So, who has done the foam strip sump gasket thing?
Discussion
I use the same sort of thing Gary, but mine is just the epdm rubber foam strip stuff which i had lying around. I`m not keen on the cork thats around these days and i just dont like the idea of goo of any kind for obvious reasons. Its probably not up to the job as well as what you`ve ordered but it works and over time compresses into a sort of rubber strip Next time it comes off i will replace with what you`ve got.
Mine is 1cm wide x 5mm deep, adhesive backed so plenty deep enough to fill any gaps. You can get it all the way around the sump with just one join which i put down one of the sides. Stick it to the sump, make a few holes and job done.
Be particulary careful around the rear of the sump, which is where most leak from. If you look at the sump flange in this area it is narrower than everywhere else. If you look and measure carefully even though the flange is narrower, there is actually only half of that narrower ( outer ) flange that seals onto the rear main cap. So only about 5mm of sealing sump flange. If you run your gasket or foam strip to the inner edge of the rear sump flange, or even past it as with any conventional RV8 sump gasket its going to get constantly hit with oil from the main bearing cap which wont help things.
Good choice, the way to go.
Mine is 1cm wide x 5mm deep, adhesive backed so plenty deep enough to fill any gaps. You can get it all the way around the sump with just one join which i put down one of the sides. Stick it to the sump, make a few holes and job done.
Be particulary careful around the rear of the sump, which is where most leak from. If you look at the sump flange in this area it is narrower than everywhere else. If you look and measure carefully even though the flange is narrower, there is actually only half of that narrower ( outer ) flange that seals onto the rear main cap. So only about 5mm of sealing sump flange. If you run your gasket or foam strip to the inner edge of the rear sump flange, or even past it as with any conventional RV8 sump gasket its going to get constantly hit with oil from the main bearing cap which wont help things.
Good choice, the way to go.
Thanks Ian - thought someone would have some experience and good to know it can/does work. I've gone for nitrile as it does seem from the spec sheets to be more inherently oil and acid resistant than other rubbery materials but I guess time will tell. Not a fan of EPDM I'm afraid as the 'rubber' gasket I tried was confirmed as being from that by the vendor and it just fell apart in no time/milage. Maybe more durable/resistant in expanded form 'though; who knows.
The stuff I've ordered is 15mm wide by 5mm deep and self-adhesive one side - think there's 10m of it coming so if anyone wants a length to also try, feel free to let me know.
Good info on the rear flange; hadn't sussed the overlap was as minimal as that; will pay close attention when I get back in there
The stuff I've ordered is 15mm wide by 5mm deep and self-adhesive one side - think there's 10m of it coming so if anyone wants a length to also try, feel free to let me know.
Good info on the rear flange; hadn't sussed the overlap was as minimal as that; will pay close attention when I get back in there
carsy said:
Be particulary careful around the rear of the sump, which is where most leak from. If you look at the sump flange in this area it is narrower than everywhere else. If you look and measure carefully even though the flange is narrower, there is actually only half of that narrower ( outer ) flange that seals onto the rear main cap. So only about 5mm of sealing sump flange. If you run your gasket or foam strip to the inner edge of the rear sump flange, or even past it as with any conventional RV8 sump gasket its going to get constantly hit with oil from the main bearing cap which wont help things.
Good choice, the way to go.
There should be a small bracing bar between the studs to put an even load cross this area, but mine never had one fitted from new. Its easy enough to make one up, or Rimmer do them;Good choice, the way to go.
http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-603943
So, had a go at this and think it might work well. Certainly no drips so far after a few days.
The 15mm strip adhered well to the degreased sump flange and it was possible to run it all the way around with just one join as Iain suggested (I spliced or mitred the join at about a 30 degree angle to the edge of the sump).
It's possible that 20mm could be a better size to get right around the bolt holes (I used a hole punch to neatly remove the foam for these openings and ran the strip generally inside).
Another approach I've tried is to thread seal all the bolt threads after a good clean out with a degreasant, and to put a tight little o ring above each spring washer (just fit into the hole recess in the sump flange - the bolt still bears against the sump). Nipped but not leant on.
So far so good.
The 15mm strip adhered well to the degreased sump flange and it was possible to run it all the way around with just one join as Iain suggested (I spliced or mitred the join at about a 30 degree angle to the edge of the sump).
It's possible that 20mm could be a better size to get right around the bolt holes (I used a hole punch to neatly remove the foam for these openings and ran the strip generally inside).
