Repair cracked sump without removal

[123rover50]

My skidsteer has been losing a lot of oil. Its on the hoist and I found the sump has a crack about 25mm long. Its engine out to fix but thats not an option. I was thinking to use blind pop rivets to fix a plate with some Sikaflex type adhesive all around and over the crack.
Any suggestions on what to use? Has to be heat and oil proof of course.
Any other suggestions welcome.
Keith

[p38arover]

Fuel tank repair kit?

[Tins]

My skidsteer has been losing a lot of oil. Its on the hoist and I found the sump has a crack about 25mm long. Its engine out to fix but thats not an option. I was thinking to use blind pop rivets to fix a plate with some Sikaflex type adhesive all around and over the crack.
Any suggestions on what to use? Has to be heat and oil proof of course.
Any other suggestions welcome.
Keith

Interesting conundrum. What material is the sump? One thing I would suggest is identifying the very ends of the crack and drilling a small hole there to hopefully prevent it growing, which it could do under whatever patch you use.

Some Sika stuff is not resistant to organic oil, but their black Appliance (https://aus.sika.com/en/construction/sealants-adhesives/specialty-sealants/sikaseal-appliancesealant.html) stuff is, apparently. The big green hardware mob stock it.

[BradC]

I used JB Weld to patch a crack in a diff housing cover. Used a dremel to drill the end (the other was in a hole) and vee out the crack, then abrade all the area around it to ensure it had a good key. My intention was to remove the epoxy and weld it up when I had a chance.

That was 8 years ago.

[p38arover]

After I posted, I did wonder about cleaning off the oil. I'm sure it would continue to weep and make it difficult to get a bond.

[123rover50]

Thanks. Good ideas there. Its thin tin stuff with indentations for strength. I was going to hit it with short blob welds with the stick so as to not get too hot. That Sikaflex sounds good. I cant clean it properly in the crack so I think the JB might not be as good for this application.These skidsteers are worse to work on than Land Rovers.
Keith

[BradC]

My only concern with that is if you can't clean the crack that when you weld it the oil will run and burn, contaminating the weld.

Do you know anyone with a TIG? You could weld a patch over the top. Come to think of it, I repaired a hole in a steel transmission fluid line by silver soldering a patch over the top.

[p38arover]

I was going to suggest silver solder as it melts at a lower temp than brazing rod.

[123rover50]

Its right overhead and not much room. I might do the Sikaflex and pop rivets and see how long it lasts. Even if I get 6 months it will not be hard to clean it up and try again. Might use aluminium sheet as can mould it a bit to the humps and hollows. Got to go to town Wednesday so will visit Bunnings then. It can stay on the hoist till then.

[goingbush]

if you can clean it JB weld will be with trying, I had a similar on the sump of a Dodge , The engine builder hot tanked the sump and the caustic ate the solder that sealed the dipstick port in the side of sump. He said to bring it back and he will re-solder it . I roughed the surrounding area with 40grit, cleaned it with brake cleaner and temporary smeared JB Weld & painted . Still good 4 years later.

[123rover50]

Maybe if I heat it with the oxy and burn the oil off inside the crack then the JB might stick. Might be worth a try first then the Sikaflex if it fails.

[goingbush]

Maybe if I heat it with the oxy and burn the oil off inside the crack then the JB might stick. Might be worth a try first then the Sikaflex if it fails.

Maybe risky don't want to set off an explosion in the sump . It's a tricky one.

[JDNSW]

Maybe a heat gun not oxy?

