around the pan screws 3-4 times making sure it was tightened down good to specs.

Next step was to put the rest back together, most of it went well except I had to run back up to the auto parts to get new cotter pins, get home, and realize thet they are too small, so back up to the parts store, to get the right ones, get them installed and double check to make sure everything is tightened down.

I clean up around the car, put a new oil filter on, get some new oil in it, and fire it up... for about 15 seconds everything looks good, but as I watched under the car, it started to leak again, IN THE SAME SPOT!

So I open the hood and looked down into that area and realized that there was no problem with the pan at all, because the oil sensor that is located above that area of the pan, was what was leaking.

Go figure...Live and learn I guess

I replaced that and it is doing fine now, plus I have the extra added bonus of knowing the inside of the engine is clean.

Glen

 

Good story.

 

well atleast you dont have a leaky pan to look fowart to anytime soon

what engine were you working with?

 

you only need to be two percent smarter than the leak.

 

i know someone that changed 3 pan gaskets and a new pan on a c4...to find out it was the...shiftershaft seal...

......

 

i've never done anything like that. do you have a harbor freight anywhere near you. they have an assortment of cotter pins in a case that usually sells for a few bucks. it'll save you some time and gas to have a few things like that on hand.

 

Mama said there'd be days like this..... good story!

 

Ow!

Did you ask Effie what the heck took her so long to clue you in?

 

...wasn't me...

...RFF...

 

Nice story!
BTW you could have removed the 2 bolts that hold the idler arm to the frame and it would have allowed the steering linkage to drop down far enough to remove the pan.

 

That sounds just about right.

At least, that is how I did it day before yesterday...

I bought a one piece oil pan gasket just to try it out. It looks really neat, and comes with 4 "clips" to hold the gasket on the pan while you run the bolts, then remove the clips and VOILA!!! (These may not be a new thing but I have never seen them before.)

The balljoint tool doesn't need to be hit and is easy on the joints (just tighten the screw and the joint will pop off). I finally bought one for $12 since I was borrowing it so much...

Good thing is everything you did, even if it wasn't needed, was still an improvement and is preventing some other leak later on...

 

Good story. Sorry it happened to you, but it was entertaining, and I have lived through a few like that.

You have to watch those sensors. Both of my Comets developed very sudden leaks that were gushers. If they fail like both of mine did, they could pump a couple of quarts out in just a few minutes. I would replace any sensor that is more than 10 years old.

 

I'd just pretend the pan gasket was leaking anyway.

 

I think he was talking about me! Best thing I ever did for my car was to get rid of the automatic......and go with a T5!

 

That sounds like my day, EVERY time I have to do any plumbing at the house,
To install a new P trap I just make a time slot for the whole day and make sure i have plenty of gas for the three trips to the plumbing store