oil pan

[H20skeefreek]

hey guys,

My oil pan has a tiny leak around the area where the dipstick goes in. Any reason to not get a Ford Racing one? If I do, would it be front or rear sump on my 351W (1985). One through vince at skidim is over 300bucks, the ford one is 90bucks. I'll probably have it patch welded, or maybe even try some jb weld for this season, but at the end of the season, i'm gonna pull the motor to replace some gaskets and paint everything, so i'll do the pan then.

[NSXBill]

In general, the car oil pans won't work for the 351. The ski-boat 351 usually used a center sump pan found only on Ford industrial engines (like the ones used for generators or pumps). I found one many years ago at a Ford industrial supply place for $75. More recently, SkiDim was the only place I could find one. Be careful about slapping on just any ol' car oil pan, even a "racing" one. If you take care to get the pick-up and baffle positioned for the mount-angle of the ski-boat motor, I guess you'll be fine, but that sounds like a lot of custom fitting and fabricating, compared to a bolt-on pan from Vince.

If you have time, look hard and you may find one at an industrial (Diesel) supply place for cheaper.

[ski_king]

Unless there is something really wrong with the pan, I would have get a good welder to repair it once it is removed.

In the meantime the JB Weld might work. I would try some high temp silicone first if you can get the area around he leak clean enough for it to stick until it cures. Then of course there is the old duck tape temporary repair.

[NSXBill]

Originally Posted by H20skeefreek

hey guys,

My oil pan has a tiny leak around the area where the dipstick goes in.

If it is only leaking where the dipstick goes in, you may be able to fix it. The mount is a separate stamped part that is fastened to the oil pan with three pop rivets and some silicon. you may be able to clean the area up with alcohol and put some silicon on. Also, the tube attaches with a compression fitting. Try tightening it. If you remove the pan, you may want to drill out the three pop rivets and reinstall the stamped part with new silicon and rivets for a like-new seal.

My oil pan problems with my 351 had to do with rust through.