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Don't use photobucket. Can't see the pics. The URLs don't work on mobile app. Use the forum photo upload tool. They'll be stored on the forum servers and they'll won't go away (like the images in so many old DIYs that are now less than useful).
There seems to be no "ok" button to finally drop the picture in.
Pic shows in the upload window and that is it..nothing there to seal the deal and drop it in the thread.
Might be my ubuntu chrome..but usually not a problem anywhere else I go.
Looks like casting marks to me, left over from the mould.
I can see the cast marks, or what I would call posts and indents from the form, but there are hairline cracks that seem to come out from some of those marks. And some have those hairlines on the both inner and outer pan areas.
If the hairlines were raised that would be ok to me, but they are not.
I hate to put this thing back on and have it give way sometime down the road.
The aluminum casting looks like this on most of the stuff I have worked on (SR20 & VQ) I wouldn't worry about it unless it was leaking in the first place or a part that was stressed like the AWD upper oil pan after the differential blows up. I could probably take pics all day in the shop and show similar markings.
OK.
Well it was leaking along the full length of the the pan.
Most of the leaking was on the ends where the rubber seals had hardened to near plastic like stiffness; I pulled them off in pieces.
You both are probably correct, as I don't really know these cars that well; that's why I am here.
I still "feel" uncomfortable with the pan; so I ordered a new one from Z1motorsports.
I ordered the check valve and have the oil cooler o rings as well.
OK..I got the new upper oil pan and as you folks said, those are just casting marks, not fractures.
New pan looks exactly like it in terms of casting mold marks.
I had to find out myself.
I hope this thread helps somebody anyway.
I'll put the new one on her car and sell the other on Craigslist Tampa to someone who needs it.
Usually when mass-producing stuff like that they use permanent molds and those things might have 10k or more castings from the SAME MOLD. Over time the releasing agent builds up in corners and around edges, plus you will always get warping on a steel mold used for aluminum casting. When it gets bad enough that it doesn't pass quality assurance then the mold is recycled.
This sounds like my own son - someone will say something or he'll notice something and suddenly it's a huge, possible problem. I am all for preventative maintenance but the only winner in this deal was Z1 Motorsports. Why ask questions and post pictures if you are going to make the purchase? That's at least $200 spent on something that wasn't needed - just wait til the driver's side window quits or sensors on the fuel tank give up and on and on....
This sounds like my own son - someone will say something or he'll notice something and suddenly it's a huge, possible problem. I am all for preventative maintenance but the only winner in this deal was Z1 Motorsports. Why ask questions and post pictures if you are going to make the purchase? That's at least $200 spent on something that wasn't needed - just wait til the driver's side window quits or sensors on the fuel tank give up and on and on....
OK So I went with my gut feeling, which is usually correct.
Live and learn.
And It is still a good thread for others who may wonder about what the casting marks look like.
BTW: I have already fixed the DS window and have the passenger side to deal with next.
I don't generally shot-gun parts; although I will replace small things while I am in there.
For instance, I replaced the rubber portions of the power steering return hose while the hoses were accessible.
The upper oil pan is a big enough job that one would not want to revisit it.
