Oil leakage from the engine/oil pan gasket..

[maddindian]

This is a repost, I had trouble posting earlier today.

Anyway, I took my 240SX to have its oil changed as well as have an engine flush (bad idea). During the flush, the mechanic said that oil was leaking from the oil pan. Now I cannot visually see any oil leakage, my guess it leaks to the oil pan. Anyway he said the gasket is bad.

Is this an expensive job? How much would the gasket cost? Is this something I could do on my own? How serious is this?

Thanks.

[240sxracer]

you should be able to do it yourself its not a complicated thing. gasket should be pretty cheap.

[camppain]

there is no gasket for the oil pan its just silicone rtv. the pan is held in by 10 mm bolts  you need to lift the engine if you have a sohc due to the pumps position. but im not to sure on the dohc i dont think there is any interference with  that

[camppain]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (maddindian @ April 04 2002,10:08)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Anyway he said the gasket is bad.</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
ohh i didnt even read your whole post.

one suggestion dont take it back to him if he said the gasket was bad.
<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'>

second see if its not your crank seal the part is around 10 bucks from nissan and a pretty easy job.

[maddindian]

Even on S14s there aren't any gaskets between the engine block and the oil pan? That's wierd..

I'm worried because I've heard tons of stories about oil leakage seizing an engine. I just put in synthetic oil in the engine for the first time (it had 117k km on it..around 73k miles).

I can't see any oil leakage so I hope its not an internal leakage. How do I check if the crank seal is bad??

Thanks

[Kid Zelda]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (camppain @ April 02 2002,11:51)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">there is no gasket for the oil pan its just silicone rtv. the pan is held in by 10 mm bolts you need to lift the engine if you have a sohc due to the pumps position. but im not to sure on the dohc i dont think there is any interference with that</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
Hahaha .. wrong again.... Mr. Can'tpay

You can buy this gasket for less then $10

<a href="http://nismoparts.safeshopper.com/263/cat263.htm?482" target='_blank'>http://nismoparts.safeshopper.com/263/cat263.htm?482</a>

<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sly.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':sly:'>

[maddindian]

So this gasket is an aftermarket or is a replacment for the stock OEM gasket?

[sykikchimp]

Changing the Oil Pan gasket is NOT for the Novice. &nbsp;it isn't too much, but you should make the judgment for yourself if you want to tackle it.

here are the steps if you want to try.
REMOVAL

1. raise the car and support it with jack stands
2. DRAIN OIL. (remember to loosen fill cap to releave pressure, and make sure you give it enough time to completely drain.)
3. Remove the following parts
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;-Power Steering Tube
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;-Front Sway bar securing bolts, and nuts from side member
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;-Both Left and Right side Engine mounting bolts (you may have to have engine on a lift for this)
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;-Gussets
4. Disconnect Lower Steering Joint
5. Remove Front Suspension Member
6. REMOVE OIL PAN.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;- MAKE SURE you use a seal cutter to cut the pan away from the block &nbsp;(note: do not drive seal cutter into oil pump or rear oil seal retainer portion b/c the aluminum mating suface will be damaged. &nbsp;ALSO, DO NOT use a screw driver. &nbsp;You could bend, or warp the oil pan flange.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;-Slide Tool by tapping its side with a hammer, and remove pan.
7. Pull out the oil pan from the FRONT

INSTALLATION

1. Before installing oil pan, remove all traces of previous gasket material from the mating surface on oil pan, and from the mating surface on the block with a scraper.
2. Apply a Continuos bead of Liquid Gasket to mating surfaces of oil pan. &nbsp;Be SURE the Liquid Gasket bead is 3.5 to 4.5 mm wide &nbsp;I would recommend having a Gun to do this with. &nbsp;you will get much better results than trying to squeeze it out of the tube by hand. &nbsp;(If you have the gasket from nismo parts this shouldn't be necessary)
3. Make sure when applying the gasket you go to the INSIDE of the bolt holes. &nbsp;TOWARDS the inside! &nbsp;VERY IMPORTANT.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;-If you use liquid gasket, the pan should be attached to the block within 5 minutes of applying Gasket. &nbsp;So make sure you've done the prep work.
4 Install Oil Pan.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;-Wait at least 30 minitues before refilling w/ engine oil
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;-The Oil pan bolts reuire only 4.7-5.5 Ft lbs of torque (6.4-7.5 N.m)

side note - the Drain plug requires 29-39 ft.lb


Waa laa... &nbsp;your done.

While your at it, you might as well, clean the pan inside and out too.

[camppain]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Kid Zelda @ April 05 2002,02:51)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (camppain @ April 02 2002,11:51)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">there is no gasket for the oil pan its just silicone rtv. the pan is held in by 10 mm bolts you need to lift the engine if you have a sohc due to the pumps position. but im not to sure on the dohc i dont think there is any interference with that</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
Hahaha .. wrong again.... Mr. Can'tpay

You can buy this gasket for less then $10

http://nismoparts.safeshopper.com/263/cat263.htm?482

<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sly.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':sly:'></td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
UHH THAT IS NOT OEM ITS NISMO AFTERMARKET SO BLAH!

oops capped your ass sorry
cant pay what?! <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sly.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':sly:'>

[maddindian]

Thanks for the detailed reply sykikchimp. I really appreciate it. Is this a maintenance item that needs to be done often?

It seems quite involved..I know me and bolts don't get along very well! damn things never loosen up

has this occured to anyone else before? I can't see any visual leaks..

[sykikchimp]

no this shouldn't be a maintainance item. &nbsp;Once done, you should be able to forget it. (for a while at least.) I'm on my 2nd 240, and have seen it on both of them. &nbsp;first one had 150k miles. &nbsp;this one has 90k miles, &nbsp;first was SOHC, and this one is DOHC.. &nbsp;so go figure.

[maddindian]

Is there any way I can confirm the mechanics finding? If I lift up the front end up and look at hte oil pan..what should I look for. For some reason I doubt the mechanic..just a feeling I have.

Any way to test if I have a serious oil leak?

[9591]

If you look at the oilpan, you will see old gunky oil on and around it, if there is a leak. But *any* oil leak from anywhere will usually end up on the oilpan. You need to take a good look at it to determine where it's actually coming from.
The way to test if you have a serious oil leak is to check your oil level frequently. If it drops noticeably in, say, a week, then that's pretty bad. But your engine won't suffer as long as you keep the level above the "low" mark.

[camppain]

the main places it will leak from is:

oil pressure switch

crank seal

oil pan