Oil Pan Gasket Leak. Need Advice.

[daniel3507]

I've got myself a little oil leak coming from the oil pan gasket. It's not a massive leak but every now and then it will drip oil on the ground. It hasn't been enough need a top off between oil changes but it's pretty depressing to see when I pull away. I still haven't ruled out the fact that it could be a seal leaking either. My question is do I worry about fixing it now? I would have to take it somewhere to do which would run about 1500 since they gotta pull the motor. My big concern is the disconnecting it from the tranny and doing the tranny fluid change. It's got 115k on it and I really don't want to fix one thing only to discover something else is wrong. What are your opinions on doing it now.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Personally, I'd leave it until absolutely necessary.
Drag cars use diapers, maybe some "depends" for trucks is in order.

Richard

 

[RonD]

This won't fix a leak but....make sure PCV and tube are clean and working and that the breather tube is clean(hose from valve cover or oil filler to air plenum.

These help reduce crankcase pressure so can reduce flow of the leak, if its not a pressure leak of course

 

[daniel3507]

Ideally I just need it to last a few more years till I can hopefully buy a new truck. Then it will turn into a project truck and get the v8 swap. In reality though there is no telling how much longer it will be my dd

This won't fix a leak but....make sure PCV and tube are clean and working and that the breather tube is clean(hose from valve cover or oil filler to air plenum.

These help reduce crankcase pressure so can reduce flow of the leak, if its not a pressure leak of course

Yeah I replace it once a year and will be doing so again this weekend.

 

[RonD]

This is just in general but I wonder if you hooked up a vacuum pump to the dipstick tube and then sealed up the valve cover holes, if the crankcase could hold a vacuum that could be used to suck sealant into the leak point, never tried it, just wondered?

 

[aspevacek]

where exactly is the oil leaking at? along a side rail or front or rear seal area? I mean it is mor ecommon for a main seal to leak then a pan gasket itself unless there is anothe rissue present that caused the pan gasket to leak. Try just putting a torque wrench on the pan bolts and ensure they are all snugged to the proper spec.

 

[97RangerXLT]

Get some Bar's Leaks engine oil stop leak. Put it in with your next oil change. After a couple of weeks driving your leak should be gone. I did this to my Ranger last summer and it worked great

AJ

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk 2

 

[aspevacek]

Get some Bar's Leaks engine oil stop leak. Put it in with your next oil change. After a couple of weeks driving your leak should be gone. I did this to my Ranger last summer and it worked great

AJ

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk 2

I never recommend putting any of the sto pleak items into an engine. You hav eto remember there are things such as lifters that have small passages, and if it will sto pa seal from leaking it can clog up a lifter as well. There are alot of thinks that can clog up in new motors that use oil pressure to regulate things such as variable timing solenoids on cams of some motors, I know on the chevrolet 4.2 if the oil is not at proper weight the camshafts start acting really weird and set all kinds of codes that will have you beating your head against a wall until you find out some one put 10-40 in the engine instead of the 5-30 Chevrolet called for.

 

[97RangerXLT]

basically bars leak is a petroleum product, and it reconditions the seals that have shrunk with age. the 11oz in the bottle does not affect the viscosity in any noticeable way. I put it in my truck back in June, no issues to date. oil pressure is normal, no ticking of the lifters. I think marvel mystery oil is another similar product.

as for the variable timing solenoids and other high tech stuff, the 4.0ohv has none of that. If it did, I would be hesitant to add that as well, but the design on the 4.0ohv is well over 20 years old.

and one oil change with the bars leak beats yanking the engine to replace the main seals/ oil pan seal.

AJ

 

[daniel3507]

Yeah I've thought about finding an additive but they kind of worry me. I've always wondered if it can stop a leak what else could it do that I might not want it to do. It's still an option though of course. You're definitely right about it beating pulling the motor.

 

[mattpresley]

I never recommend putting any of the sto pleak items into an engine. You hav eto remember there are things such as lifters that have small passages, and if it will sto pa seal from leaking it can clog up a lifter as well. There are alot of thinks that can clog up in new motors that use oil pressure to regulate things such as variable timing solenoids on cams of some motors, I know on the chevrolet 4.2 if the oil is not at proper weight the camshafts start acting really weird and set all kinds of codes that will have you beating your head against a wall until you find out some one put 10-40 in the engine instead of the 5-30 Chevrolet called for.

X2 before I replaced my radiator I used bars liquid copper to try and buy some time. It wreaked havoc. Never ever use stop leak products.

 

[mattpresley]

Also for what it's worth it never stopped the leak. Instead it clogged my heater core and coolant resevuor(sp) lines.

 

[97RangerXLT]

I agree with you guys on the coolant version, it has particles that *will* clog the passages in the radiator. The oil version does not, it is pure petroleum, and what it does is condition the seals, makes them swell up a bit so they seal again. nothing in it that will clog any oil passages. Marvel Mystery Oil is another version.

AJ

 

[john93rangerstx]

my pan leakes about a quart a month the way I lookat it keeps my truck from rotting out on me

 

[Andy D]

my pan leakes about a quart a month the way I lookat it keeps my truck from rotting out on me

OK, That is a manageable leak. Perpetual oil change. In what little driving I did , the first 6 months until I changed the clutch, the Rat used a qt. I started the clutch job at the rear main seal and worked aft. It hasn't used any oil since then. I was pleased that the replacement phase of the job went pretty smoothly. Hardest part was paying for all the parts as they trickled in