why is my oil leaking from my oil pan?!!?
#11
08-17-2008, 10:41 AM
its leaking from the OIL PAN GASKET. not the oil pan plug then.... at least most likely. if there is oil above the drain plug then its 1 of 2 things MAYBE..... most likely the oil pan gasket itself and youll have to drop the oil pan, 2nd thing which is highly unlikely would be the oil pressure switch maybe loose or busted. id guess the oilpan gasket first tho.
i must also say if you drop your oil pan BE SURE TO HAVE THE PROPER TORQUE WRENCH WHEN REINSTALLING THE BOLTS/NUTS!!!!!! they are tiny bolts and can snap very easily!!!!
if you dont have a torque wrench or cannt get one then at least use a 1/4inch ratchet and do not use the end of the ratchet only work on the base with your palm! its still risky if you tighten them down to much the bolts can snap in half and your screwed into alot more work to get the busted bolt out and get a new bolt! not fun been there done that! and to firm the bolts all up in a zigzag pattern to even out the tension on the pan. dont just start at one bolt and move to the next one. constantly go criss cross from end to end side to side and at first just snug the bolts wait till you have them all snug and then start to tighten them down again cross patterns..... sealer also helps alot.
i must also say if you drop your oil pan BE SURE TO HAVE THE PROPER TORQUE WRENCH WHEN REINSTALLING THE BOLTS/NUTS!!!!!! they are tiny bolts and can snap very easily!!!!
if you dont have a torque wrench or cannt get one then at least use a 1/4inch ratchet and do not use the end of the ratchet only work on the base with your palm! its still risky if you tighten them down to much the bolts can snap in half and your screwed into alot more work to get the busted bolt out and get a new bolt! not fun been there done that! and to firm the bolts all up in a zigzag pattern to even out the tension on the pan. dont just start at one bolt and move to the next one. constantly go criss cross from end to end side to side and at first just snug the bolts wait till you have them all snug and then start to tighten them down again cross patterns..... sealer also helps alot.
ill makesure that im careful with the bolts and i will buy sealer, thanks addiction, how long do you think this job should take replacing the gasket considering its my first time
#12
08-17-2008, 11:59 AM
Recognized HCF Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Brownsburg, IN 46112
Posts: 11,203
well when i did mine the motor was out of the car...
if i had to do it with it on the car.... my guess would be ruffly 2-3hours from start to finish. since youd have to remove lower exaust piping, a motor mount or two or three, set a jack on the tranny from below to hold the weight of the motor.
pulling the pan wont take long at all, but making sure you clean all the old gasket off can be a PITA... that old gasket dries supper hard!!!!!! you might luck out and it will only be stuck to the pan itself, but mine was stuck on both
lots of scraping, also clean the area of any oil so the sealer has a chance to seal 
then just reinstal everything. BUT on a side note i would sugest letting the sealer dry over night before refilling the motor with oil.
also when the oil pan is down clean it inside and out. clean out any shavings/ sludge and outter oily film. that way if it leaks again youll have a clean surface to compare to find the new leak.
and be carefull with those oil pan bolts they wont take to much pressure before they snap.
if i had to do it with it on the car.... my guess would be ruffly 2-3hours from start to finish. since youd have to remove lower exaust piping, a motor mount or two or three, set a jack on the tranny from below to hold the weight of the motor.
pulling the pan wont take long at all, but making sure you clean all the old gasket off can be a PITA... that old gasket dries supper hard!!!!!! you might luck out and it will only be stuck to the pan itself, but mine was stuck on both
lots of scraping, also clean the area of any oil so the sealer has a chance to seal then just reinstal everything. BUT on a side note i would sugest letting the sealer dry over night before refilling the motor with oil.
also when the oil pan is down clean it inside and out. clean out any shavings/ sludge and outter oily film. that way if it leaks again youll have a clean surface to compare to find the new leak.
and be carefull with those oil pan bolts they wont take to much pressure before they snap.
#13
08-18-2008, 07:18 AM
Over-tightening the drain plug will bend a steel oil pan and make it leaky. You may be able to fix this by removing the plug and then very carefully hammering on the pan to make the area around the plug, where the washer seals, flat again.
