Oil Pan maintenance on 2004 FWD

[Gypsy Moon]

Hello fellow Vibe owners. Long time reader, first time poster. I apologize if this has already been covered, but I need to replace the sealant around my oil pan (slow leak) and the shop wants to charge $170 for labor. They claim it's not easy to get to the pan in my car, even though I can see the bolts from my inspection underneath. I used to do quite a bit of maintenance on my Dodge Neon, including replacing an oil pan. Can someone tell me if there is an obstruction I'm missing, or is this a fairly easy task for an experience "driveway tinkerer"?Thanks!Tara

[joatmon]

welcome to genvibe, you ex-lurker. We could tell you were there, and were wondering what it would take to get to finally speak up I pulled the oil pan on my 2003 base (same 1ZZ motor) and found it to be relatively straightforward. None of that loosen motor mounts, jack the engine up stuff I've had to do on other vehicles. On these, there is enough clearance to get the pan off and back on.Some things you may already know, butYou have to jack the car up to get under it, so whether you do that with jackstands, or ramps, or a lift, whatever, be absolutely sure it is secure and safe before you crawl under there. Since you drain the oil first, might as well replace the oil and oil filter while you're at it. Some places sell oil pan gaskets for these cars but don't buy one, just use some RTV type sealant. A cork or rubber formed gasket willjust make it that harder to get a good seal. The factory just used goo, so you should only use goo also. Give the sealant time enough to cure before you put oil back in and start it up.After you remove all the bolts, you might still need to use a screwdriver to pry the pan off the block, so be careful, and when you have it off the car, check it to make sure you didn't deform the pan flangeMake sure you get all the old sealant off both the block and the pan before you put it back together. I used a straight edge razor blade, a small brass wire brush, some brake cleaner, paper towels. Might as well thoroughly clean the pan inside and out when you have it off the car. When it's all done and it's back on the road, keep an eye on the oil level. No matter who does the work, things are not always perfect. Mine burns oil, so I watch it regularly, but I check it much more often after an oil change, or any other task that can create an oil leak.$170 seems like a lot for labor to reseal a pan, but it might not really be that outrageous considering all the things a shop labor rate has to cover. Still if you can do it yourself (sounds like you can) and like working on cars, then you save money and have fun too.

[Gypsy Moon]

Thank you VERY much for your helpful and thorough reply! I'm going to try tightening the drain plug first, as I think the majority of the leak may indeed be due to a poor seal after the last oil change. They told me then there was a small gasket leak, but from the pan itself, not the plug, so I think this new stronger leak is incidental. Have scheduled another pre-road trip oil change with the same shop, so I'll be bringing them a new plug to install, which I would expect them to do without extra charge... if not, it will be my last service appointment there. After that, I'll check for leaks again and keep an eye on the levels before attempting the pan seal. I appreciate your reply, and it does sound like a job I can do, but I don't have my jack stands anymore. Will check with a buddy that has a nice lift in his garage, and might be able to help me out... I can pay him in pizza and beer, lol!Tara

[lovemyraffe]

I agree with joatmon. He described the work involved very well. When you put the oil pan back on, be sure to torque the bolts correctly, especially if you buy a rubber or cork gasket.BTW, welcome to GenVibe you ex-lurker.

[matrixjim]

Buy a tube of the Toyota FIPG "form in place gasket" RTV and use on the pan lip.

[Gypsy Moon]

Thanks for the advice, Guys, and the ex-lurker welcomes!