What Is A Leaking Oil Pan Gasket And Its Typical Cost?

It is impossible to say what it will cost to repair your leaking oil pan gasket without knowing what vehicle it is for, but it is something that you will need to deal with because if you are losing oil then your engine is not getting the lubrication that it needs, and this could cause irreparable damage.

You will be able to buy a gasket kit and more oil from your local auto store. The first thing to do is to jack your vehicle up and put it onto jack stands, and then make sure that the leak is actually coming from the oil pan. It could be from the oil filter, the oil plug, or around the bolts and screws.

Once you are sure it is leaking, you need to drain the oil from the oil pan into a suitable container so that you can dispose of it properly. Never pour oil into drains.

Once it is empty, remove the oil pan and the gasket from the engine. If there is any debris on the edge of the oil pan, clean it off with a wire brush and/or WD40.

There are sealants that you can buy for your new gasket but cork or rubber are better because they are less messy. Place the new gasket between the pan and the engine and make sure it is sealed. Tighten the screws to the torque recommended for your vehicle.

Once you have done this, you can lower your vehicle back to the ground and refill with oil. It is recommended that you use the best oil that you can afford, but make sure that you do not over fill it.

You can now switch the engine on and let it idle to see if there are any more leaks. Hopefully, there won’t be and all that is left for you to do is to clean yourself up.

The cost will depend on the car/engine. On many cars this is a simple but messy job, just remove the pan and replace the gasket. But on other cars there are parts in the way that will make this job much more difficult.

Figure anywhere between $100 and $500 for a mechanic to replace.

If you are lucky then you'll have a car where it is easy to drop the oil pan and replace the gasket.  More and more often however, engines are made very compact so that this task that used to be very simple becomes much more involved.  For instance on my Ford Ranger, the quickest method of replacing the oil pan gasket involves lifting the engine up off the engine mounts a few inches.  This isn't something most drivers have the equipment lying around to accomplish.