Need help finding the oil leak (picture heavy)

[EODguy]

https://www.researchgate.net/publica...G_TEMPERATURES

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[Bmwe5320023.0]

I guess you're both right. But cleaning is not necessary, because I have minimal amount of oil right now.

I have no clue what these flakes are or where the bottom, or top, came from. I'm going to read your link and educate myself.





These 3 photos cover all the area above the differential, and then some to the left and to the right.
They show all the oil pan gasket and bolts. And this is exactly below the OFHG. There's 0 leaks. I also used UV light, and there's 0 green/yellow then. It's completely free from oil.
I am 100% positive that it's not OFHG and not valve cover gasket.

[Bmwe5320023.0]

Just trying to post the full path of the leak, incoming...

[Bmwe5320023.0]

Saved best for the last...like what the hell, is it coming THROUGH the actual oil pan? As if it's pores opened? I read that T4 vs T6 article and to be honest, it's beyond my level of understanding and terminology. But what the heck! The oil is seeping through the aluminum pan, this is insane...
I cleaned up just the flat bottom side of the oil pan and applied a layer or steel reinforced cold weld JB weld. I couldn't reach the spot at the top, I think I'll need to remove the differential to get there.
I'm going for a 1.5k km trip tomorrow, I guess I'll have some clean up to do when I come back.
Will see how JB weld holds up

[X5chemist]

Wow! Stress cracks? Keep a quart of oil in the trunk for any trips! Ebay has plenty of used oil pans available.

Good luck! Report back on the JB!

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by Bmwe5320023.0

The hole does not go through oil pan. It has a stop.
Also I removed the diff bolt just in case, and it's not oily, it's clean.






The only possibility I can think of would be a cracked block right by the differential bolt.

Or there is a problem with the OPG right there. That was right about where one of my OPG leaks was. Actually had another on the opposite side about the same location. Of course when I changed it, the gasket was in such bad shape I was surprised it wasn't leaking all the way around. You have a new gasket. Maybe a piece of crud fell on it during install so its not getting a good seal? That would be my hope as a cracked block is no bueno.

[andrewwynn]

I used JB weld to patch a high pressure line (≈250 psi) on AC evaporator line. It should work perfectly on the flat bottom of ≈ 1 psi oil pan. Might have to use the same trick higher.

[Bmwe5320023.0]

I know it may be tempting to believe it's OFHG but it's not, I flashed my flashlight everywhere, and it doesn't leak there and the dye doesn't show.
Whatever traces of oil or crud you see that make you believe it's the OFHG, it's the old stuff from over 2 years ago, before I changed my OFHG.
If OFHG was leaking, I would see the dye path there.

For now I just did the bottom pan.
My only concern is with the oil residue and expansion and contraction, not the pressure.
The pan started seeping oil only when hot. It was cold on the hoist for a few days and no oil leaked.
So yesterday I cleaned the oil pan and applied epoxy, 10 hours after driving the vehicle, but it was still warm to the touch. Hopefully it was cold enough and didn't seep though as the epoxy was curing.
The other issue I can forsee if the heat cycles.
The aluminum gets hot and expands, and I don't know if the epoxy will hold up to that.
I guess I will see after my trip.
If it works, I'll have to remove the differential and apply more JB Weld higher up.

[Bmwe5320023.0]

1k km road trip, I think JB weld is holding up, but the leak is coming from where I couldn't reach.



roll a die 3

Figure gotta drop the differential to access where the crack is and patch it up

[EODguy]

If you can get the upper leak clean and dry, could you use something slender and slightly flexible to spread the JB Weld on?
That way you can save a lot of time...



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