Car Service Land Coupons for Oil change, Tires, Wheel alignment, Brakes, Maintenance
Your car’s engine operates in such a manner that all the fluid gets reused or recirculated in some way or the other. In other words, nothing really escapes from the engine. A lot of credit for this goes to the oil pan gaskets and seals that prevent coolant and oil from leaking out.
To put it in simple words; oil pan gaskets prevent leaks. Oil pan gasket leaks usually start out as small drips. If ignored for long, they can actually cause enough leaks to literally destroy the appearance of the spot where your car is parked.
What Causes the Oil Pan Gasket to Leak?
To be upfront over here: high-quality oil pan gaskets fitted by a skilled car technician rarely leak, which should give you clear hints that a bad installation job done by an unskilled technician can cause it to leak. Unfortunately, this usually happens when the car gets attended by a new trainee hired for summer months to temporarily fill a vacant spot.
This is not the only reason, though. Several other factors can also cause the oil gasket to leak oil, such as old age, constant exposure to high pressure, contact with hot fluids, and excessive vibrations. If you are experiencing an oil pan gasket leak, you need to get in touch with a trusted car mechanic to fix the issue.
Of course, being well-aware of the market rates for a repair job of this nature will help you a lot. So, let’s discuss the cost.
The Average Price Of Oil Pan Gasket Replacement
The oil pan gasket itself doesn’t cost a lot. In fact, you can get it on a shoestring budget. It’s the labor cost that might upset you a bit. For those who don’t know, the labor cost is high because of how annoyingly difficult it is to get to the oil pan gasket removal spot.
Traditionally, the pan sits at the bottom. So, the technician will have to undo the bolts around it to take it off. So, there’s a lot of groundwork involved, which means that you have to brace yourself to spend anywhere from $100 to $500, depending on the difficulty level posed by your car.
| Auto Center | Price |
|---|---|
| Mr. Tire | $120 – $480 |
| NAPA | $155 – $450 |
| Pep Boys | $180 – $475 |
| Your Mechanic | $200 – $500 |
For some car models, it will be a one-hour job. However, for some cars, it will be a six-hour job, depending on the make and model.
For How Long can you Ignore the Problem?
Car experts recommend vehicle owners to fix the issue as soon as the problem is caught. A worn-out or damaged pan gasket can cause severe oil leaks. Worse yet, it can cause the car engine to overheat. If the oil drops below a certain level, there’s no telling how bad the situation can get.
Seriously, you can expect a catastrophic outcome from long-term ignorance of this issue. Not to discount the fact that you will also lose a lot of money on oil wastage. Fluid spills also equate to less lubrication of vital engine parts, which may cause these parts to fail.
It goes without saying, this will only cause more dents in your bank account.
Oil Pan Gasket Replacement Procedure Explained
As hinted earlier, the oil pan gasket replacement is not a simple job. But then, it’s within the reach of an average car owner who has shown interest in a similar type of work in the past.
Let’s show you the steps so that you can gauge if you can do the job for yourself or not.
- To begin with, the mechanic will inspect the car for leaks. The mechanic has to inspect from which part the car is leaking oil.
- If the evidence leads to the oil pan gasket leak, the mechanic will work towards disassembling the gasket and the oil pan.
- This will take a long time, depending on the car parts that are blocking the way, which should explain the high labor cost for this job.
- Once the mechanic finds his way to the oil pan gasket, the mechanic will disassemble the oil filter and replace it with a new one.
- Of course, if an oil change is due, the mechanic will get the oil changed simultaneously. A new filter will be placed too.
- Then, the car technician will clean the oil pan. Once the oil pan is cleaned, the new gasket will be installed in place of the old one.
- Finally, the mechanic will put everything back in their respective places, and test the work by firing the engine to check for leaks.
How to Save Money on Oil Pan Gasket Replacement Cost?
There are people who get the oil pan gasket replaced themselves. Of course, they might get a volunteer to help them out, such as their spouse, son, etc., which, obviously, doesn’t cost them a dime. You can follow their route and save money on the oil pan gasket replacement.
We are sorry if we made it sound too simple because it’s actually not. But, if you have done a similar job before, then why not attempt a repair? We have already laid down the steps earlier for your sheer convenience. That said, the type of car you own will determine how complex the job will be.
So, don’t take a risk if you are not truly confident about handling the repair. In scenarios like this, you can buy the part yourself and save some bucks for yourself. As mentioned earlier, the oil pan gasket doesn’t cost a lot. Therefore, you won’t be able to save a heck lot of money.