Another approach I've tried is to thread seal all the bolt threads after a good clean out with a degreasant, and to put a tight little o ring above each spring washer (just fit into the hole recess in the sump flange - the bolt still bears against the sump). Nipped but not leant on.
So far so good.
Edited by Pupp on Monday 2nd May 15:17
jojackson4 said:
Have you a link ?
this is the material I used Peter, but if you fish around on the site you'll see other nitrile and viton options that may be equally or better suited (the Nitrile 60-65 in 3mm is probably a good bet - the Viton seems only to be available in 1m lengths and seems expensive (also an unpleasant material when exposed to high heat)Just spoke to them
They are recommending some fuel grade mat at £ 50 a go
So going to give the strip you have put the link to and hopefully it will stop my lovely oil
Patches on my garage floor
All I have to do is make there web site move to checkout and get the sump off
That may be a good job in itself as its on with the derco stuff
They are recommending some fuel grade mat at £ 50 a go
So going to give the strip you have put the link to and hopefully it will stop my lovely oil
Patches on my garage floor
All I have to do is make there web site move to checkout and get the sump off
That may be a good job in itself as its on with the derco stuff
Ok, an update after nearly a year... maybe 7k miles including a Le Mans round trip
It nearly worked, and I suspect a (much) denser foam would... sadly, mine failed a couple of weeks ago rather singularly by, as discovered today on stripping, spitting a chunk on the rear leg next to the bell housing (by far the least clamping area).. Was a bit concerned that the rear main seal had gone initially as there was oil in the bell housing but became pretty clear this was oil blowing back from the gasket breach that was wicking through the tin plate cover joints... had a gulp moment when dropping it off the hydraulic ramps under the front wheels, when a load of oil still hanging in the redundant slave void ran forward and leaked out after I had fixed the gasket.
By fixed, I have in the interests of some minimal certainty resorted now to a thin but dense (ie finely granular) cork gasket, liberally glued both sides with Wellseal. Not nice stuff but experience over many years including with bikes is that it does make good joints even if parting them later can be a pain.
The little O-rings on the sump pan fasteners, coupled with a degrease and some thread lock seems to have been effective so has been repeated... happy to see nothing untoward in or viewed from the sump so zipped back up and filled with 6L of Petronas 10w 60 synth.
The foam gasket had stuck well generally, but had compressed to almost fag paper thickness, albeit it had not noticeably degraded if was a little 'hard'. I think, generally, it was still sealing but had spat out a section at the back where, to be fair, a couple of strips had been run side by side due to the pan form there.
Could be a fluke fail, could be my turbo just pressurising the sump a tad as I'm on an old (but still good) top-end build,,, but, it had let go so caution advised if trying this route.
I really think the next step must be to make a pattern and cast some ally sump pans (windage could be bolted in), with a pre-formed o-ring seal ...
It nearly worked, and I suspect a (much) denser foam would... sadly, mine failed a couple of weeks ago rather singularly by, as discovered today on stripping, spitting a chunk on the rear leg next to the bell housing (by far the least clamping area).. Was a bit concerned that the rear main seal had gone initially as there was oil in the bell housing but became pretty clear this was oil blowing back from the gasket breach that was wicking through the tin plate cover joints... had a gulp moment when dropping it off the hydraulic ramps under the front wheels, when a load of oil still hanging in the redundant slave void ran forward and leaked out after I had fixed the gasket.
By fixed, I have in the interests of some minimal certainty resorted now to a thin but dense (ie finely granular) cork gasket, liberally glued both sides with Wellseal. Not nice stuff but experience over many years including with bikes is that it does make good joints even if parting them later can be a pain.
The little O-rings on the sump pan fasteners, coupled with a degrease and some thread lock seems to have been effective so has been repeated... happy to see nothing untoward in or viewed from the sump so zipped back up and filled with 6L of Petronas 10w 60 synth.
The foam gasket had stuck well generally, but had compressed to almost fag paper thickness, albeit it had not noticeably degraded if was a little 'hard'. I think, generally, it was still sealing but had spat out a section at the back where, to be fair, a couple of strips had been run side by side due to the pan form there.
Could be a fluke fail, could be my turbo just pressurising the sump a tad as I'm on an old (but still good) top-end build,,, but, it had let go so caution advised if trying this route.
I really think the next step must be to make a pattern and cast some ally sump pans (windage could be bolted in), with a pre-formed o-ring seal ...
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