i have a 93 civic. my oil pan is leaking about a half quart of oil every 2 weeks. the threading for my oil drain plug is shot so i had to use a universal plug which isn't doing the trick obviously. im planning on swapping the entire oil pan out. i have a couple questions before i start... how big of a project will this be? how much should i expect to spend? would it be cheaper to try to just re-threaded the hole?

 

My oil pan was $110 and the gasket was $15. It's a fairly easy job. Pull the exhaust from the bottom of the manifold to the cat. 7 bolts total. Then the plate on the tranny over the fly wheel. 4 bolts.
Then undo the oil pan.

If you want to save money, order a Quick Oil Drain Valve
Not sure what size you would want since the hole is stripped out, but once it's in there, you never have to remove it.

 

would the oil drian valve be able to screw into my oil pan since the threading is no good?

 

I'd suggest looking around online for some used oilpans or maybe hit up the junk yard, much cheaper than buying a new one and should be just fine. Just make sure they aren't dented/cracked and the drain plug is ok.

To do the job isn't all that hard but a little time consuming. Drain the oil, remove the exhaust, unbolt the like 15 little bolts holding the pan up, then tap the pan a few times on each side with a soft faced mallet to knock it off. You'll then want a gasket scraper or razor or something sharp that will get the old gasket pieces off of the block and also the oil pan if you replace it with a used one. This can be a bit of a hassle but just be patient and make sure they are very smooth and clean. Put the new gasket with a little bit of oil on it(to ensure a good seal) and install it making sure it's snug all around. Then bolt it up and maybe put a little gasket sealant on some parts to ensure a leak-free pan.

 

You might have to buy a slightly larger size and tap your threads for the new size.

 

very easy job to replace the oil pan. get a Haynes Manuel if you dont think you can do without it