Weeping Oil Pan -- Replace Pan or Reapply Gasket?

[anotero]

Noticed my oil pan is weeping a little oil. I see no cracks, so I'm lead to believe the gasket is just old (87k miles). Is it reasonable to remove the pan, clean off the old gasket and reapply without purchasing a new pan?

 

[jimlloyd40]

If it's only weeping and not leaving any spots on the ground where you park I would leave it alone. It could have been that way for a long time.

 

[daconchslop]

Certain the residue is from the pan and not originating from further up the block?

 

[launchd]

Certain the residue is from the pan and not originating from further up the block?

This.

A cam cradle leak caused oil to leak down the back of my block and make it appear as if my oil pan was leaking due to it being saturated.

 

[anotero]

Certain the residue is from the pan and not originating from further up the block?

Yes. I went under and checked. Pan weeps at the interface between the plastic and metal halves.

 

[2slowvw]

@anotero post some pictures so we can see the weeping and maybe help see if it is indeed coming form the oil pan.


Short answer, yes you can just drop the oil pan, scrape off old gasket, clean surfaces, apply new gasket, and stick and move.

 

[jimlloyd40]

Is it leaving any drops of oil on the ground?

 

[anotero]

Is it leaving any drops of oil on the ground?

It did after sitting at an incline (front end on ramps) for several days. The engine ran while the car was on ramps for some time prior to this. The weeping was present on the aft edge of the pan, as expected due to the incline. Once I put a piece of towel by where the weeping occurs, the oil was immediately soaked up (the effect was very well visible). Once I moved the towel away, a film of oil wept from the pan again. I checked the upper pan and the engine block, it had no oil on it.

After I wiped the floor and the pan, there were no more drops on the ground. I'm thinking the heat cycling when the engine was on, plus the pan sitting on an incline exacerbated the weeping.

 

[anotero]

@anotero post some pictures so we can see the weeping and maybe help see if it is indeed coming form the oil pan.


Short answer, yes you can just drop the oil pan, scrape off old gasket, clean surfaces, apply new gasket, and stick and move.

I can try. The weeping is very light and may not be visible in a photo.

 

[anotero]

@anotero post some pictures so we can see the weeping and maybe help see if it is indeed coming form the oil pan.


Short answer, yes you can just drop the oil pan, scrape off old gasket, clean surfaces, apply new gasket, and stick and move.

The oil in the car is pretty fresh (about 3k miles). Can i refill with it after draining?

 

[Acadia18]

The oil in the car is pretty fresh (about 3k miles). Can i refill with it after draining?

You're going to go through this whole process, and want to re-use like $40 worth of oil?

I'm sure you could, but c'mon man. Just put in fresh oil.

 

[anotero]

You're going to go through this whole process, and want to re-use like $40 worth of oil?

I'm sure you could, but c'mon man. Just put in fresh oil.

"Whole process" will cost me 150 for the pan and some odd number of dollars for the gasket. That's if i buy a new pan. 40 bucks is about a quarter.

 

[Diggs24]

The oil in the car is pretty fresh (about 3k miles). Can i refill with it after draining?

Absolutely not.

 

[anotero]

Absolutely not.

Yessir.

 

[russiankid]

Just wait to do this till your next oil change, not like the car is going to blow up.