Sump gasket leak
Discussion
Hi
What’s the current thinking on the best way to resolve sump gasket leaks?
I’ve always had a bit of seepage but it’s getting a little worse and was noted as an advisory on my last mot.
I presume it’s a relatively easy job to remove the sump pan and replace the gasket but having read a few discussions it appears the cork gaskets are poor quality and prone to failure ?
All thoughts welcome before I start getting my hands dirty!
Charlie
What’s the current thinking on the best way to resolve sump gasket leaks?
I’ve always had a bit of seepage but it’s getting a little worse and was noted as an advisory on my last mot.
I presume it’s a relatively easy job to remove the sump pan and replace the gasket but having read a few discussions it appears the cork gaskets are poor quality and prone to failure ?
All thoughts welcome before I start getting my hands dirty!
Charlie
There are lots of thoughts on this and one is to discard the gasket altogether and use a quality sealant sparingly such as dirko.
https://www.turnerengineering.co.uk/elring-dirko-s...
Seems to work on a lot of modern cars and I think Land Rover did this themselves on later engines.
I’ve had the best success with sticking the gasket to the engine overnight so it can’t move at all but this is very difficult working on your back.
Some also get some threaded studs to screw in to the engine to aid sump and gasket alignment too
Whatever you do don’t go mad with the sealant if you do use it so it squashes out everywhere.
https://www.turnerengineering.co.uk/elring-dirko-s...
Seems to work on a lot of modern cars and I think Land Rover did this themselves on later engines.
I’ve had the best success with sticking the gasket to the engine overnight so it can’t move at all but this is very difficult working on your back.
Some also get some threaded studs to screw in to the engine to aid sump and gasket alignment too
Whatever you do don’t go mad with the sealant if you do use it so it squashes out everywhere.
Thanks Belle, I’m going to put the car on stands and take a real good look before I start. Not yet sure what’s currently in place and hoping the previous owner hasn’t had a go at using silicone based gasket sealers as the thought of having to scrape that crap off may mean I just book it in!
Leaking is however getting worse and every time I pull the car out there are a couple of fresh drips, nothing too serious but ….
Leaking is however getting worse and every time I pull the car out there are a couple of fresh drips, nothing too serious but ….
I know a professional here in France who is changing the gasket every inspection (cork).
On my side, I have decided to do it myself (maybe I will try to do it every 2 years) for the last oil change. This is not difficult but was easier with 4 hands (as this is not light and refitting it is not obvious - note that my level of mechanic skills is really average).
After few miles, I have tight it a second time (still with the torque wrench), I have almost done a quarter of turn on each bolt. And since, this is not leaking.
I also have put a bit of sealant, first to help the cork gasket not to move when assembling the two parts and then to fill the small gaps between the foundry parts.
On my side, I have decided to do it myself (maybe I will try to do it every 2 years) for the last oil change. This is not difficult but was easier with 4 hands (as this is not light and refitting it is not obvious - note that my level of mechanic skills is really average).
After few miles, I have tight it a second time (still with the torque wrench), I have almost done a quarter of turn on each bolt. And since, this is not leaking.
I also have put a bit of sealant, first to help the cork gasket not to move when assembling the two parts and then to fill the small gaps between the foundry parts.
Belle427 said:
There are lots of thoughts on this and one is to discard the gasket altogether and use a quality sealant sparingly such as dirko.
https://www.turnerengineering.co.uk/elring-dirko-s...
Seems to work on a lot of modern cars and I think Land Rover did this themselves on later engines.
I’ve had the best success with sticking the gasket to the engine overnight so it can’t move at all but this is very difficult working on your back.
Some also get some threaded studs to screw in to the engine to aid sump and gasket alignment too
Whatever you do don’t go mad with the sealant if you do use it so it squashes out everywhere.
This. Brilliant stuff. You can get it off the shelf at Euro car parts as well. It succeeded where every type of gasket I tried failed sooner or later.https://www.turnerengineering.co.uk/elring-dirko-s...
