Sump cover oil leak

[sirhenryford]

Re. Ford Transit. Date of Registration 8-3-2000 2496 CC 2-axle-ridged body. Diesel.

A problem that was solved by adding STOP LEAK to the engine oil and tightening most of the sump cover bolts has started up again.

Tightening MOST of the bolts on the sump cover in addition to the STOP LEAK had brought the leak to a stop . I have found that in many cases it is just a case of tightening bolts to sump covers and that does the trick, because the bolts have worked loose and no need to take the whole sump cover off and change the paper seal or use STOP LEAK.

But on this vehicle I was not able to tighten the bolts to back of the sump cover (furthest away from the front of the vehicle) because the access to the bolts retaining the sump cover is very difficult. Now why the manufacturer should make tightening some of the sump cover bolts so extremely difficult by making access impossible is beyond me other than to say it is short sighted design. May though I am wrong. Some of the bolts to the sump cover are what I call star bolts, similar to what a allen key would fit into but it is lots of notches and protrusions all around the edges instead, and so an allen key will not do. I am sure there is a proper name for the tool to fit but I don't know it but I do have the right shop and size head of a tool with a long stem to it.

There is an incredible amount of stuff in the way, including two small diameter (fuel?) pipes that can be moved out of the way but the transmission cover simply does not allow access to use the tool to tighten the bolts on the sump cover. Hence the leak comes from that part of the sump cover but not the rest of the cover as I have tightened all the other standard type hexagon head bolts.

Surely there is not a major amount of work of removing a lot of stuff JUST to get to the back of the sump cover tighten these bolts? Is there a special tool that will fit or is it really just a plain idiotic design? If if is the tool what sort should I be looking for? It seems to me that it would have to be one with a thin flexible stem to go around the transmission cover with possibly a detachable head from a long stem ....

Anybody that knows about the vehicle will know what the answer is. Any answers please?

[loot]

Usually you have 2 chances, full strip down to gain access or visit the cheap tool shop and see what they sell, you'd be amazed at the tools available, some of which you probably didn't know existed.
You probably mean torx bolts, there are also spline type bolts but despite owning a set i don't think I've used them in my life.

You can buy flexible drill attachments etc for awkward places to reach.

Some sump's are quite bad, you have paper gaskets, cork gaskets and rubber gaskets, you also have some sumps that don't have much strength where the bolts tighten so the metal bends at the bolt which leaves the non bolted sections a little bowed which allows oil out over time, especially in the case of cork, but worse with the rubber seals as they swell out
On the later fords they have strengthened the sump lip and use silicone type sealant which seems to be my favorite setup.

(There is variations on the above I'm sure and some sumps had thick shaped washers to try and stop the unbolted part fail but not always successfully)

[sirhenryford]

Thank you for your reply. I am sorry for not thanking you before that was not out of ungratefulness but because my Internet connection was cut off by Vodafone Spain that in itself is a long story of incompetence that I will not go into here.

I will try a good tool place, that is going be be difficult because of Language barrier and it is a case of asking the shop assistant to look underneath my vehicle and point to what I want and using google translate. At least I known the right name of the bolt now.

Thanks again

[loot]

No problem hope you sort it OK.

[MinorMatt]

From the factory the sumps we're fitted with normal hex heads along the sides and 6mm Allen heads front and rear.

All are accessible... but you may need to remove the 2 bolts securing the steering rack to the subframe and then you can push it out of the way. And before you ask... yes I have done this on several occasions and I use rubber gaskets