[123rover50]

That might work too.
I have an engine wash gun thing works off air. If I put a hose on the end of that I can get it in the drain hole and wash out the inside. That will get the oil out. Then maybe petrol to get the diesel out then heat gun to evaporate the petrol.[bigsmile1]

Keith

[Tins]

That might work too.
I have an engine wash gun thing works off air. If I put a hose on the end of that I can get it in the drain hole and wash out the inside. That will get the oil out. Then maybe petrol to get the diesel out then heat gun to evaporate the petrol.[bigsmile1]

Keith

What could possibly go wrong? :woot:

[BradC]

When I tig old oily aluminium I cook it slowly with the oxy until it stops smoking. I then wire brush it, rinse, lather and repeat until it stops grunging up. At that point I'd flux and 45% silver solder, or let it cool, clean with clear PVC priming fluid (a 50/50 mix of acetone and MEK) then JB weld.

As long as you don't get it too hot, the oil will slowly cook off. Chlorinated brake cleaner would also be a good cleaner. Just don't heat it until you are dead sure it's all gone or it'll turn into phosgene and you'll wind up dead.

[Blknight.aus]

drain the oil
clean it
drill the ends of the crack
cut a plate thats nicely oversize
wire brush it.

mig weld the plate on.

fill it with oil.

done (if you got it right)

[123rover50]

I would do that Dave if I could get the sump off but I cant without taking the engine out which at this stage of my life I dont want to do. And welding upside down is not my forte.
I cant work out why a right angled crack like that would appear anyway. It looks like a stress fracture but nothing outside could do it. I am wondering if there is something on the inside causing it. I will put my borescope up the bunghole and have a look today.
Keith

[JDNSW]

If nothing has hit it, I would guess it is ultimately the result of a defect in the steel used to make the sump, probably a slag inclusion or similar.

[123rover50]

Had a bit of a look with my borescope but could not see anything. It is not dinged in or anything and there is a big bashplate bolted on underneath. The crack could be a defect as you say John and been there for a while but slowly getting bigger.
Drilled holes at the ends and flushed with diesel using air with a plastic pipe and nozzle affair that squirts 4 jets at right angles. Tends to atomise so had to stop after sucking in too many fumes.
Getting a garden type pump spray and some turps tomorrow when I go to town. Will give it a flood type wash with that. Turpentine is a non petroleum solvent as you know ,so after it dries I will heat with a gas torch to get rid of any remains then on with the JB. See what happens.
Keith

[BradC]

Clean the surface thoroughly with a wire brush, then alcohol before you apply the epoxy. Wire brush to give the surface more bite and the alcohol as a final degrease. "Gee I wish I hadn't done so much prep" said nobody, ever.

[superquag]

A tad off-topic, but what's the thinking about trying it for 'fixing' our S/steel solar hot water tank ? - Am told there's a crack next to a pipe-fitting, the source of a constant dripppppppping in the nearest down-pipe. Yes, I know, "Cheapskate pensioner..." [biggrin]

Also, depending on nearness etc, the other idea of a plate, pop-riveted and slathered under & around with Magic Mud is attractive. Might be safer, in that it's a mains-pressure. HWS, not a 'Low Pressure' system.
Thoughts ? Comments ?

[superquag]

What could possibly go wrong? :woot:

Err,,,,, maybe wait till the petrol stuff has stopped dripping, and the smell goes away ,,,, before the hair-dryer ? [bigwhistle]

[Tins]

A tad off-topic, but what's the thinking about trying it for 'fixing' our S/steel solar hot water tank ? - Am told there's a crack next to a pipe-fitting, the source of a constant dripppppppping in the nearest down-pipe. Yes, I know, "Cheapskate pensioner..." [biggrin]

Also, depending on nearness etc, the other idea of a plate, pop-riveted and slathered under & around with Magic Mud is attractive. Might be safer, in that it's a mains-pressure. HWS, not a 'Low Pressure' system.
Thoughts ? Comments ?

Prob. Mains pressure here is allegedly 150 PSI.

[superquag]

Hindsight is wonderful....
Just unearthed in my big shed... a water 'Pressure Reducing' gizmo, variable... Think I bought it when we had a low pressure HWS. Anyway, IF it was fitted to this one, the lower pressure would have extended life of the S/Steel as it does NOT like water hammer or high pressure, - so a plumber informs me...