oil pan leak
 

is there any easy way to fix an oil leak on the oil pan? i have a new gasket, but it's such a pain to take the center link off to get the pan out. i also would not like to take the engine out. so, is there any easy way to fix this leak?

You are gonna have to raise the motor a little to replace the gasket.

Easy way to get the oil pan gasket in/out is to jack up the car on a hydraulic floor jack, put a jack stand under the tranny, unbolt the front engine mounts, and then slowly drop the floor jack down, just enough to lift the engine up. Then support the underside of the car with jackstands, and pull the center link out (I know, I know, big pain) and R&R the oil pan and gasket.

Ignore all of this if you have an engine hoist...

Jeff

check to see that all your oil pan bolts are in-deed tight. I reassembled my engine once and tighten the bolts and lowered the engine to the ground and the weight of the engine some how loosed bolts and it started to leak after I ran it and I thought I had a mistirious oil pan leak. Later I checked how tight the bolts were and half of them were loose! So I retighten them and no more leaks..from the oil pan at least.... :)

If you were REALLY lazy, you could just clean around the pan and silicone all the way around.

I also wondered if you could just drop the pan low enough w/out raising the engine or removing the center link... drop the pan low enough that you could snake that new gasket under the pickup tube and up where it needs to go. I think you should try it and let me know if it works! ;)

i already checked, and yes, the bolts are tight. i fixed my rear differential leak by tightening those bolts. i think i'll take the lazy way out for now. it's not a huge problem, but the garage and driveway get all dirty, and i think i'll need to fix it for the track this summer. but yeah, until it really starts to be a problem, or i rebuild, i think the lazy way should be fine.

Save yourself some time and pick up some Permatex High Tack spray a gasket. Clean all around your pan then spray the gasket sealer around the edge of the pan. Ifs its only a minor leak this should fix it if not its just a few bucks and you can use it later.

What I'm planning on doing is cleaning all around the underside of the engine and then replacing the gasket. Make sure you put a bead of silicon or gasket sealer on each side. Let me know how it goes. :)

I found it best to just silicone one side of the gasket Silicone the pan lightly then apply the gasket have the engine clean. Has to be a clean dry surface or you will end up with problems.

the problem isnt replacing the gasket, the problem is that its such a pain to take the centerlink off. right now, im working on preparing for autox season, so im looking for a quick fix while i sort out the suspension and everything else. but thanks