Cracked Oil Pan - What are the implications?

[08HoeCD]

I had an oil change done at the shop and mechanic showed me how oil is seeping out and around due to a cracked oil pan. I'm seeing no drips/drops on my garage floor, and seeing no noticeable drop in oil pressure.

What are the implications of doing nothing?

 

[02Lightning]

Implications? The crack getting worse over time.

 

[kbuskill]

Got a pic???

Any idea how this could have happened?

 

[08HoeCD]

Got a pic???

Any idea how this could have happened?

I should have taken a pic when he walked me under the truck while it was on a lift. No obviously visible crack but definitely a film of oil covering the back portion of the pan.

This is the second time this shop has called this out. I doubted it the first time, which was about a year ago, mainly because there has never been a single drop of oil on my garage floor. I haven't been able to detect any oil loss whenever I check my oil level. I'm just wondering if I'm playing with fire by ignoring it.

 

[SnowDrifter]

Pictures?

Is it a Crack or another oil leak somewhere pooling across some flashing?

If its cracked, your pan is condemned and should be replaced at the nearest opportunity

 

[08HoeCD]

I failed to think of taking pics. See post #4

 

[bottomline2000]

Im willing to bet it's your rear main seal. Haven't heard of any oil pans being cracked. If the film is at the top of the oil pan it isn't a cracked pan, pan gasket or rear main seal is my guess.

I would clean the area up and wait to see where the oil forms.. if it is cracked just replace it..it will only get worse

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T377A using Tapatalk

 

[08HoeCD]

Im willing to bet it's your rear main seal. Haven't heard of any oil pans being cracked. If the film is at the top of the oil pan it isn't a cracked pan, pan gasket or rear main seal is my guess.

I would clean the area up and wait to see where the oil forms.. if it is cracked just replace it..it will only get worse.

What's interesting is that the mechanic stated firmly that it is NOT the rear main seal. He seems convinced it's a cracked oil pan.

Service advisor threw out a number close to a grand to replace it. Seems crazy high, but I've never dealt with a cracked oil pan and I have no idea how much labor it is to access & replace.

 

[SnowDrifter]

As of right now this is the worst case of he said she said


<1000 is a wee bit on the high side, but not necessarily unreasonable depending on parts used and shop labor rates in your area.

It's 3.5 hours labor. Plus the pan. Plus gaskets. Plus fluid, filter.

Depending on how your exhaust is set up, that might add some labor time too.

Am I right to read that throwing out a number implies ball parking based on previous experience rather than an itemized quote?

 

[08HoeCD]

Service advisor offered a verbal quote of $930. I'll get an itemized quote for clear reference.

Looks like I've got some decisions to make.

 

[swathdiver]

First thing I'd do is get a can of Brake Clean and spray that area down real good and then fire up the motor to let the aluminum get warmed up and see if and where the leak is.

 

[Doubeleive]

if it's cracked it will always leak....

 

[iamdub]

James beat me to it. I'm a fan of the Super Tech brake parts cleaner from Walmart. Cheap and works great. Ignite the spray with a lighter and you have a sweet little flame thrower. WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES when spraying it.

 

[donjetman]

I had an oil change done at the shop and mechanic showed me how oil is seeping out and around due to a cracked oil pan. I'm seeing no drips/drops on my garage floor, and seeing no noticeable drop in oil pressure.

What are the implications of doing nothing?

If its cracked it should be leaking. Our 2002 5.3 had a crack(previous owner??) in the corner of the pan above the oil filter and leaked. It never fixed itself

 

[08HoeCD]

I've been scratching my head about this, and here's why:

Dealer first claimed the pan was cracked about a year ago. I didn't really buy it because I'd never seen a single drop of oil on my garage floor, where I park every single night, and I've never had any noticeable oil loss or oil pressure variance.

There's been no symptoms at all other than a thin film of oil that sometimes appears on the back side of the pan.

For the sake of argument, let's say it's definitely cracked. If nothing has worsened in at least a year, and there are no dire symptoms, what would you do?

 

[iamdub]

I've been scratching my head about this, and here's why:

Dealer first claimed the pan was cracked about a year ago. I didn't really buy it because I'd never seen a single drop of oil on my garage floor, where I park every single night, and I've never had any noticeable oil loss or oil pressure variance.

There's been no symptoms at all other than a thin film of oil that sometimes appears on the back side of the pan.

For the sake of argument, let's say it's definitely cracked. If nothing has worsened in at least a year, and there are no dire symptoms, what would you do?

Mine's not a DD and when I do drive, it it's usually just to the city- about 60 mile round trips. So, if it wasn't dripping oil, I probably wouldn't worry about it and would just watch for oil spots on the floor while I set aside a repair fund with the expectation that I'll have to replace it eventually. On the other hand, if I were planning a road trip, I'd probably replace it because, as my luck would have it, it would suddenly worsen and leak at the worst possible time.

I'd clean it off and observe to confirm one way or the other to at least know for sure. It could be a slight gasket leak and you could be fretting over nothing.

 

[Derick]

Might as well do your oil pickup tube oring as well since you're in there. As paranoid as I've been lately regarding oil pressure, it's all I see anymore.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

I just went through a cracked oil pan episode. I was leaking oil (small spots on the floor), and I got a local repair shop (not a dealer) to change the oil pan gasket. The quote for the job, including the oil pan gasket and labor was $260. When the oil pan was dropped, they identified a crack on the top flange of the oil pan, and it had separated to the extent where you could catch your fingernail on the crack, as you ran your fingernail across the crack. The quote for a GM replacement oil pan, oil pan gasket, and oil level sensor was $320. I purchased the same 3 items from Rock Auto for $225, including freight (and I purchased the more expensive available oil pan option at $120, since it was made by a manufacturer that the repair shop knew and approved).

Also, if you are not sure where your oil leak is coming from, there is a dye that you can add to the oil, which can help you trace the source of the oil leak, by identifying new oil flows, versus what may have accumulated over time for other reasons.

 

[08HoeCD]

Mine's not a DD and when I do drive, it it's usually just to the city- about 60 mile round trips. So, if it wasn't dripping oil, I probably wouldn't worry about it and would just watch for oil spots on the floor while I set aside a repair fund with the expectation that I'll have to replace it eventually. On the other hand, if I were planning a road trip, I'd probably replace it because, as my luck would have it, it would suddenly worsen and leak at the worst possible time.

I'd clean it off and observe to confirm one way or the other to at least know for sure. It could be a slight gasket leak and you could be fretting over nothing.

I don't mind paying the money to repair/replace it. And I'm all about doing necessary repairs ASAP. On the other hand, the stubborn skeptic in me is weighing the options, given all the circumstances.

 

[02Lightning]

Maybe get a second opinion? It could be a casting seam they are looking at. I'll bet they have a note in your file stating cracked oil pan.