C59A Heavy Duty Oil Pan Repair

[Ziggster]

Started smoothing out misc dents and dings in my C59A heavy duty oil pan, and it seems to me that the oil dipstick fitting has been pushed into the pan at dome point as the tube is crooked. Is the impression of the fitting “normal” in the oil pan?

[Ziggster]

Impression of fitting in pan.

[Will D]

If the lean on the dipstick tube is leaning toward the front of the engine it is correct to allow it to fit into the contour of the stock exhaust manifold.

Is the impression deeper at the top 2 rivets vs the bottom single? I've never seen this pan / dip stick tube off before but looking at mine attached, it appears as if the top is impressed in more so than the bottom if at all. I am looking at mine installed at a difficult angle....

[Ziggster]

Yes, it is pushed in more on the top two rivets than on the bottom. Here is another pic with the rivets removed. The impression is actually leaning forward like you said. This must be stk and not affected by the forklift impact.

[Will D]

Forklift impact.... ouch. Explains why the rivets are intact with missing tube in post #2. Yes I think it is standard from what I can tell comparing to mine.

[Newc]

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You have the option of replacing it with an oil filer return type. Newc

[Ziggster]

The forklift hole was there when I purchased the engine. The pot metal fitting broke apart while heating up the area around the hole/tear caused by the forklift. I'm keeping my remote oil filter as there is already a return fitting on the pan.

[Ziggster]

Just rediscovered this thread I started while doing a search. I finished the repair(s) back then, but I guess I forgot to post the pics. Also, after I attached it to the block, it cracked around the soldering I added where the large clean out opening is located. I will try tackling the repair today or in the next few days, but here are some pics from before. It turned out not too bad.

[Ziggster]

More pics…

[Ziggster]

The crack…

[Ziggster]

Just got back to addressing the crack this week. Unfortunately, the pan required more work as there was light surface rust on the inside surfaces and on a few areas on the outside. So, had to remove the paint in those areas. Found a wire wheel wasn’t tgT great to remove the surface on the inside surfaces. Used a 3M scuff disc which worked much better, but went through about 5 of them as they would clog up rather quickly. It is though oil
was leaching out of the metal as the pan was previous down to clean metal. Also straightened out the flange area as some paint chipped when I had installed it on the block. The area where the dipstick threaded base goes wasn’t flat so it required some straightening/flattening. The clean out plate also would get caught when removing/installing so I drilled out the 5/16” holes to 11/32”. It also needed to be bent slightly to conform to the mating mounting surface as it wasn’t flat/true. Also had to add thread locker to three of the studs for the clean out mounting. Hope the JB Weld holds and the rust doesn’t return. Now to figure out how to install the rivets for the dipstick housing.

[5851a]

In a younger life I worked in a body shop, basically a nut and bolt grunt. The boss was a wizard with a tig welder. He could tig a unibody car half to another and use no filler. He was a generous man but when I brought him a cracked oil pan he refused to repair. He could stick weld or braze also. He said the pan was contaminated and the oil was through the metal and a weld would never last. Just something I remembered. I owned one of the cars he tigged together sold it after 200K and never a crack.

[Ziggster]

Interesting. Probably some truth to that as I had a hell of a time trying to “reclean”” the inside as mentioned. Time will tell. It is a heavy SOB made from a thick gauge. Not your normal oil pan stamping. Was going to install the new dipstick tube housing to the pan then realized it was supplied with semi-tubular rivets. I have no idea how to install them, and they appear to be a bit short. The cork gasket supplied with the housing is quite thick. Went back to my two flathead books to see what they did. One used pop rivets, and they other used screws with nuts tacked to the inside. Neither of those approaches appeal to me as the supplied rivets have a period correct look. Not sure what I’m going to do.

[Ziggster]

Also decided to do a bit more touch up work using the JB Weld. Lol! The perfectionist in me will be my ruin.

[Ziggster]

Finally finished with this thing. Dipstick base installed with SS hardware and drain plug with magnet JB Welded in place. Will install it later today.

[Ziggster]

Got the pan finally installed on the block today. It’s been a long road to get to this point.

[5851a]

Looks good.

[Ziggster]

Thanks! It’s been a labour of love for sure.