I noticed an oil leak, which led me to finding a 1.5 inch long crack on the bottom of the oil pan. It looks like I hit something while driving.

Is there a way to patch this without welding? Do I have to pull the oil pan? I am wondering if there is a "clay" like material that I have seen for fixing gas tanks that can be applied. Would this be reliable?

-stu

JB Weld???

I'd pull the pan and weld or braze it.

Years ago my room mate cracked his pan jumping a curb. We drained the oil, cleaned it up and used JB Weld on it. Held for years, he sold the car and it was still holding.
Jim

Thanks for the responses.

I had some Permatex Liquid Metal that I am trying. I will also try JB Weld if the Permatex doesn't work. This is only a temporary fix until I can take care of this the right way.

-stu

JB will work, its pretty tough stuff

I had a chipmunk eat a hole in the radiator of my Ramcharger. I patched it with JB Weld, and it held for years until I sold it. As far as I know it never leaked until the day it was junked.

I had a coolant leak from the outside of a 302 Ford cylinder head. It was a pin hole leak right throught the casting. I cleaned it really good and shoved a plug of JB weld on it and ran it for 2 years with no problems. Good stuff, you just need to be willing to pay the price if it doesn't hold. :D