If it continues to leak constantly with the engine off, it has to be coming from the drain plug or other low spot on the pan. There is no oil flowing up near the pan gasket, valve cover, etc. with the engine off. Drive up on ramps and get under the car with a good light and some rags to clean up the oil and then watch for exactly where it is coming out.
If you drain the oil to work on it, don't be tempted to re-use that oil. Put new oil in.
If it continues to leak constantly with the engine off, it has to be coming from the drain plug or other low spot on the pan. There is no oil flowing up near the pan gasket, valve cover, etc. with the engine off. Drive up on ramps and get under the car with a good light and some rags to clean up the oil and then watch for exactly where it is coming out.
If you drain the oil to work on it, don't be tempted to re-use that oil. Put new oil in.
#14
08-18-2008, 01:44 PM
i put it on the lift today and the oil was dripping directly of my drain bolt, i tightened it but it still leaked i cant figuire out where its coming from, the oil drips directly from the drain bolt but it is tightened well and overnight i manage to lose 1/4 quart of oil.
#15
08-18-2008, 03:55 PM
Recognized HCF Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Brownsburg, IN 46112
Posts: 11,203
if its loosing oil directly from the oil pan bolt then try a new crush washers. i just bought a new one for my last oil change that was metal and rubber seal. or just drain your oil, jack your car up to be tilted so the oil runs away from the oil pan bolt location then use alittle silicone put on the threads of the bolt and then reinstal the bolt, let dry for afew hours and then put the oil back in. that should keep it from dripping i had to do that to my old 66impalas oil pan because it always driped from the drain plug, so i had to seal it every time i changed the oil, until i finally pulled the motor and just replaced the whole oil pan with a new one.
its not a permanent fix but its a decent right now fix.
o ya just thought you might try alittle teflon tape around the threads of the bolt instead of silicone.... thats probably a better idea than silicone. alot quicker and easier. give it a shot. just try not to get the tape stuff inside, not sure if it would be caught by the filter screen or what not...
its not a permanent fix but its a decent right now fix.
o ya just thought you might try alittle teflon tape around the threads of the bolt instead of silicone.... thats probably a better idea than silicone.
alot quicker and easier. give it a shot. just try not to get the tape stuff inside, not sure if it would be caught by the filter screen or what not...
Last edited by addiction2bass; 08-18-2008 at 03:57 PM.
#16
08-18-2008, 04:04 PM
Assuming you have a good metal crush washer (use one and only one washer by the way), the pan must be damaged on the sealing surface. Check it for cracks or more likely, overtightening the plug has pulled out a section near the threads. You may be able to hammer that back in or you may need a new pan.
Sealant only lasts until the next oil change when you'll have to do it again. Be very careful not to get any excess into the engine where it can clog something up. Teflon on the threads will do absolutely nothing to stanch a leak. The seal is made at the washer, not the threads.
Sealant only lasts until the next oil change when you'll have to do it again. Be very careful not to get any excess into the engine where it can clog something up. Teflon on the threads will do absolutely nothing to stanch a leak. The seal is made at the washer, not the threads.
#17
08-18-2008, 07:51 PM
Assuming you have a good metal crush washer (use one and only one washer by the way), the pan must be damaged on the sealing surface. Check it for cracks or more likely, overtightening the plug has pulled out a section near the threads. You may be able to hammer that back in or you may need a new pan.
Sealant only lasts until the next oil change when you'll have to do it again. Be very careful not to get any excess into the engine where it can clog something up. Teflon on the threads will do absolutely nothing to stanch a leak. The seal is made at the washer, not the threads.
Sealant only lasts until the next oil change when you'll have to do it again. Be very careful not to get any excess into the engine where it can clog something up. Teflon on the threads will do absolutely nothing to stanch a leak. The seal is made at the washer, not the threads.
im actually using the plastic washer i got with the drain bolt yesterday, why should i use a metal washer instead of plastic whats the diff?
#19
08-20-2008, 09:35 PM
well ill de damned, you guys were right it was the damn washer!!!, i replaced the new rubber washer i got from autozone with the washer from honda and it stopped leaking, thanks guys im glad it was a minor thing and not a hole in my oil pan
#20
08-20-2008, 09:38 PM
good to hear you fixed it. i have the same problem, and i bought a pack of 5 Honda metal crush washers, but i'm waiting until I change my oil to do it, since my leak isn't as bad as yours.