Oil leak

[gadan]

My 98 chevy venture with 140000 miles is leaking oil, the oil pan is always wet outside. I'm wondering if I should pay to replace the gasket or try to tight the oil pan bolts (does not seem to be an easy job). I added a CD-2 Heavy Duty Engine Oil Stop Leak last october, but did not help at all, I think it is even worse now. The engine does not burn oil and I don't have to add oil after 5000 miles, but I don't like to see the oil pan wet. Thanks in advance for your advise and happy new year to everybody.

[cdru]

Are you sure it's the oil pan leaking? I'd give it a hot bath with some engine degreaser and watch it for a few days to see if you can narrow down where it's leaking. I don't recall the exact procedure, but I was thinking pulling the pan was a real PITA on our vans.

[gadan]

Not sure where the oil is coming from, but I would guess the problem is the gasket in the oil pan. I cannot even see the bolts from the botton. Thanks for you reply.

[Glen_T]

Last time I climbed under my '03 Montana, the pan looked pretty easy to remove. The exhaust crossover doesn't go below it, and I seem to recall all the bolts were easily accessed. However, I have the cast aluminum pan version, and perhaps it is easier. The manual I have shows there being side bolts as well as the normal ones on the pan flange. It says that the side bolts are 37 ft-lbs and the flange bolts are 18 ft-lbs, so the side bolts must be larger diameter. It says to apply some RTV to the corner at the "half moon joint" where the cranks is, then tighten the pan flange bolts, then tighten the side bolts.

I strongly agree with cdru - you need to steam clean it or somehow clean it off and then drive it awhile and find the source of the leak. It may be much higher on the engine (like a bad valve cover gasket or hopefully not a head gasket).

Leak stop is generally a short term fix. It essentially just adds a seal swelling agent, and can be effective (temporarily) for rotating seals and o-ring face seals, but are not as effective on other seals. Sometimes the polymers react badly to the seal swelling agent and the leak worsens.

Good luck.....glen

[gadan]

Thanks Glen for the information, mine does not seem to be an easy task, I'll probably take it to the dealer this weekend and see how much will it cost. The stop leak that I added probably (like you said) made things much worse. Thanks again for your help.

[cdru]

Looks like you need to drop the entire engine subframe down to get the pan off. The support fixture mention below is a metal beam that goes across the top of the engine to support it from above when you lower the subframe down.

From the Autozone Guide (which comes from AllData):
Removal and installation of the oil pan in this vehicle requires the use of some special tools. Needed are the following:

* Universal Support Fixture
* Engine Support Fixture Adapters
* Engine Support Fixture Adapter
* Torque Wrench Adapter

1. Install a suitable universal support fixture, engine support fixture adapters and the engine support fixture adapter.
2. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
3. Raise and safely support the vehicle.
4. Drain the engine oil into a suitable container.
5. Remove the oil filter drip shield, bolts and shield.
6. Disconnect the exhaust pipe from the manifold.
7. Place jackstands under the frame at the front and rear.
8. Remove the engine mount-to-frame nuts, then remove the transaxle mount-to-frame nuts.
9. Loosen, but do not remove, the rear frame bolts.
10. Remove the front frame bolts, then lower the front of the frame.
11. Remove the engine mount and bracket.
12. Remove the starter, as outlined in Engine Electrical of this repair guide.
13. Remove the oil level wiring harness connector.
14. Remove the transaxle brace.
15. Remove the oil pan side bolts, remove the oil pan bottom bolts, and remove the pan.
16. Thoroughly clean all gasket mating surfaces including the oil pan flanges, oil pan rail, front cover, rear main bearing cap and the threaded holes.

Check the oil pan for any damage, check at the drain hole, and check the drain plug for stripped threads. Repair or replace as necessary.

To install:

17. Position the oil pan gasket.
18. Apply sealant to the oil pan gasket tabs at the rear main bearing caps.
19. Install the oil pan, then tighten the pan bolts to 18 ft. lbs. (25 Nm).
20. Install the oil pan side bolts and tighten to 37 ft. lbs. (50 Nm) using a torque wrench adapter.
21. Reconnect the oil level wiring harness connector.
22. Install the transaxle brace.
23. Install the starter, as outlined in Engine Electrical .
24. Install the engine mount bracket and mount.
25. Raise the frame to the proper position using new frame bolts.
26. Remove the jackstands.
27. Connect the exhaust pipe to the manifold.
28. Install the transaxle and engine mount nuts.
29. Install the oil filter drip shield and bolts.
30. Lower the vehicle and fill the crankcase with oil.
31. Remove the special tools installed at the beginning of this procedure.
32. Connect the negative battery cable.

[gadan]

Wow, sounds like a lot of work.... I think I'm going to keep driving w/o replacing it, it is going to be way to expensive to me.
Thanks for your post.

[spud5150]

had mine done under aftermarket warranty.I paid the $250 deductable.I am a heavy equipment mechanic by trade,but after looking up the job on alldata,at 8.0 hours I figured it was cheaper to let them do it.Long answer to short question,I would live with it as long as it isnt too bad{BUT I HATE OIL LEAKS TOO}.

[gadan]

I hate oil leaks too, but my leak is not too bad to pay 8 hours to the dealer to replace the oil pan gasket. I replaced the oil 4500 miles ago and still did not need to add any oil, even if the oil pan is wet outside. I'm wondering if there is a good product out there to stop leaks, and if any of them really works well overtime.

[MIBPreacher]

Just wanted to give my 2 cents, but I also have the aluminum looking pan and mine was also wet about 2 years ago. take a look at the passenger side of your van, pull the front tire and remove the plastic skirt. I actually had a bolt vibrate loose to the point that I had maybe 2 threads left before it would have fallen out. This bolt in on the front side of the van and the head faces the bumper (so thats horizontal right?) Clean it and loctite it if its loose.

[irican]

i notice when i get an oil change the pan has some oil on it, then while driving it spreads around the pan thus looking like it could be a gasket problem, i agree with prior post give it a hot bath and narrow it down good luck

[89ltd]

could also leak on the passenger side at the vibration damper, there is a seal behind it.