Alloy sump pan for 697 1470 engine

[maxcar]

I’m getting a bit fed up with the oil leakage from my original S2 697 steel sump pan, so I’m looking for a suitable alloy pan. Has anyone tried Banks’? https://www.lotus-supplies.com/parts/engine-renault/engine-parts/sump-pan-alloy-fully-baffled-gordini-type-s1-s2/
And are there any other nice alternatives out there?

[MRN I J]

Try Salv Sacco on salve.sacco@virgin.net 0044 7976 359 262, I think he posts on here but is well known on here, tell him Chris Adams put you onto him

[maxcar]

Try Salv Sacco on salve.sacco@virgin.net 0044 7976 359 262, I think he posts on here but is well known on here, tell him Chris Adams put you onto him

So he sells new sumps, I assume?

[MRN I J]

yes amongst other parts, mainly crossflow engines but the sump is the same, it comes with trap door baffles or did when I bought mine 25 + years ago

[maxcar]

I’m considering continuing using the original oil pan anyway, for weight, cost and Brexit reasons. I would appreciate some tips on how to get the bloody thing stop leaking, though. I have tried sealant, but haven’t found any working solution. It seems very hard to get the sealing lip straight enough to be able to do the job well enough along with the original cork gasket. Please enlighten me on how to fix this.

The oil plug socket isn’t very easy to seal either. Has anyone else experienced this and found any cure?

The 697 valve cover isn’t very easy to seal either. I’m considering wether the crankcase breather might be a problem here. What kind of breather are you guys using?

[jbcollier]

Are you sure it's the oil pan that is leaking?  The most common source of oil leaks is the valve cover.  It leaks down and drips off the oil pan.  Very easy to mistake a valve cover leak for an oil pan leak.

First make sure the oil pan is absolutely flat.  Put it upside down on a solid table or floor and make sure there are no gaps.  I then glue the cork gasket to the oil pan using contact cement/glue.  Make sure the gasket face on the block is completely free of oil.  Wipe it down with thinner so it's squeaky clean.  Apply a thin coating of oil-proof, silicone sealer to the gasket and carefully lift into place.  DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN THE SUMP BOLTS as this will cause the cork to spread out.  Let the sealer set before adding oil.

Just so you know, it is very common for the aftermarket aluminium sumps to be porous.  I had mine on and off four or five times.  In the end I had to get it boiled out and the inside specially powder coated to seal it up.

[Kendo]

I don't know how well this would work in an engine, though it does claim to be proof against solvents.
https://www.hernon.com/product/weld-sealant-433/
When I got my car, the rear mags had inner tubes because the casting leaked. That is just plain wrong. I soaked them in the Hernon weld seal and was able to eliminate the inner tubes.

[maxcar]

Are you sure it's the oil pan that is leaking?  The most common source of oil leaks is the valve cover.  It leaks down and drips off the oil pan.  Very easy to mistake a valve cover leak for an oil pan leak.

First make sure the oil pan is absolutely flat.  Put it upside down on a solid table or floor and make sure there are no gaps.  I then glue the cork gasket to the oil pan using contact cement/glue.  Make sure the gasket face on the block is completely free of oil.  Wipe it down with thinner so it's squeaky clean.  Apply a thin coating of oil-proof, silicone sealer to the gasket and carefully lift into place.  DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN THE SUMP BOLTS as this will cause the cork to spread out.  Let the sealer set before adding oil.

It might be the valve cover, but I think it is actually from both ends. The problem is obviously that the oil pan is made out of the same kind of metal that they used to wrap chewing gum in, which makes it distort at very low bolt torque. But hey, I’ll just have to give it another go. What kind of contact cement do you mean between the gasket and the pan? Just regular contact glue?

[jbcollier]

I usually use 3M weatherstrip adhesive:

https://www.3mcanada.ca/3M/en_CA/p/d/v000161672/

It doesn't dry out as fast in tubes as it does in cans.  I have also used ordinary contact cement from a hardware store.

[Kendo]

Here is a long post working on an Elan's TC engine leak. https://vintagetechnologygarage.groups.io/g/cars/topic/pesky_oil_leak_on_my_1966/85702351
Generally good discussions there, too.

[Richard48Y]

A possible suggestion. Bit of work but might help.
Pan "Spreaders", flat bars that mimic the pan rails to spread the load and prevent localized distortion.
Even later model Chevies use them as OEM.
Not fun to make from steel without the right tools but I expect even aluminum would work.

[maxcar]

Pan spreaders does seem like a good idea.

[MRN I J]

Pan spreaders does seem like a good idea.

please explain, preferably with some photos, looking at summit racing they look like steel strips / bars tp spread the load ?

[Kendo]

If you look in the photos section of that Groups.IO link I posted above, in the "emailed photos" album, in the first few photos you'll see that guy's spreader solution. You might have to subscribe to it.

[jbcollier]

It’s a cork gasket.  If you are tightening the pan bolts such that you need “load spreaders”, you are killing the gasket.  Oil pan leaks are not a common issue.  It’s a flat pan to a flat surface.