Leaking oil pan gasket

PLEASE HELP!! We love this car but are about ready to send it to the graveyard! All it is is a leaking oil pan. But from all we have seen, and pissing around with it today, it seems that everything has to be taken apart to get at it. Say it isn't so?!?! It's a 1991 Z34 with a 3.4 in it. It's only got 160km on it, it should have more life right?!?! Is there an easy way to change this without taking the motor out? PLEASE HELP!! Thanks!

Heh, that 3.4 is a bear to work on. Oh, change the timing belt while you have it out; its about that time.

Afraid it is so, because although its a great powerplant, its also a poorly thought-out one. You'll have to bite the bullet on this one.

PLEASE HELP!! We love this car but are about ready to send it to the graveyard! All it is is a leaking oil pan. But from all we have seen, and pissing around with it today, it seems that everything has to be taken apart to get at it. Say it isn't so?!?! It's a 1991 Z34 with a 3.4 in it. It's only got 160km on it, it should have more life right?!?! Is there an easy way to change this without taking the motor out? PLEASE HELP!! Thanks!

Are you sure that it is leaking from the oil pan? There is a plug on these motors where a distributor used to go before they came out with the electronic distributorless ignition! This motor has the same old block as some older motors so the hole for the distributor is still there and now under it is an oil drive pump. This plug is notorious for leaking oil very quickly once the o-ring on it gets old. It is on top of the block near the Transmission...under the intake manifold. You can repair it without pulling the motor, but you will need to pull the Intake manifold. This is a Great time to replace the Intake Manifold Gaskets as they tend to get old and leak as well, causing high idle problems. This car is too nice to scrap, so if you got the time and a little cash...by all means do the repairs. Just my opinion as i just did the same things on my 94 Z34 this weekend along with timing belt, and it feels like a New car!!! Gotta Love It! Good Gas & Halls Ass.....P.S. if you don't want to keep the car, sell it to me. lol

He beat me to it. Most times when people think they have a pan leak, they are seeing a leak from above that's finding it's way to the lip of the pan and dripping off. And they are really pissed when changing the pan seal doesn't work. These engines seal pretty good, other than the intakes and the block-off plate on the top, like was said above. Use a mirror and look all the way around the motor carefully before tearing into it.

If it still appears to be the pan, maybe you could try correctly torquing the pan bolts before a replacement, see if it helps?

Are you sure that it is leaking from the oil pan? There is a plug on these motors where a distributor used to go before they came out with the electronic distributorless ignition! This motor has the same old block as some older motors so the hole for the distributor is still there and now under it is an oil drive pump. This plug is notorious for leaking oil very quickly once the o-ring on it gets old. It is on top of the block near the Transmission...under the intake manifold. You can repair it without pulling the motor, but you will need to pull the Intake manifold. This is a Great time to replace the Intake Manifold Gaskets as they tend to get old and leak as well, causing high idle problems. This car is too nice to scrap, so if you got the time and a little cash...by all means do the repairs. Just my opinion as i just did the same things on my 94 Z34 this weekend along with timing belt, and it feels like a New car!!! Gotta Love It! Good Gas & Halls Ass.....P.S. if you don't want to keep the car, sell it to me. lol


omg - I so hope you are right, will check that tonight. :naughty: Question: in the mornings, if the car is not plugged in, it will rev at high rpm's, around 3500. And then it will kick back once the engine gets warm. Could this also be the intake manifold gaskets? My oil pressure is really high. AFter starting it numerous times like that my thought was it would be hard on the seals. Within a matter of 30km of driving it started leaking, ALOT! :banghead: My torque converter is dry and so is the fly wheel. So would assume it's not my rear main seal. I just changed my oil and put in a high milage oil filter and synthetic 5 30. Since then it's not revving high, but I got this sudden leak. and some mis-idling. What are your thoughts on this? Thanks again!! Sooooooo, if it doesn't work out, what are you're offers! lol :naughty:

omg - I so hope you are right, will check that tonight. :naughty: Question: in the mornings, if the car is not plugged in, it will rev at high rpm's, around 3500. And then it will kick back once the engine gets warm. Could this also be the intake manifold gaskets? My oil pressure is really high. AFter starting it numerous times like that my thought was it would be hard on the seals. Within a matter of 30km of driving it started leaking, ALOT! :banghead: My torque converter is dry and so is the fly wheel. So would assume it's not my rear main seal. I just changed my oil and put in a high milage oil filter and synthetic 5 30. Since then it's not revving high, but I got this sudden leak. and some mis-idling. What are your thoughts on this? Thanks again!! Sooooooo, if it doesn't work out, what are you're offers! lol :naughty:

Yes, it sounds like you need "New Lower Intake Gaskets" as well. I have heard that it is not wise to start using Synthetic oils once the car gets older as this will actually start leaks that might not have happened until much later...Not sure about this, but that is what i heard...Also, if you are talking in Kilometers instead of miles on motor, i can tell you that i am unfortunately Way too far from you to purchase if you decide not to keep!!! I am down in New Orleans, Louisiana & i am guessing that you might be way up in Canada...lol