I hit a metal bracket in the road yesterday..it literally got stuck under there. All the oil drained out almost immediately. Towed to garage.

Questions. Is it difficult to replace? How many hours labor should I expect to pay for? Does it require an aftermarket oil pan if there is such a thing? And how much would a replacement cost? Just trying to get ballpark answers here so I don't get ripped off by the garage who I have no experience with.

Thanks in advance guys
1985 GSL SE

 

Oil pans are easy to replace. They can remove a link in the steering (so the pan will clear). Then remove all the small bolts. Then gasket or sealer on the new pan and re-install. I could do it easily in 1hr.

You can get the pan new from Mazdatrix for about $90. Luckily the CA emissions SE pan is cheaper since it doesn't have a spot for the sensor for the sub-zero system. I believe the ones with the spot for the sensor are like $145.

http://www.mazdatrix.com/boil1.htm

You can check with the local dealer for the oil pan as well. Many times, the dealer will only be slightly more expensive than Mazdatrix. Once you pay shipping at Mazdatrix, it might be the same price or less at the dealer.

So no more than $100 for the pan and probably 1hr labor. It is easy to do yourself. Just need a jack/stands, and a few basic tools if you want to go that route.

 

I would think it could be welded if its not near the edge but Id worry more that they are gonna break off 1/2 of the oil pan bolts when they pull it off and want to charge you an insane amount to get them out. If your pan cant be repaired I'd just hunt for a used one here - probably ~ 70$?

Whenever I pull my oilpan off Im gonna get the respeed oilpan brace to stop the minor leaks Ive had since Ive owned the car. It also gets rid of the oilpan bolts and replaces them with studs (less likely to snap off)

 

Yep. That way works well to. Either way is just about as easy.

Now the question is, how quickly did you shut it down? I sure hope that you didn't run into engine damage due to oil starvation.

 

Book time from Alldata is 1.4 hours. My shop labor rate is $86.74 an hour so it would run you about $121.44 for the labor. I dont know what the labor rate is at the shop you are at but Im about average for my area. So then just figure the cost of the pan, you'll probalby be somewhere around $300 when all said and done.

 

Thanks! Probably need the gasket too huh? Quote from local dealer $112/50 for the pan and gasket...

The guy at the garage's first guess "a coupla hundred"...

Just saw the replies..ouch $300. But I didn't mean to hit that thing in the middle of the road. Can't you give me a break?

 

Be glad it got the oil pan, and not the gas tank...

You can try hitting boneyards for used pans.

If it's already at a garage, you'd maybe pay as much or more in tow charges for the garage guy to tow it to your house & do it yourself, as it would be to have them do it, though.

 

I believe that that is made by Banzai Racing.

As for the oil pan, skip the gasket. RTV will work better.

 

dont you have to get a gasket and use rtv to seal?
im about to pull off my oil pan soon to install the oil drain line.

 

I use a gasket and RTV on both sides. If we didn't need a gasket, then why do companies make them?

 

If you search, there has been much discussion about gasket and no gasket. If you go with a gasket, you will need to use RTV as well. Some use only RTV and it seems to work just as well. The instructions for that Banzai Racing kit say to just use RTV as well.

You can get a cheaper gasket made by felco as well. Rock Auto stocks it.

 

i've got a nice oil pan. $20+shipping

 

I use a product made by Permatex at my shop called Right Stuff gasket maker. Works great when you don't want leaks or cant find a gasket. I've used it for rear ends, trans pans, oil pans etc without any other gasket and haven't had any issues with sealing. manufacturers use gaskets during production because A) until recently RTV didn't provide enough of a permenent seal and B) on an assembly line using a gasket is easier.