When I posted up, it was a bit of a panic. Today I was able to look at the problem with the day light and in short order was able to see the cause of the leak. The sealing surface of the pan was slightly dimpled right at the tunnel that goes through the threads at their lowest point.
At first I thought my pan was defective, but then as I thought about it, that tunnel is there to allow the maximum amount of oil to drain from the pan when the drain plug is removed
.
Working very carefully with a small screw driver, fine file, punches, hammer and sand paper I was able to work the dimple out and get the surface smooth. The sealing surface has to absolutely smooth, the slightest deformity will let fluid leak. The pan has been filled with liquid for the past 2 hours and not a hint of a leak has appeared
. So I think I am no longer in need of an oil pan.
It is strange how things sometime work out. I had read about the older oil pans developing leaks at the spot welds there the oil pan skid plate is attached - and that is why I decided to test it for leaks. The spot welds seem to be fine, but the drain plug was leaking like the outlet of a dam.
