Changing oil pan gasket *advice*

[98piranha]

So I just got through changing my valve cover gaskets today following some of the great advice I found on this site. I'm planning to change my oil pan gasket next and am looking for some advice from someone who's done this before. 1998 automatic 4x4.
Your help would be greatly appreciated
Aloha

 

[FoneRunner]

My advice is to make sure you have all the tools and plenty of patience...on a 4WD, the diff has to come out to get to it....so I took mine to a mechanic to do!

 

[Hi-Fi]

Drain the oil before you take it off

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

 

[98piranha]

Today 05:28 AM
FoneRunner My advice is to make sure you have all the tools and plenty of patience...on a 4WD, the diff has to come out to get to it....so I took mine to a mechanic to do!
Yesterday 09:45 PM

How much did it cost?

 

[FoneRunner]

If I recall it was around 450...I say that because I had them do some other work while they had it all out.

 

[98piranha]

Thanks fonerunner.

 

[Victor]

There is no gasket for the oil pan. Are you sure the oil pan is leaking? Honestly, these rarely leak and you should get a professional opinion before going ahead with it. In the end, if it's the pan that's leaking then it only needs to be re-sealed (silicone)

 

[98piranha]

There is no gasket for the oil pan. Are you sure the oil pan is leaking? Honestly, these rarely leak and you should get a professional opinion before going ahead with it. In the end, if it's the pan that's leaking then it only needs to be re-sealed (silicone)

I must of got ripped off at the parts store cause I have an oil pan gasket haha

 

[FoneRunner]

I think the factory uses FIPG or RTV to seal the oil pan...not technically a gasket like the valve covers or heads have, but still...stuff happens. I agree you should be 100% extra sure thats the issue before you tear it down. MIne actually turned out to be the rear main seal...

 

[notrayray]

I must of got ripped off at the parts store cause I have an oil pan gasket haha

I think the factory uses FIPG or RTV to seal the oil pan...

This.
It's "form in place gasket" from the factory.

 

[athlon450]

Permatex The Right Stuff. Fixes it right every time!

 

[1998 T4R KG]

Ha! I was just quoted $1200

 

[AZ4Running]

Yeah pretty sure mine leaks as well, oil all round it and lots of crap on front of engine from the fan blowing it back and up a little. You dont have to remove the front diff i think dropping it down should do the trick. I will be doing this here soon so i will find out. Im a mechanic so i woukd just bri g it to myself to do, so im stuck doing it either way, same me a lot of money though. The oil pan is sealed with rtv not a gasket btw.

 

[thor999]

If there is indeed gasket material to be removed, use a plastic putty knife as much as possible, NOT a screwdriver; you do not want to gouge the mating surfaces!

 

[Sierra946]

Allow plenty of time. The bolts on top of diff that need to be removed are a real PIA.

 

[tyr0981]

Thread revival time! Was it the pan gasket (RTV failure)? i've got what looks like a pan gasket failure also... looking for tips as usual on here! :boom:

 

[Myrunr2010]

Yeah pretty sure mine leaks as well, oil all round it and lots of crap on front of engine from the fan blowing it back and up a little. You dont have to remove the front diff i think dropping it down should do the trick. I will be doing this here soon so i will find out. Im a mechanic so i woukd just bri g it to myself to do, so im stuck doing it either way, same me a lot of money though. The oil pan is sealed with rtv not a gasket btw.

Were you able to just lower the diff down or did it have to come all the way out?

 

[Pyral]

I just removed my skid plate and realized that my oil pan leak keeps getting worse. Now I add a quart of oil every 4k miles.

The price to fix this leak is expensive since it requires the removal of the front differential. Is there anything else that I should have replaced when I do eventually get it fixed?

 

[JoeT4R]

I just removed my skid plate and realized that my oil pan leak keeps getting worse. Now I add a quart of oil every 4k miles.

The price to fix this leak is expensive since it requires the removal of the front differential. Is there anything else that I should have replaced when I do eventually get it fixed?

If you haven’t done so already, it may be worth a shot. But you could try gently tightening the pan bolts in the event that they are loose. Which reminds me, I need to check mine. I had my pan replaced in February 2015 and there seems to be a little bit of dampness from the driver side, right beneath the oil filter.


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[Pyral]

I haven't tried that, but the oil pan is one of those things where you have to make sure you tighten it down evenly, otherwise one side will squeeze down while the other side will lift up and potentially start leaking.

I don't think there is all that much RTV left anyway