Can an oil leak between the case halves of an ATV engine be fixed without replacing the gasket?

Answer 1

I have used two part epoxy - called metal repair - or some sort. It's a thick two part epoxy that dries to an almost metal like quality. It can be ground with a die grinder after it hardens if it needs to be.

The trick is getting the parts REALLY clean before attempting.

Clean all grease. Then use Carb or brake clean then use alcohol to remove any of the cleaner residue. Really it has to be completely grease free.

If the area being fixed is very smooth - ruff it up some so the epoxy has better "teeth" to grip. I used it on an aluminum housing on my ATV - Keep me in fun for half a summer before the fix finally gave out. (it was a spot that had too much stress on it. )

I've also used this stuff to make a repair to an oil pan that had been hit by a rock and was leaking oil. I drained it and cleaned as above. then brushed on a few coats of epoxy - letting each on e dry and each one a little bigger circle than the last. It's still holding 2 years later.

Epoxy gator http://www.epoxygator.com/Has ones for Steel , Copper and alum. I found mine at the auto parts store.

good luck