Mr. Bagel

Roommate has a 1995 Civic DX 2dr automatic. The oil pan gasket is leaking a little bit and needs to be replaced. Dealer wants to charge him 200 bucks. The part is ~$15 online.

I'm quite mechanically inclined but have never worked on a Civic before, nor anything front wheel drive before.

- Is there anything that I need to be aware of in this replacement?
- Is it straight forward? or is this a PITA where other crap must be removed from the car before the pan drops? Nope, I haven't looked under his car yet to see the pan itself.
- the gasket itself, just need to clarify which one to get:

http://www.hondaautomotivepart...+ASSY.

or, here is two of them listed here:

http://data.autopartsgo.com/pa...o.com

Thanks! Any tips are welcome. And yes, I searched without much luck. Difficult to narrow down this basic task that for most of you, who swap engines, etc. is quite commonplace.

func-tion

you will have to remove the header.

Thats all I can think of.

Are you guys sure that the leak isint coming from a cam seal, head gasket, or the oil filter?

2trix

cake...cake, cake, cake...drain the oil, remove the nuts, drop the pan (sometime gets stuck a little, use the flatest item you can find and give it a littel jimmy), clean the bottom of the block and remove all the old gasket that may have gotten stuck on (i use a gasket remove tool to be had at any auto store for about $2), move onto the pan and do the same (use the "tool" or chisel, or flathead screwdriver) and remove the left over gasket material, clean it up while your at it, drop the new gasket on the pan, apply a light (i mean light) layer of clear rtv silicone to each corner of the gasket and the dip where it mates to the block, make sure the gasket is lined up and put it upto the block, put all the nuts on loose and then tourqe to spec in a criss cross pattern starting in the middle of the block and alternate to each side....thats about it i guess? super easy...you do not have to remove the header but it will help...maybe just remove the lower portion, unless its a onepeice. ive personally have never ever seen a leak from the oilfilter...that might be cuz i hang out with reasonably compitent people who can hand tighten... the cam seal is possible but not likely because it would take quite a leak to find its way to the ground enough for you to say " whoah im leaking oil"...if its an oil leak on the block then yes, trance it to the source...also how much oil is being lost? no oil from headgasket...if it were youd have way more trouble than a little leak! check the coolant to see if any oil is floating...if so then headgasket.

Mr. Bagel

thanks mucho for the prompt responses. I'll take a look at the header placement tomorrow and see if it needs to be yanked - probably so - and will pick up a gasket for that as well. should be a cheap and easy replacement.

and I haven't looked/diagnosed the issue. it was a problem that the dealer alerted him to some time ago and then again last week. so... according to them - and this dealership is quite honest towards him - this is the issue.

thanks again! and I'll make sure to look up proper torque specs, which shouldn't be much for that pan.