[RedDR]

Just did an oil change on my VG33 this morning. My oil pan is really rusted at the seams. Has anyone ever seen one of these actually rust apart? Thinking I should replace it before catastrophe occurs.

I assume it's a ***** to replace like everything else on the truck right, like the bar that crosses underneath has to be removed? Any other gotchas?

 

[ScubasteveH]

I had a couple spots on my pan that looked sketchy. I wire-brushed them with a power drill and painted the crap out of it with some POR-15. That was roughly two years ago now and it's still holding up. For what it's worth I painted a LOT with that stuff, frame welds, under body seams, anything I could reach with a brush really. Just be sure to clean/dry whatever you plan to paint as best as you can and don't get that stuff on your skin or you'll look like a dalmatian for a week...

POR-15 Gloss Black Paint Pint

 

[RedDR]

Yes, very familiar with POR-15; been using it on mower decks for years.

Funny timing, as I just started the process of POR-15-ing my truck's frame. This past weekend I did from the rear axle back.

I'd thought of doing my oil pan but I'm almost afraid of scraping too hard. It's the welds that join the two pieces where the rust is, mostly.

 

[kevinjohnson3216]

Yes, very familiar with POR-15; been using it on mower decks for years.

Funny timing, as I just started the process of POR-15-ing my truck's frame. This past weekend I did from the rear axle back.

I'd thought of doing my oil pan but I'm almost afraid of scraping too hard. It's the welds that join the two pieces where the rust is, mostly.

I've been thinking about using it on my axle back, the spare tire area is pretty rusted.. did you pull off your bed?

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[ScubasteveH]

I might suggest using a smaller, softer brush (brass bristles?) from harbor freight and brush the welds by hand if it's looking pretty bad. Loctite metal epoxy might do the trick for reinforcing the weakest areas before painting. I've seen online where people have used that stuff to repair cracks in the pan.

I dropped the spare and was able to get to a lot of trouble spots. I slathered the spare wheel chain with grease too in hopes of preventing it from seizing like on my old Toyota.

 

[RedDR]

I've been thinking about using it on my axle back, the spare tire area is pretty rusted.. did you pull off your bed?

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

No, I did not pull the bed. I was able to get very good coverage without removing it. Not too worried about the top of the frame rails or the small contact areas where the bed meets the frame.

I might suggest using a smaller, softer brush (brass bristles?) from harbor freight and brush the welds by hand if it's looking pretty bad. Loctite metal epoxy might do the trick for reinforcing the weakest areas before painting. I've seen online where people have used that stuff to repair cracks in the pan.

I dropped the spare and was able to get to a lot of trouble spots. I slathered the spare wheel chain with grease too in hopes of preventing it from seizing like on my old Toyota.

Great idea on the metal epoxy, I'll give that a shot. Same for the brushes, thank you.

 

[ScubasteveH]

Anytime! Let us know if that works out well for you.

 

[mtyler11]

... Not too worried about the top of the frame rails or the small contact areas where the bed meets the frame...

Actually, that IS a place to worry about as you can't regularly reach it with a pressure washer/hose and any salt/sand/mud will collect up there. I would suggest trying to get up there.