Technical Best way to clean and re-paint bottom of engine while on the van?

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Technical Best way to clean and re-paint bottom of engine while on the van?

xj25vm

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The sump and bottom of the engine block on my Ducato 2015 2.3JTD has plenty of rust on it. If I leave it like this, it will only get worse and worse. The bottom of the engine on my car, which is even older and in daily use, has virtually no rust. The car has a plastic under tray. I bought a set of plastic under trays for the Ducato, but I would like to clean it up and re-paint it first, if possible. Is there a way to do what while the engine is on the van? Maybe scrape away the rust with a flat bladed screw driver? A dremmel with a sandpaper cylinder? A small rotary metal brush on a drill, or a die grinder? Has anyone done something like this? Also, what kind of paint would be best?
 

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The sump and bottom of the engine block on my Ducato 2015 2.3JTD has plenty of rust on it. If I leave it like this, it will only get worse and worse. The bottom of the engine on my car, which is even older and in daily use, has virtually no rust. The car has a plastic under tray. I bought a set of plastic under trays for the Ducato, but I would like to clean it up and re-paint it first, if possible. Is there a way to do what while the engine is on the van? Maybe scrape away the rust with a flat bladed screw driver? A dremmel with a sandpaper cylinder? A small rotary metal brush on a drill, or a die grinder? Has anyone done something like this? Also, what kind of paint would be best?

Personally i would just replace it . I have just just done mine on a 2.8 , but that's 23 years old . It's not a difficult job , just fiddly . Do an oil change at the same time . You just need a socket on a medium extension bar , i think 13mm . For good measure i would also replace the gasket at the same time . Mine also had the belly pan missing , which i put right 4 or 5 years ago . Other components suffer badly without it too .

Bit surprised at the state of yours being as it's only a 2015 .
 
Personally i would just replace it . I have just just done mine on a 2.8 , but that's 23 years old . It's not a difficult job , just fiddly . Do an oil change at the same time . You just need a socket on a medium extension bar , i think 13mm . For good measure i would also replace the gasket at the same time . Mine also had the belly pan missing , which i put right 4 or 5 years ago . Other components suffer badly without it too .

Bit surprised at the state of yours being as it's only a 2015 .
Thank you for the extra instructions - I will probably go ahead and change it. Incidentally I have a slight oil leak between the sump pan and the engine block, so I have to drain the oil and replace that gasket anyway. Above the sump pan there is a short (about 5cm tall) solid steel section, which doesn't seem to be part of the engine block. Anyone knows what that is?
 
Above the sump pan there is a short (about 5cm tall) solid steel section, which doesn't seem to be part of the engine block. Anyone knows what that is?

Interesting , i can't think of anything that fits your description . Any chance of a picture ?
 
Interesting , i can't think of anything that fits your description . Any chance of a picture ?
It is in the photo I posted above in this thread. The sump pan seems to attach to a steel section which is about 5 cm tall, which then has the engine block above. At least it looks like that - unless I'm looking at it wrong.

EDIT: sorry, scratch that. I think I am looking at it wrong. It all seems to be part of the engine block. I guess the various moulded shapes makes it look like a separate section.
 
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It is in the photo I posted above in this thread. The sump pan seems to attach to a steel section which is about 5 cm tall, which then has the engine block above. At least it looks like that - unless I'm looking at it wrong.

EDIT: sorry, scratch that. I think I am looking at it wrong. It all seems to be part of the engine block. I guess the various moulded shapes makes it look like a separate section.

Ahhh , hah , hah . Took me a little while to figure out what you meant , but i think i'm with the program now . As i recall , the bottom of the engine does have a separate casting between the block and the sump . I really would need to look at my rather useless manual to be sure . I seem to recall this needs to be removed to gain access to the big ends , but you really don't need to worry about this part though . The sump simply bolts into this fitting , however i will warn you , there are a lot of bolts . I replaced them all with a stainless equivalent , but i've done a lot of this recently . Yes , there is a problem with electrolysis , but looking the subject out , it seems copper grease overcomes this . I'm not a fan of Italian bolts , they look very narly , but then as i said before they are 23 years old .
 
Never had any problem with rusting sump pans when engines leaked oil!
So easiest way to keep it rust free is smear it with oil now and again
Unlike paint, oil self heals when pierced by flying stone chips
I have often found rust growing under paint, but never under oil.
 
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