Seems to work on a lot of modern cars and I think Land Rover did this themselves on later engines.
I’ve had the best success with sticking the gasket to the engine overnight so it can’t move at all but this is very difficult working on your back.
Some also get some threaded studs to screw in to the engine to aid sump and gasket alignment too
Whatever you do don’t go mad with the sealant if you do use it so it squashes out everywhere.
Tyre Smoke said:
Just don't get disheartened when after hours on your back, crap getting in your eyes and shoulders aching, it still leaks.
It's a TVR. They love to mark their territory and even if you fix the sump, you just know the diff will come out in sympathy.
It's a TVR. They love to mark their territory and even if you fix the sump, you just know the diff will come out in sympathy.
When mine was brand spanking new it dripped. I complained to the factory and the reply I got was "that's how you know it's got oil in"
Probably the most common TVR thread on here. I've been trying for 18 years and finally cracked it. As they nearly all leak by the bellhousing the problem i found is where the sump flange crosses the bearing cap and the ends of the crucifix seals there is very little contact between the sump flange and the block. So what ever method you use it does not last very long before the joint fractures and leaks. I noticed eventually that my crucifix seals were slightly recessed, which made it worse. My fix was to fully stud the block using high strength locktite . Make my own 3mm thick nitrile B60 rubber gasket .Apply a small amount of chemical weld to fill the small gap at the ends of crucifix seals and sand to make perfectly flat to increase the contact area for the sump flange . Make sure all surfaces are clean, give pick up a good clean out, fit sump with nyloc nuts[don't forget to remove dipstick], use rear strengthening bar and torque up to 23Nm all round. Dry now for 2 years, longest spell ever. Sorry for the essay but hope this helps.
I levelled the sump until only 3thou variation, cleaned sump and block with paint thinner then glued the gasket to the sump using high temp. contact adhesive let set overnight then blue hylomar on the block. I used studs for guidance and threadseal on the bolts that go right through the block. I didn't retighten the bolts because I was worried about disturbing the threadseal. Seems to be good after a couple of years.
I have used cork gaskets for years with no problems on many cars. They leak if they are overtightened, which most people do! The mating surfaces of tht sump and case should be degreased and a very thin layer of sealant such as red Hylomar should be applied to both faces of the gasket. The bolts literally only need to be a little over hand tight. The cork gasket shouldn't deform at all. If you stick to this then you should have no leaks.
cork plus light sealant both side and this at the back. Rover updated the sump to use this plate at the back but TVR knew better....
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284153378258?hash=item4...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284153378258?hash=item4...
I use only the cork gasket and am totally dry.
After lots of reading the secret seems to be the correct torque on the bolts (di not over tighten) and the additional bracket as noted by ez64 on the bolts at the back of the engine near the bell housing also available from rimmer bros …. These are too far apart and my leaks were coming from there.
This coupled with replacing the bolts all round with a set of studs and nuts which I found on ebay has solved my problem so no silicone or sealants on my 450.
After lots of reading the secret seems to be the correct torque on the bolts (di not over tighten) and the additional bracket as noted by ez64 on the bolts at the back of the engine near the bell housing also available from rimmer bros …. These are too far apart and my leaks were coming from there.
This coupled with replacing the bolts all round with a set of studs and nuts which I found on ebay has solved my problem so no silicone or sealants on my 450.
Zener said:
5mm bead approx is all you need and def not resembling toothpaste for example 
and dont spread/smooth/smear it closing the joint will do that
Although I suggested this and know of plenty that do use it with great affect I use the branded cork gasket and Hylomar route as I like to be able to inspect and not have a massive clean up operation removing said sump sealers from mating faces when I do but more care is essential with this method like suggested by the above comments from Keynsham etc , more than two ways to skin a cat so to speak, but both work with care and dont spread/smooth/smear it closing the joint will do that 
t out of both mating faces
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