[porsche959]

Had surprising success with a ghetto fab fix (permatex spray sealant). Was leaking about a tablespoon of oil every night from the rear, passenger corner of the oil pan (common leak). 120k miles, 6speed 325i.

Too cheap to spend 50% of the cars value on an oil pan gasket repair, too lazy to do it myself.

Before this, I tried every quick fix in the book - thicker oil, engine gasket sealer, atp stuff, etc. nothing worked.


1) make sure bolts are tight - mine were slightly loose but still leaked after torquing down.

2) buy this shit: https://www.permatex.com/products/ad...t-leak-repair/

3) spray down area with brake cleaner multiple times ( I used 2 cans)

4) liberally spray area with spray sealer, I did 5-6 coats (full can). 1 min dry time between coats. Make sure you spray everything around the area, but be careful because this stuff will get everywhere and it’s ugly. It’s like a spitting goo out of a can, you’ll see. You want to make sure to get the bolts, gasket and slightly above the gasket so it can drip into the gasket area. Make sure to cover anything you don’t want goo on (ie the serpentine belt).

5) problem fixed

Maybe I’ll share some pics of how ugly but effective it is. Depends on demand. Gotta get under the car.





Edit for pics

You can see the white/clear goo everywhere. It looks Wet but is dry.

IF YOU CARE ABOUT UNDERBODY CLEANLINESS THIS IS NOT FOR YOU. Pony up the $1.2k or 13hrs and do the real job. I don’t give a shit about the underbody and run without the plastic cover anyways.

[eugenecp]

cool, looking forward to the pics and follow-up after several weeks in use.

[freakystyly]

It's such a common and expensive problem, any mcguyver fix would be welcome. Hope that stuff holds! The real test would be multiple heat cycles, I noticed my pan weeps more when it's hot out too.

[porsche959]

Originally Posted by eugenecp

cool, looking forward to the pics and follow-up after several weeks in use.

Good idea. Will update after a few weeks.

Since the fix (one week ago). I put 200 hard driven miles on the car. Avg op temp 250f+ and under 20mpg high way.

Seems to be holding up ok for now. Zero oil leaks, which is the first time since purchasing the car 2 years ago.

[neilvan]

Would be curious to see if it leaks between the engine/trans still as the gasket would still be leaking there. Or if you can even tell if it is there

[porsche959]

Originally Posted by neilvan

Would be curious to see if it leaks between the engine/trans still as the gasket would still be leaking there. Or if you can even tell if it is there

I also sprayed the shit out of that area with brake cleaner and the sealant spray. So far ok.

Unclear if the leak was coming from gasket or rear main seal/engine/trans area.

[Bimmer_Engineer]

Originally Posted by eugenecp

cool, looking forward to the pics and follow-up after several weeks in use.

I agree...an update after a few weeks will be key to judging this effective. Typically this type of repair won't hold long term as the leak will continue and undermine the adhesion of the sealant from the inside...

[colorado.e9x]

Was there oil leaking on the etorx bolts? Bottom of oil pan was dripping oil right around the drain plug (but not on the drain plug), e torx bolts have drips of oil, oil level sensors coated in oil.. Pretty sure the oil level sensor was from my OFHG leak that I neglected for over a year. Fun

[bluewater328]

subscribed

[Rube]

Originally Posted by porsche959

Had surprising success with a ghetto fab fix (permatex spray sealant). Was leaking about a tablespoon of oil every night from the rear, passenger corner of the oil pan (common leak). 120k miles, 6speed 325i.

Too cheap to spend 50% of the cars value on an oil pan gasket repair, too lazy to do it myself.

Before this, I tried every quick fix in the book - thicker oil, engine gasket sealer, atp stuff, etc. nothing worked.


1) make sure bolts are tight - mine were slightly loose but still leaked after torquing down.

2) buy this shit: https://www.permatex.com/products/ad...t-leak-repair/

3) spray down area with brake cleaner multiple times ( I used 2 cans)

4) liberally spray area with spray sealer, I did 5-6 coats (full can). 1 min dry time between coats. Make sure you spray everything around the area, but be careful because this stuff will get everywhere and it’s ugly. It’s like a spitting goo out of a can, you’ll see. You want to make sure to get the bolts, gasket and slightly above the gasket so it can drip into the gasket area. Make sure to cover anything you don’t want goo on (ie the serpentine belt).

