Oil Pan leak
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 12
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From: Spring Branch Texas
Oil Pan leak
I have been researching oil leaks; specifically oil pan leaks. I have read about re-torquing the bolts may solve the leaking problem. Since my 02 seems to have a leak that could be the oil pan I ask...Has this possible solution ever worked? I see many people offer it as a possible solution but I never see a reply stating that that did the trick.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
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From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
LOL!! You can pay the $1000+ that some shops charge to replace the gasket OR give the retorque a try. Its your dime..
All you are investing in the retorque is a little time vs a LOT of cash for the gasket replacement.
WARNING.. DO not over torque the bolts. Especially the smaller ones and the ones at the front and rear of the pan.
There are NUMEROUS causes of LS engine oil leaks.... Are you SURE it the oil pan causing the issue. Have you tried to clean the engine and bottom of the car and take a short trip and see where the oil leak originates from??
That the best bet to ensure that the you fix the correct issue.
Bill
All you are investing in the retorque is a little time vs a LOT of cash for the gasket replacement.
WARNING.. DO not over torque the bolts. Especially the smaller ones and the ones at the front and rear of the pan.
There are NUMEROUS causes of LS engine oil leaks.... Are you SURE it the oil pan causing the issue. Have you tried to clean the engine and bottom of the car and take a short trip and see where the oil leak originates from??
That the best bet to ensure that the you fix the correct issue.
Bill
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Spring Branch Texas
I had a mechanic take a look when he replaced my harmonic balancer and he was not completely sure but he thinks it was the oil pan and he gave me a rough quote of $1800. Too much for me so I an looking at all possibilities including UV dye. I just don't want to get my hopes up that the re-torque is the solution.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 243
Likes: 168
From: Ladson,SC
Because the actual upper oil pan gasket is riveted on the oil pan in two places, but the batwing area on the lower oil pan area gasket (this is where the oil pick up screen located) needs to get replace also. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think part of the K frame is in this area and then it has to be lowered to R&R both of the gaskets.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2012
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I had a mechanic take a look when he replaced my harmonic balancer and he was not completely sure but he thinks it was the oil pan and he gave me a rough quote of $1800. Too much for me so I an looking at all possibilities including UV dye. I just don't want to get my hopes up that the re-torque is the solution.
Also did your mechanic change out the front crank gasket when he changed out your balancer? Because as far as I know when the gasket becomes hard over time and when the balancer is removed it becomes damaged in the process. So when the new balancer is installed and the motor is turned on.....
Highly recommended for you to put the car on the lift clean the bottom and around the pan best you can, then use some UV dye, turn the car on while lifted, wait some time and then go around checking for leaks.
Last edited by jimmyLSX; Nov 21, 2018 at 11:25 PM.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Spring Branch Texas
Well gaskets get hard over time, but the C5 corvette main oil pan has two sections, if the leak is coming from the bat wing section then it is relatively easy to replace, but if its coming from the top part of the pan then the cradle has to be dropped to change it out. Then their are the gaskets on the covers, the front cover(timing) gasket and front crank gasket that rides around the balancer, then the gaskets on the rear main cover(same part number as the front cover) and the rear crank gasket that rides around where the flywheel/flexplate bolt on. Both sections of these gaskets are a pain to get to and change out, its also highly recommended to use a cover alignment tool when changing out the gaskets so they're aren't pinched and cause a leak to form. Sac City Corvette sells some alignment tools.
Also did your mechanic change out the front crank gasket when he changed out your balancer? Because as far as I know when the gasket becomes hard over time and when the balancer is removed it becomes damaged in the process. So when the new balancer is installed and the motor is turned on.....
Highly recommended for you to put the car on the lift clean the bottom and around the pan best you can, then use some UV dye, turn the car on while lifted, wait some time and then go around checking for leaks.
Also did your mechanic change out the front crank gasket when he changed out your balancer? Because as far as I know when the gasket becomes hard over time and when the balancer is removed it becomes damaged in the process. So when the new balancer is installed and the motor is turned on.....
Highly recommended for you to put the car on the lift clean the bottom and around the pan best you can, then use some UV dye, turn the car on while lifted, wait some time and then go around checking for leaks.
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