leak in sump

[seniorchristo]

My Elan has always had engine oil leaks but I recently noticed a large puddle under the car. It seem the sump was punctured at some point and repaired with a one inch bead of weld or brazing(?). It is now leaking at one spot alongside the weld. My plan is to drain the oil and lean the car away from the leak in the hope it will eventually stop leaking so I can repair with epoxy. This would be a short term fix as I plan to pull the engine out next winter. Has anyone have advice or had a similar experience? Some time ago I had good luck repairing a Porsche oil tank with fiberglass. Seems like epoxy should work if the surface is clean and well prepared. Thanks
Chris

[2cams70]

Been through this experience before. Don't use bronze to fix a sump. Just doesn't work. It's has to be properly welded after removing and thoroughly cleaning the sump. I've had success with Oxy/Acetylene welding.
Can't really comment on the success rate of temporary repairs as I haven't tried.

[rgh0]

You should be able to do a temporary repair with fuel tank sealing epoxy putty. The crack to be sealed needs to be clean and oil free. A fiberglass patch on the outside should also be able to temporarily fix it.

Brazing should not be used to try to directly seal a crack in a sump but it can be used successfully to fix a sealing plate over a crack. When repairing cracks either by welding the crack directly or by brazing a sealing plate over it you always should drill out the ends of the crack with a small drill to stop it growing.

cheers
Rohan

[seniorchristo]

Thanks so much for the excellent advice Rohan and 2cams. ! I?ll be giving fuel tank epoxy a try as soon as I have time. I was finally able to get my clutch bled properly today after months and months of struggle.

[elanner]

Also discussed at:

lotus-twincam-f39/sump-leaking-t32307.html

Nick