Grrrrrrrrrrrrr, how can this be happening? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

crazy4diesel · #1 04-06-2014, 07:59 PM

I'm so freaking frustrated! If you'll remember I posted the oil pan gasket blowout some time back.

Well, I bought a NEW oil pan, a new gasket, and put it on dry this time, as was recommended. Both purchased from Pelican, Febi oil pan, and Victor Reinz. I torqued all the screws to exactly the FSM torque value.

And LOOK the freaking thing is leaking oil. Here's the real kicker the engine is still on the stand, with an EMPTY crankcase, this is just residual ooze.

I am "this close" to just slathering the damn thing with silicone.

What the heck is going on here?

JB3 · #2 04-06-2014, 08:11 PM

I personally put ultra grey silicone on both sides of the factory gasket. I did the same thing on a 300d i had that you did, and it started leaking pretty darn fast. I say start slathering!

Mesalm · #3 04-06-2014, 08:19 PM

The upper potion of the oil pan may have been bent up from the impact if there was one. You could use a straight edge to check for uneveness.

Zacharias · #4 04-06-2014, 11:06 PM

You might have got an old stock gasket that is dried out.

I chickened out when I did mine. I know they are supposed to go on dry but I put a thin bead of the same sealant I used on my water pump, all around.

yvairguy · #5 04-06-2014, 11:27 PM

gasgacinch i've used it on everything over the years and it's easy to clean off when you have to.

JamesDean · #6 04-07-2014, 12:53 AM

I've got to drop the pan on my on 617. I plan on taking the approach as documented in this DIY article:

PeachPartsWiki: Replacing the Turbo Drain Tube

I bought a new gasket from Mercedes. It was an elring gasket.

cho · #7 04-07-2014, 06:41 AM

you can check oil pan easily just put it on glas (window)
and...if you used low Nm torque wrench those are known to be bit off
if not screwed / tested few times before real operation.

anyways....silicone...yes, as it is easily to clean for next gasket if needed.

cheers

,

t walgamuth · #8 04-07-2014, 06:48 AM

I was wondering If you might have confused nm and ft lb on the torque values and over torqued the fasteners....?

benedict · #9 04-07-2014, 08:52 AM

You obviously have to take the pan off to do it again, unfortunately.

Just do it methodically, check both surfaces with a straight edge as suggested by a couple of people. A piece of glass is a great suggestion for the new pan because you can run a feeler gauge between the pan and glass.

Check your hole threads and bolts are clean so as to not interfere with the torque wrench. If you have access to a different torque wrench then try that.

Double check your torque value.

Air&Road · #10 04-07-2014, 08:57 AM

You can fix it really quick if you're willing to spend almost $20 for "The Right Stuff." The right stuff is called "The Right Stuff." You can find it at most auto supplies. It is a black, grainy, silicone seal that comes in a cheez whiz type container.

Pull down the pan, wipe the both sealing surfaces off cleanly with a rag and lay a bead of this stuff all around the pan and bolt it back in place. Don't even worry about scraping the gasket. This stuff will seal it up. If the pan is bent, it will seal it up as long as you get a nice bead centered all the way around the pan sealing surface.

Hope this helps.

crazy4diesel · #11 04-07-2014, 09:45 AM

Yeah, I'd been obsessive with the process, that's why it's so frustrating. Checked the upper pan surface with a metal straight edge, checked the oil pan on the glass table. (Which is how I found out the old pan was a bit wonky, and why the new pan.) FSM state toque to be 9-11 N-m, which I decided 7 ft.lbs would be 9.4 N.m, and then converted to 84 in.lbs so I could use the more precise (recently recalibrated) delicate 1/4" drive. With the re-do I'll only go to 65 in.lbs. But, I rather obsessively followed the directions. All I can assume is:

a) the directions are wrong, the FSM says nothing about any kind of sealer, which still doesn't mean you shouldn't use one.

b) the Victor Reinz gaskets are crap (which is a sucky conclusion as I've put them all over this engine)

c) the Mercedes gaskets are made by Erling, cost three times as much...but here we are with the third gasket going on this car...so, maybe not really 3 times as much after all.

winmutt · #12 04-07-2014, 09:47 AM

Nobody should be using any kind of sealant!

kestreltom · #13 04-07-2014, 09:48 AM

I agree with most of the above techniques, however someone mentioned Permatex aviation gasket sealant in another thread, and that is what I used. It worked the first time... no leaks. I don't like the idea of silicone bits/chunks getting into the engine. Here is a link: Gasket Sealants : Permatex® Aviation Form-A-Gasket® No. 3 Sealant Liquid
Also: I am a machinist and so I used a granite surface plate to check & correct the oil pan flange for flatness. I highly recommend using a glass plate or anything that you trust to be flat - to check your flange. Also use a large file to gently clean up the upper flange on the engine.

JamesDean · #14 04-07-2014, 09:48 AM

I had a similar problem with the 420SEL. I used a Victor Reinz gasket, no sealant, new pan, torqued to spec...and leaked.

Ended up taking it to my indy and had them fix it.

This time around with the 300SD I'm going to use the OEM seal (Elring) and some sealant.

JB3 · #15 04-07-2014, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winmutt

Nobody should be using any kind of sealant!

why not? Doesnt do any harm if you arent nuts about the application, and these 61X pans are notoriously leaky. Ive had a number of brand new gaskets soaked and leaking in a short matter of time, even with a brand new lower oil pan.

Sealing it with a silicone seems to me an admission of reality. I use two beads, on either side of the stock gasket, and it doesn't leak after that.