Method of installing an oil pan heater on an oil pan mounted on an engine block

• US 6,378,167 B1
• Filed: 12/08/1999
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Navistar International Transportation Corp. (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Howell, Edward H. III, Porter, Roger E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mah, Chuck Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/457,633
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 16/21, 16/22, 277/604, 277/606, 277/607, 123/142.5 E
• US Class Current: 16/2.1
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 27/14 for assembling objects other than by press fit or detaching same
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 11/0408 Sump drainage devices, e.g. valves, plugs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49231 I.C. [internal combustion] engine making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49233 Repairing, converting, servicing or salvaging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4973 Replacing of defective part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for installing an oil pan heater on an oil pan while the oil pan is mounted on an engine block. Oil is drained from the engine oil pan. Then the engine oil pan is pierced to provide a pilot hole having pierced ends extending into the engine oil pan. A circular chamfered groove is formed surrounding the pilot hole so as to provide an oil pan thickness at a base of the chamfered groove. A pull is inserted into the oil pan through the pilot hole to engage an internal portion of the oil pan surrounding the pilot hole. The pull extracts a circular slug from the oil pan and a substantially circular hole is formed in the oil pan. An expandable heater bushing is inserted in the substantially circular hole. The heater bushing has an expandable tubular section extending from an enlarged head. The tubular section is crimped and the enlarged head is sealed to the oil pan. Then the heater is attached to the enlarged head.

Claims

1. A vehicle engine oil pan heater bushing comprising:

a bushing body having an enlarged head, said head having a hole therethrough which is sized to sealingly receive and hold an oil pan heater;

an expandable tubular section extending from said enlarged head and adapted to fit through an engine oil pan heater bushing hole, said expandable tubular section having an internal smooth wall extending from said enlarged head a predetermined distance, a non-expandable tubular section extending from said expandable tubular section, said non-expandable tubular section having an annular internal thread section extending from a distal end, crimp means to permit the expandable tubular section to crimp at said smooth wall and form an exterior flange within said oil pan opposed to said enlarged head when a draw bolt is threaded into said non-expandable tubular section, and

an annular o-ring groove formed in the underside of said enlarged head, said annular groove being sized to hold an o-ring, said enlarged head and annular groove o-ring being sized to surround said heater bushing hole and sealingly contact an external surface of the oil pan when said expandable and non-expandable tubular sections are placed into the oil pan through said heater bushing hole and said exterior flange is formed with said oil pan between said head and said exterior flange.

2. The engine oil pan heater bushing of claim 1 wherein said smooth wall section has a thickness less than the thickness of said non-expandable annular internal thread section, and said crimp means is an annular groove formed in the inner periphery of said smooth wall section a predetermined distance from said enlarged head.