I split something other than wood!

[Cambium]

There I was doing annual maintenance saying I'm so happy this machine is lasting over 10 yrs and still looks new and runs great...

All I had left to do was change the spark plug and I was done, ready to put away for storage.. So I was tightening up the oil drain plug... Thought it was "good enough" without using excessive force but I did make sure I cranked on it... After few minutes I noticed oil leaking...

Then I noticed the split.... I guess its not like a vehicle drain plug where you have to crank on it? SMH

Do you guys think I can use High Heat Epoxy on it?? Or is this whole motor a goner now? I only split like 10 days a year for a total of like 20 hours.

Also... It was the first winter last year storing it in the shed as opposed to in my garage. I wonder if that made things brittle. :-(

 

[frank_]

i would drive a wooden dowel down the hole, about 1" below the thread top, then pour epoxy onto the dowel
then use a suction pump down the filler cap, on the next oilchange

 

[LondonNeil]

Oh. Epoxy may work there, it'll be expansion/contraction that makes it fail if it does, but they spot won't get as got as say a spark plug thread or as exhaust manifold (don't bother with epoxy there). Or what is i it, aluminium? You can get it tig welded, or there is even a solder/braze rod for aluminium

 

[LondonNeil]

Look up durafix or alubuild aluminium brazing/welding rods.

 

[panolo]

Could try it or just have it welded if you know a good welder. Than just suction it out.

 

[nathan4104]

JB weld will fix that right up. Clean it good maybe use a die grinder/dremel to open the crack a bit and gob it on.

 

[Ronaldo]

The trick will be getting it clean enough and all the oil off for anything to stick and work.

Sent from my SM-G930VL using Tapatalk

 

[husky455rancher]

Jb weld will fix that no problem!

 

[Joisey]

Clean the threads and split of oil. I'd use starting fluid. Then put a bit of car wax on the threads of the drain bolt or the release agent included in the kit, then put some Devcon on the split and clamp shut.

https://itwperformancepolymers.com/...uilding-repair/devcon-plastic-steel-liquid-b/
Price shop for Devcon, as it is available in smaller kits, what I posted is just an example. I've used it successfully to fix motorcycle cases, aluminum oil pans that were cracked at the drain plug, and many other aluminum and steel repairs. If you clean the surfaces well, the fix is permanent. 1000 times better than any other epoxy on the market. Used to be only available to industry.

 

[Drifter2406]

For future reference so it does not happen again, these bolts only need to be pinched not cranked as you call it, cars too, they only need to tightened enough not to come loose.

 

[dozi]

you may find that your oil plug is chamfered, and they are only meant to nip up not crank up. measure the OD top and bottom of the plug.

I would suggest draining it thoroughly and then cleaning the fractures thoroughly with degreaser and then solvent.

put a steel dowel in the thread hole and carefully use of low melt alloy rod to run into all the cracks. then remove steel rod and rethread.

note if your plug is chamfered you will struggle with epoxy

 

[Brufab]

What kind of motor is that? And whats it on.

 

[Cambium]

Thanks for all the posts guys! I have some JB weld so will try that out after cleaning it good. I dont mind the idea of sucking out the oil to drain it (good idea btw) but I will try to rethread the plug and see what happens.

Its a Honda motor.

 

[Brufab]

Wow it's a honda! Definitely worth the attempt to save. Very similar 339.99$ in-stock northern tool.

 

[Brufab]

Thanks for all the posts guys! I have some JB weld so will try that out after cleaning it good. I dont mind the idea of sucking out the oil to drain it (good idea btw) but I will try to rethread the plug and see what happens.

Its a Honda motor.

Good thinking even if you filled it all up with jb weld or whatever and was able to tap and thread a smaller bolt into it to drain that could potentially work.

 

[oldfortyfive]

A vacuum pump for oil changes has been one of my best investments. Haven't removed a small engine drain plug since the early 80's.

 

[cookies]

average car/truck oil drain plug torque spec is 14lbs, small engines are around 12. they say replace the crush washer every use since it locks the bolt in and seals leaks from the threads. Best repair would be disassemble the block, bake the cracked portion about 500 degrees to burn the oil out of the aluminum (it absorbs it) then tig weld it, same method should be used for aluminum brazing. Jb weld may hold and it may just make the situation more work to repair the case properly...you may be surprised at the price of a new or used replacement half case. My luck the jb weld would fail when borrowed and the engine would seize!

 

[rancher2]

I am the camp of taking the pan off and tig welding it shut and redrilling it to say a quarter or eight inch pipe plug then its fixed for good. Have done it on several aluminum pans that folks have cracked them over the years.

 

[Okie]

I've got a walk behind lawnmower, self propelled that uses that engine.
Keep a eye and ear open and you might find a mower with such. Good engines. Some of those Honda engines do not even have a drain plug anyway. I doubt if you will even stop the oil leak because of heat/cool expansion on the aluminum and hot oil seeps out easily eventually.
Might be a chance of removing the lower sump and welding.
If not repairable just look for a HF predator engine for around $100.

 

[lanslot27]

honda part number : 11300-ZM0-V31 if you have a GVC-160 /G5B model
you need to validate with your engine serial #
where to find:
https://www.hondapartsnation.com/oemparts/p/honda_engines/11300-zm0-v31/pan-assy-oilmecanical diagram:
https://www.hondalawnparts.com/oemparts/a/hen/5ca5fbba87a8661b6cbc21ac/oil-pan