help found my oil leak problem (hairline crack on engine block)

[whyJDM]

leaking a tea spoon of oil every few days or so. Car runs fine and compression test came up 145psi across all 4. What are my options to seal the crack?
Has this happened to anyone else?
the crack is on the front of the engine just below the head gasket.
s15 sr20det

 

[DeanS15]

never seen that before, but i'd clean it up and have an alloy welder try to weld it in situe if posible, shouldn't do any harm...

 

[drifter]

Clean it up and cover it with liquid metal.

 

[AllanOrr]

That has been running at a high temp for it to crack like that, remember they are aluminium blocks so cracks can happen I guess but as the guys have said liquid metal or weld it up

 

[whyJDM]

thanks guys. is liquid metal something i can do myself.
Is it apply then wait to cure type of thing.

 

[drifter]

That's the idea mate, put it into Google and you will see what I mean. It normally comes as a 2 part that you mix, press it onto the clean surface and let it go hard

Those oil pump/chain covers are not very thick and can easily be damaged.

 

[whyJDM]

thanks drifter i ordered some jb weld ill post pics of my progress

 

[andeep]

Make sure you clean the area well before using liquid metal

 

[whyJDM]

ok im going to drain the oil overnight then start the application, to make sure no oil leaks while the liquid metal sets.

 

[LuPix_S15]

I've used J-B Weld and it's good stuff IMO:

http://www.jbweld.net/products/jbweld.php


You have one tube of liquid steel and the other tube for hardener. Mix both in equal quantities, apply then allow curing time. Job's a good un!!

 

[GUEST_JDM]

I had a crack on my block between the welsh plugs ending up having to replace the hole block in the end.... this has happened to few ppl i know and upon trying to find a new block found an interesting issue that there seems to be an issue with the jap spec r model blocks made in 99.... that they all seem to crack around the 100,000 km mark

 

[Auss15]

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that the timing chain cover. I would just replace it if I was you and depending on how many miles on the engine would also look a a new timing chain,tensioner and front seal while it was off.

 

[whyJDM]

i found out its the oil pump. comes complete which covers the whole front of the engine $300aud part from nissan. jb weld worked well covered the crack no leaks now. will replace when it due for my major service, how long do the timing chains last for?

 

[whyJDM]

must of been damaged when it was replaced by last the major service (nissan). only way to do things properly is to do it your self.

 

[drifter]

Timing chains just about last for ever, but in the UK they are on the 100k mile service. I've never bothered personally

The covers are very thin in places so it's easy to damage when they are removed etc

 

[DeanS15]

think it's only an inspection at 100k mate, personally i'll just check the chain and change the tensioner if i still have it then...

 

[Auss15]

must of been damaged when it was replaced by last the major service (nissan). only way to do things properly is to do it your self.

Looking at the sealant around the timing case I would guess it was done by the apprentice