Hi Everybody,
Hurrying home to watch the Patriots lose the Superbowl, I turned too quickly turning a corner, and a front wheel fell off the side of the asphalt. I banged something under the car. When I got home, I smelled burning oil, as oil back onto the exhaust pipes(at 80 mph) and the oil pan is slightly cracked. There is a deep scratch in the middle, and leaks from the scratch.
What are my options? Can I have it repaired? A new replacement costs $300 from some stores on line. I have asked at a demolition store. Can I easily change it myself or do I need to seek "professional help"?
Thanks for the Info.
Kevin Roberts
Dallas

 

You may be able to have it Aluminum welded.
It really isn't all that bad to replace it.
It is just time consuming.

 

It's aluminum and can be welded. It will be tough doing it properly as aluminum needs to be very clean and dry to weld. It is doable though if you can find a shop that knows how.

 

I am a welder certified in both steel and aluminum. A shop should only charge $100 or less to weld the crack. I recomend TIG process instead of MIG (wirefeed). The TIG process will pull any contaminants out of the crack as it is welded, giving you a better repair. The weld should look like a stack of dimes laiddown andover-lapped, not a glob of chicken poop.
The area of the crack (inside and out) needs to be clean, but you don't have to go to the expense of having the pan hot-tanked. A wire-wheel and brake cleaner will work well.
Most cylinder head shops have TIG welders or can recomend a shop to do the work.
Hope this helps.

 

I use a MIG welder with Argon shielding gas. My welds look like chicken poop, lol. TIG is much nicer and much preferred.

 

In reference to your welds, it sounds like you are running your wire too fast or your heat too low. Another possibility is that you have your "gun" pointed the wrong direction. As a rule of thumb, you want it at about a 15 degree angle, "aiming" in the direction you want to travel with your weld. You also want to "whip" the arc; move it forward to gouge the metal then go back to fill where you gouge. Your strokes will be abetween 1/8" and 1/4". This gives a stronger weld since the weld is below the surface.
As far as the gas goes, a 75/25% mix of Argon and CO2 works the same as straight Argon on steel and is cheaper. For stainless and aluminum, you need the straight argon.
Now that you are totally confused, go play around with your welder and see what I am talking about.

 

Lol, not confused at all. I was being silly. Basically, I am too cheap to invest in a TIG welder and just make do with my MIG. Welding aluminum is a recent experience as I built a custom intake manifold. Welds are ugly but it's sealed and strong. I bet I could weld the OP's oil pan if the gouge is on the flat bottom.

For anyone considering a MIG, buy the 220 volt version if you can afford it. The 110 volt will do for most light duty things but it's sure nice to have the ability to weld heavier stuff. Welding aluminum uses almost 100% of the 110 volt welder's capacity (both wire feed speed and heat). My .02

 

How long does it take? And what kind of tools do you need?