I finally decided to repair that pesky leak from the drain plug. I ordered and new pan from an Acura dealer and this is what I recieved. Being that I am not familar with these oil pans I was wondering if some of you who have replaced them have seen them come with some cracks in them. They dont seem to be all the way through but sure would hate to replace it and end up worse off. I will see if I can get the pictures to load.

 

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Hmm, never really seen these oil pans close up to see if this is how they normally come or not. But I do find it odd that they would have any cracks at all even if they are just surface cracks. If you have a dealer close by, maybe take it to the dealer and have them look at it to see if that is normal or not. Hopefully someone else will chime in here with some info.

In those pics is the oil pan painted or coated with anything? Maybe it's just the cracks in the paint?

Also you can post multiple pics at one time and not a different post for each pic.

 

I called the dealer I got it from and they pulled one from stock and said it looked similar. They offered a refund upon return but I really would like to get the leak fixed.

No coating.

 

I would use it. Interesting though. If the pan is fairly thick in those areas I might just sand it down a bit to validate they are just surface cracks from the aluminum casting cooling. Nonuniform wall thickness because of the complex geometry is probably the driving factor. The oil pan really does not hold pressure so they are not likely to be significantly further stresses. Oil helps avoid further internal corrosion. Crack propagation would be concern but the actual loading on the pan is probably insignificant. Where is the crack in your current pan? I would suspect by the plug. (Go with a Fumoto drain valve on the new pan)

 

That looks pretty common on aluminum parts like that. I would not worry about it and def. use it.

Take pics though before installing and if you for some reason do have an issue down the road. Use the pics to try and get reduced price?

But guarentee if you go look at another new one it is going to look similiar.

edit: Reading owns me. I see where they did say it was similiar.

 

"Normal" for aluminum parts like that during casting. My TL's pan and several other cars I have seen have the same thing.

 

That's just casting for sure

 

While the pan is out, you should install a steel thread-insert/heli-coil. You won't have to worry about stripping the aluminum ever again.

FYI, I fixed my stripped drain plug with JB Weld and a brass fumoto valve adapter (14mm) off ebay. I'm also using a brass 14mm plug w/ an OEM Honda crush washer.

 

Thanks for the input and thanks to Steve for merging the posts. I am going to put this pan on. My drain plug on the other pan is not stripped I must have a crack around it because I have tried new crush washers, washers with seals on them, plumbers tape on the threads and nothing seems to work. It still leaks out the drain plug. It is not a huge leak it just seeps enough to make a mess under the car but not enough to add oil between changes.

 

Replaced my oil pan not to long ago but dont remember seeing any little cracks like that I mean they dont look bad but just go to the dealer and ask them about it to be on the safe side.
And if your changing it yourself goodluck lol be ready to have some sore elbows

 

those are not crack, they are form when the aluminum alloy casting cool down in the mold and form shrinkage on the skin. I see this type so call crack every day at work and yes it meet Aerospace standard that goes on Air Bus A380, A320, A340 or Boeing 777, 747, 757, 767 just to name a few engine set.

 

Yea dont worry about it its just how aluminum works. Dont sand it down either thats just putting ware on it and you will just be asking for it to get leak in it. Its a oil pan it doesnt have to look pretty.

 

Just out of curiosity what Aerospace standard is that? What parts are are you writing about?

 

^^^we manufacture turbine blade and vane that goes on commercial and military application that goes on passenger airplane also we do have blade that goes on turbine for power generation like Solar company (sub division of CAT). The list above is listed of airplane that has our part in the engine.