Dry Sump Oil Pipe Split Nut Solution

midlifecrisis

Member
Messages
16,102
Gentleman, as many of you may know there is an issue with the aluminium coupling the secures the oil pipe that delivers oil from the oil tank to the dry sumped F136 engine. Many of the aluminium couplings have shown the typical onset of dissimilar metal corrosion as they age. This due to the aluminium reacting with the brass/copper connection. Some have been known to fail, resulting in a total loss of oil and potential demise of the engine. Many also suffer from fatigue due to some mechanics using it to drain the oil from the sump, see below.

spanner.jpg
If detected early enough the whole oil pipe can be replaced, but this is not an easy job. Typically, resulting in a bill of around £800-1000. The oil pipe would cost around £290 from the supplier and the job to remove the old pipe and install the new takes around 6 hours as the oil pipe connects to the rear of the engine and takes an arduos route. Not a simple job for the professional mechanic nevermind the enthusiastic diyer. The replacement of the oil pipe, for a like for like, Maserati/Ferrari part will not eradicate the issue as you have just fitted another ticking time-bomb. See the diagram below, the pipe is item 24 and the nut in question is captive and on the left hand end.
Diagram .jpg

However, Maverick has designed and created a solution that will overcome both issues of replacement and dissimilar metal corrosion. He designed a split nut solution that allows fitment in around an hour, with the original pipe still attached at the other end. Also it being made from brass will not corrode.and is far sturdier of the original connection was quite flimsy, I’m surprised Maserati/Ferrari allowed such a part to be fitted. Not one of their finer moments in my opinion.
Maverick fitted a prototype to his 2002 Coupe and I've fitted another to mine. Maverick has since sold his 4200 a year ago but mine has been on for over a year now and I have had no issues whatsoever (All leaks are from the top end!). So now we’re looking at producing a small number, dependent on demand, to the wider community. They are as shown in the pictures below.

Split Nut Complete.jpgSplit nut apart.jpg


Split Nut fitted.jpg

If we can get around 30 nuts made up we’re looking at around £200 for the nut, thread lock, a clear set of instructions and sent to your destination of choice (UK only). We will look at distribution to Europe, Australia, NZ and the USA etc on an individual basis. Obviously, the final cost depends on demand.

So please append you name below and whether you are UK based or not.
Thanks MLC and MVK
 

FIFTY

Member
Messages
3,100
Really good solution and the reason why I love this community so much... We need to get Mav in another Maser to make him continue his engineering innovations

Watching with interest but my 4200 project had a new main oil pipe fitted 2 years ago by the dealer just before I bought it and it still looks like new. Granted it will probably fail again eventually.
 

FIFTY

Member
Messages
3,100
Wow, some fantastic engineering. Does this affect the 4.7 engine?

No, only dry sump engines in the 4.2 M138 for sure

Not sure if the M139 QP with the dry sump engine has the same problem or did Maserati fix it for this tipo?
 

midlifecrisis

Member
Messages
16,102
Looking at the Eurospares website, the quattroporte 4.2 oil pipe looks similar but is even more tortuous that the Coupe. The pipe is item 15.
efe1ebf01e0f027d8641f6216d0e3d45.gif
 

midlifecrisis

Member
Messages
16,102
Just to tally people up, let me know if I've not included you or have included you but didn't want one.

1. tan55555
2 TimR
3. D Walker
 

jasst

Member
Messages
2,313
As an aside, does anyone have any direct experience with replacing this oil pipe? There is a school of thought that my problems (See Not a happy car) that the inside of my oil pipe may have collapsed, and so lead to oil starvation to the scavenge pump, so just wondered what exactly is involved in replacing it?
 

Gp79

Member
Messages
1,393
As an aside, does anyone have any direct experience with replacing this oil pipe? There is a school of thought that my problems (See Not a happy car) that the inside of my oil pipe may have collapsed, and so lead to oil starvation to the scavenge pump, so just wondered what exactly is involved in replacing it?

That’s an interesting thought, makes sense.
I believe the o/s manifold will need to come off as the pipe runs behind this and the heat shield past the oil pump.
But it would be worth trying to work around it as it’s quite a pain to do that.

There is an article on the manifold removal on here somewhere
 

Mr S

Member
Messages
821
If your one is already cracked but not leaking, is this a suitable fix, or is it better to replace the pipe?
 

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
Messages
9,033
I would say remove cracked nut and fit the new split nut, replacing the pipe is by all accounts not easy, and then you get another 'weak nut' that could possibly fail in the future.
However possibly all irrelavant as I'm not sure the split nut is actually available to buy.
 
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Zep

Moderator
Messages
9,110
If your one is already cracked but not leaking, is this a suitable fix, or is it better to replace the pipe?

I asked MLC about this when you found yours was cracked, I don’t think it went ahead. I think you are stuck with plan B.
 

Gp79

Member
Messages
1,393
Hill engineering are selling them: