Maybe a noob question but after 18 months of storage, i took the car out for the first time this past Sun. I noticed a decent sized dent in the oil pan when i changed the oil before the drive. I proceeded with my oil change and took the car out for a drive. Car drives fine, VTEC comes on, no oil light.

My questions are:

1. Whatever i hit that resulted in the dent in the pan, could it have also damage the oil pick up resulting in oil starvation?
2. If oil starvation was experienced, would i have problems with VTEC and i might get an oil light?

I will eventually take the pan off and inspect the oil pick up but i want to know if it's something i can put off until the next oil change.....amsoil is expensive!

Thanks.

 

depending how 'deep' the dent, i would take it off to inspect it. if's not too bad, i wouldn't worry since your oil pickup isn't located right next to the oil pan casing (more centered).

if you're starving the oil, i'd be more worried about spinning a rod than vtec engagement. get a new oil pan gasket when you take it off.

 

oil light comes on when it drops below like 5psi of oil pressure.

if there isnt enough oil pressure VTEC cant engage.

 

A picture is worth a thousand words...

 

Will get a picture tonight......i was hoping that if i have no problem with VTEC, it must mean oil pressure is sufficient meaning no oil starvation. And the dent is in the center of the oil pan, like i said, will get some pics up tonight.

 

Images added, please comment.

Thanks.

 

same here i have a deep dent in my oil pan. Vtec still engages and it also pulls hard. I wish my oil pick up isnt damaged.

 

I find it funny about the expensive amsoil comment, my truck got 3 oil changes last summer due to engine mods and it holds 15 quarts of amsoil, lol.

 

What's $40 for oil when it can save you $4000 engine...great investment if you ask me.

Oil pan doesn't look really bad, but I would change is asap with a new gasket. Inspect the oil pickup while you're at it.

 

the pick up is my only concern, it's not far off the floor of the pan and you don't want to have the clearance so tight that it limits flow between the two. it's obvious to most of us what caused it. too low or too soft in regards to spring rates.

 

Take the pan down, bang out with hammer and re-install.
not brain surgery.

 

agreed. i wouldnt replace that pan. but if it was in my R i would be **** enough to pull it and hit the ****er with a hammer till was the shape i liked. but really from the looks of it, its in front of the pickup, shouldnt affect it...but, i love my R and dont feel like loosing a motor to a dent in the pan.

 

I had a dent in mine. Took it off and hammered the S out of it with a hammer and block of wood. Good to go! It didn't get to my pickup which is a good thing.

 

Thanks for all the replies, i found a used one that someone is getting rid of locally for cheap, i will just pick that up and replace it this weekend.

 

Good idea, If that doesn't come through let me know I'll have a spare one for sale this weekend upon installing my Mugens ! good luck!

 

Update, dented pan was removed and replaced, no damage to the oil pick up! Time for more VTEC action!

 

so does your vtec work now after replacing the pan?

 

VTEC always worked, just wanted to ensure the motor was not starving oil.