308 oil sump question | FerrariChat

308 oil sump question

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by maurice70, Oct 25, 2004.

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  1. maurice70

    maurice70 F1 Rookie

    Jan 25, 2004
    4,308
    Sydney
    Full Name:
    maurice T
    Hi I may or may not have a slight leak at the bottom of my oil sump.I recently Degreased the underside of my engine and I checked it the other day and found oil at the bottom of the sump which may be possbly seeping out of what seems to be a hair line fracture caused by bellying the sump(probably from a damn speed hump)I wiped away the oil and it didn't seem to reappear.Maybe when the sump gets hotter the crack opens and oil leaks.I haven't had a chance to drive it again so I don't know for sure.I also seem to have a few other slight leaks and maybe thats all it could be.If it is a crack are the sumps repairable?Is it cast alloy and can it be welded?I will let you know if it leaks the next time I drive it.Thanks.
     
  2. Ferrari_tech

    Ferrari_tech Formula 3

    Jul 28, 2003
    1,527
    UK
    Full Name:
    Malcolm W
    It's cast alluminium and it can easily be welded
     
  3. FourCam

    FourCam Formula Junior

    May 19, 2004
    409
    Loveland CO
    Full Name:
    Cameron MacArthur
    There must be earlier discussions on this, but if not, here goes. Unless you were totally reckless (and a little unlucky), it is more than likely that the oil is dripping (leaking) around the studs that hold the sump cover on. This is not Ferrari's finest hour of design, and it is difficult to thwart. I have installed what are known as "statoseals" in place of the normal flat washers as these have an integral rubber o-ring that helps somewhat. However, due to the design, there is almost no way to keep these studs from dripping a few drops of oil at least occasionally. Add a little moving air, and it can look like you have a massive under-car spill when it is MOST LIKELY just a few drops. In other words, unless you are totally crazy about such things-live with it!
     
  4. Verell

    Verell F1 Veteran
    Consultant Owner

    May 5, 2001
    7,017
    Groton, MA
    Full Name:
    Verell Boaen
    There's a good chance that it is NOT a sump leak. Oil can invisibly travel a long way as a thin film, only becoming visable when it ends up someplace with nowhere to go (like the end of the sump studs).

    To really find out where it's coming from, add a UV flourescent dye to the oil, and then use a UV lamp in a darkened garage to watch what happens when you start the engine up. You'll be able to see the dyed oil emerge from it's real source & flow until it ends up on the studs.

    Search the old Fchat archives:

    http://www.ferrarichat.com/discus/messages/112/112.html?1067658613
    (Search button is way down on the bottom left of the page).
    for 'oil leak', there's a lot of info on troubleshooting them, including sources for UV dye, lights, etc. There's a bit in the new archives, but it hasn't come up much recently.

    SUMP STUDS UNLIKELY LEAK SOURCES:
    BTW, there is only 1 engine stud that's exposed to the sump. It's on the pulley end of the engine & holds the timing cover on. The other sump cover studs go into blind holes. If any of them are leaking it's because something's wrong with the sump cover gasketing.
     
  5. maurice70

    maurice70 F1 Rookie

    Jan 25, 2004
    4,308
    Sydney
    Full Name:
    maurice T
    Once again boys, thanks a lot.I will inspect the sump more care fully this weekend after a spirited drive.
     
  6. ferrarifixer

    ferrarifixer F1 Veteran
    BANNED

    Jul 22, 2003
    8,520
    Melbourne
    Full Name:
    Phil Hughes
    To confirm what Verell said...Oil will always drip off the bottom. You must find the highest point of the leak. Until it's dry up top, you aint never gonna get it dry at the sump.
     
  7. PhilB

    PhilB Formula 3
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Feb 17, 2004
    2,166
    NYC, USA
    Full Name:
    Phil
    My '84 QV was leaking from the studs. When I removed the pan (which is quite an expereince in and of itself) after I cleaned everything, I used permatex on both sides of the new gasket. Don't over do-it, just a small bead. Also, I made sure I circled all the studs with the permatex, again, on both sides of the gasket. Be careful when re-tightening the stud bolts not to overtighten, use a hand ratchet, not an air ratchet or impact ratched.

    This solved the leak for me. Before applying the permatex and new gasket, make sure after everything is clean you wipe the surface areas down with a degreaser, this does a final clean and makes the permatex adhere better to the surfaces.

    Lastly, just to be clear, apply the permatex to the underside of the block first, then install the new gasket, making sure you press the gasket in place evenly. This is where you will see if you applied too much permatex, and if a lot is squeezing out the sides of the gasket and into the oil sump compartment, wipe it clean and don't over do-it when you apply it to the underside of the gasket before you reinstall the pan.

    Phil
     

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