5) problem fixed

Maybe I’ll share some pics of how ugly but effective it is. Depends on demand. Gotta get under the car.

in for the pics

[BlackedOutBimmer]

Be interested to see if this actully lasts or not....

I am in the same boat as many of you...
Of course my oil pan is leaking, and not really up for spend $500-700 for someone to do it... and I dont have the tools, time, or patience to DIY....

I hate half-ass fixes on cars typically.... but the price to replace a $20 gasket I'm not sure is worth it... even though I do plan on keeping my car until it doens't make sense to repair anymore.

I have 115k on my car and my pan has been leaking for at least 25-30k miles. Not enough to have to add any oil between changes, but it does make an absolute mess and have to keep cardboard under my car in the garage to prevent oil staining the floor.

[slowcar]

Originally Posted by colorado.e9x

Was there oil leaking on the etorx bolts? Bottom of oil pan was dripping oil right around the drain plug (but not on the drain plug), e torx bolts have drips of oil, oil level sensors coated in oil.. Pretty sure the oil level sensor was from my OFHG leak that I neglected for over a year. Fun

*this is p959 desktop account

I don't think i was dripping from that side. That looks more like the drivers side front?

Mine was passenger side rear, near the transmission.

I have the steel oilpan so there is some rust by the oil sensor bolts. zapped it with some rustoleum rust reformer while i was down there.

[type-dRew]

Seems like you would have had more success doing it during an oil change.

Drain oil. Do all your steps. Let sit overnight. Add oil. Done.

Curious how it works long term not doing that.

[fastboatster]

Heard that some e46 guys just lower the oil pan, make a cut on one side of the new gasket so that they can slide it in (oil pickup gets in a way if you don’t cut your gasket ) and then use some RTV to seal the cut. The primary motivation for this is that they don’t want to spend the entire price of the car on the gasket change. Could be worth trying on the e90

[raptorman5174]

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by fastboatster

Heard that some e46 guys just lower the oil pan, make a cut on one side of the new gasket so that they can slide it in (oil pickup gets in a way if you don’t cut your gasket ) and then use some RTV to seal the cut. The primary motivation for this is that they don’t want to spend the entire price of the car on the gasket change. Could be worth trying on the e90

People have tried. Correctly torquing the fasteners is impossible this way. Also, several people that tried reported they spent the same amount of time as they would have dropping the pan and they were worried crud fell into the pan.

Seems like a lose lose in this case

[fastboatster]

Originally Posted by tlow98

People have tried. Correctly torquing the fasteners is impossible this way. Also, several people that tried reported they spent the same amount of time as they would have dropping the pan and they were worried crud fell into the pan.

Seems like a lose lose in this case

Well okay, then it's not a viable approach. Seemed to work for some people with e46. Why is it not possible to torque the fasteners, does some part of the subframe prevents access to some bolts?
Anyway, maybe the best way is to unbolt the steering rack and unbolt the subframe letting it hang on the control arms.

[Boosted12a]

Hope it holds. The pan on my xi isn't leaking yet but I dread the day that happens. Will be more than happy to do this instead!

[Efthreeoh]

Why didn't you just use Phil Swift's Flex Seal. They make glass boats out of the stuff.

But seriously, you've only addressed half the problem. The pan leaks from inside the bellhousing at the rear of the pan.

The oil pan gasket design is poor. Three little rubber ribs that carbonize and crystalize and lose all flexibility. Only real fix is to replace it and use gasket sealer on both surfaces when reinstalling.

[Silnismo]

When I bought my car, it was leaking oil from valve cover, oil filter and oil pan.

At the time I could only afford the valve cover and oil filter gasket, mechanic offer to use the same sealant on the oil pan gasket.

Last about 5 months before it start gushing out oil, after that I opted to just do the oil pan then.

[juld0zer]

Even with the subframe dangling by the control arms, access to all bolts to torque and stretch them still requires some creativity.

The cut gasket idea also doesn't allow you much room to properly clean the sealing surfaces of the crusty old gasket material. I've never attempted this as I prefer to only do this job once. It's also the leak I leave last to repair and by that I mean I wait until it drips onto the ground

[NGEE]

Originally Posted by porsche959

Too cheap to spend 50% of the cars value on an oil pan gasket repair, too lazy to do it myself.

Good luck with your coronavirus M5 deal.