Oil pan leak - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

stanno · 10-18-2010, 02:57 PM

I got a bad leak from the oil pan (can see oil dripping at the bung) ... i was wondering if the oil bung gasket normally goes bad... or maybe it's the bung bolt and pan that needs re-treading at a machine shop. it leaks pretty bad.

PaulPR · 10-18-2010, 06:18 PM

Keep in mind, that the oil plug is the lowest thing on the engine, so many leaks originating above that will find their way down to the plug.

There should be a gasket deal between the plug and the pan that I replace at every oil change.

stanno · 10-19-2010, 09:09 AM

Thanks, I already ruled out a leak from above though. It's def originating from the bung area... the rest of the pan (on all sides) is clean. How difficult is it to replace? Will it require removing the oil pan and a visit to the local machine shop?

PaulPR · 10-19-2010, 01:42 PM

Hopefully someone w/ more experience will be along to provide a better answer. If it were me, I'd drain the oil and take a close look at the plug and threaded hole and see what's going on. Is there a gasket installed? Are the surfaces of the plug and bung smooth? Are the threads damaged? I didn't go out and look, but I'm thinking the bung deal is welded to the pan.

If the pan has to come off, it's a pretty big deal. I know someone has posted a link to an on-line service manual. You really need one before digging in that deep.

I'm curious, do you use one of those franchise oil change places?

stanno · 10-19-2010, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulPR

Hopefully someone w/ more experience will be along to provide a better answer. If it were me, I'd drain the oil and take a close look at the plug and threaded hole and see what's going on. Is there a gasket installed? Are the surfaces of the plug and bung smooth? Are the threads damaged? I didn't go out and look, but I'm thinking the bung deal is welded to the pan.

If the pan has to come off, it's a pretty big deal. I know someone has posted a link to an on-line service manual. You really need one before digging in that deep.

I'm curious, do you use one of those franchise oil change places?

I was gonna take it off and have a machine shop cut new threading for both the oil pan and bung plug... cuz the only conclusion i could come to why it was leaking oil from there was damaged treading... the bung plug gives a bit of resistance at first when running it in .... (it was like this when i bought the car)

But then i ran across the gasket on toyodiy.com (click the link and you can see a pic of it labeled 12101B. http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/diag_Dl9pZH.png )

Before seeing this today... i didn't even know that the oil pan bung carried a gasket... so i'm now wondering if that gasket is something that goes bad esp on a high milage 3s. i got about 160,000+ miles on mine.

I change my own oil and got the manual printed at home ...getting off the oil pan is hardly a problem for me... just that i'd hate to spend money cutting new treading when i could've just got a gasket (if i can find it here).

I'm due for an oil change soon... and i really don't want to have the problem with the fresh oil... it leaks enough that i have to top up every now and then and leaves oil wherever i park

white90dx · 10-19-2010, 04:22 PM

Just get whatever universal oil drain plug gasket you can find at your local auto parts store. It is supposed to be replaced every oil change as part of the standard procedure. The OEM one from the dealer (it should come with the oil filter if you buy one there) is a steel crush style, but a copper gasket will work too.

You can often get a couple uses out of one in a pinch, but beyond that it will start leaking (or it will definitely leak if there is no gasket at all).

-Charlie

stanno · 10-19-2010, 05:40 PM

Thanks charlie. I'm gonna call the dealer tomorrow and inquire about it.

stanno · 03-11-2011, 02:04 PM

update:

I haven't gotten around to purchasing a gasket but i did do an oil change recently... and i'm not sure if the gasket is supposed to be pressed onto the drain bung but i took a pic of the bung...

this however fixed my leaking bung

PaulPR · 03-11-2011, 02:15 PM

Maybe it's just the picture, but that's one nasty looking drain plug/gasket. I'm not even convinced it's stock. My '91 has a nice cad plated bolt w/ a shouldered head. the shoulder of the head squeezes the gasket betweeen the bolt head and the bung/flange on the oil pan. Can you take a pict of the oil pan flange/bung?

stanno · 03-11-2011, 04:59 PM

This is the only pic I have of the oil pan with the bung removed. Is this what you wanted?

PaulPR · 03-11-2011, 06:18 PM

Here's what the oil pan looks like on our '91 (w/ 3SFE, 4 cyl). If the thread sealant took care of it, that's great.

...and yes I do have a few oil leaks of my own to take care of.

Mike Gerber · 03-12-2011, 09:30 AM

Just an FYI. The Toyota OEM gasket has 2 different sides. There is a smoother side, which is designed to go toward the oil pan. This helps prevent the gasket from sticking to the pan when you remove the oil drain pan bolt.

Mike