With 180k miles, my 15 year old car is in dire need of a new oil pan gasket as It's leaking oil everywhere.

Tools Needed:

- 10mm Socket & Wrench
- 12mm socket & wrench
- 14mm socket & wrench
- 17mm socket
- Extension
- Oil Filter removal tool
- Silicone gasket




remove oil cap


Using a 17mm socket, remove the drain plug & watch out for oil coming out straight into your face. Drinking it is optional.



Or do what I did and drain it into a container to recycle.


Now remove the down pipe that's right below the oil pan & blocking it.
It should be 14mm & 12mm bolts. Oh yea, don't forget to unplug the oxygen sensor


Now remove the dust shield. It should be 17mm bolt & 10mm bolts (3)


Now remove a crapload of these 10mm nut & bolts around the oil pan.


Here it is removed. The old oil pan gasket was ridiculously hard. No wonder it's leaking oil everywhere.


Now put the oil pan gasket onto the oil pan (be careful as it only go in one way.) I also put some RTV silicone around the pan just for precaution. I suggest you use a razor blade and clean up any leftover gasket residue on the oil pan & block before putting the new one on.


Put the oil pan back in and then the dust shield. Tighten up all the bolts and then go back and make sure they're all tighten again.



Since my car have 180k miles on it, no need for any brand name or synthetic. Just put new oil in and enjoy.
**I recommend you change the oil filter also before lowering the car down.**

 

is it leaking yet? did it take?

normally i always install those dry but am very careful in the prep. using brake cleaner on the block and the pan mating surfaces works wonders. i even lightly sand the pan after cleaning to pull any soaked layer of oil out of the paint. also worth noting is that it's much easier to do this job 1st thing in the morning before you fire the car. if you move the car and then pull it you will be dripping oil for hours. lastly, never torque the bolts to more than 10ft/lb

 

why not more than 10ft lb?

 

Nice write-up.

 

You risk breaking one of the little bolts off. Anyway, I must say, for 180k, your motor is very clean inside

 

Thanks, I bought it from the original owner.

 

you forgot to mention to be careful not to leave behind the old little stud washer things that are built into the old gasket. i removed my old gasket and the old washers stayed behind. when i reinstalled my gasket it leaked. im talking about the studs on the oil pump. also you forgot to mention not to put RTV over the entire mating surface. under crankshaft pressure it will blow out. RTV should only be used where the oil pump meets the block. just two small dabs at the seams and the same for the tranny crank seal cap. (dont know the proper name for what im refering to) ill try to find pics of both the old washers and where to put rtv. it would help make your thread more complete. nice write up.

 

Yeah I didn't use any RTV at all and my gasket hasn't leaked yet since I installed it over a year ago.

Also, do not over-tighten the nuts/bolts, because it will squash the gasket and make it leak. I recommend using a small, accurate inch-pounds torque wrench. It can measure 105 in-lbs better than a larger one can measure 8.8 ft-lbs.

 

Nice write-up.

 

i took out the screw... and still the oil pan won't come out still!!!! help me....anyone??

 

its stuck on there. carefully pry it out or pull on it. Might also help if you hit it with a rubber mallet.

 

nice write up, isn't there a correct pattern of tighten the bolts?

 

found this

 

Good write-up! This is something that's pretty easy to do but it can be a pain lol!

 

Thanks for the visuals. i got my gasket for months now and haven't had a chance to change it out. had other stuff on the car to take care of. this thread will definitely make it easier.

 

How tight do you tighten the oil pan bolts...?

 

I guess everyone has there own technique. I always put a little honda bond on the studs as well.

The factory torque specs on the oil pan bolts is 9 ft lbs.

Nice write-up added to the faq

 

im not surprised, everyone on this forum seems to think that honda bond is a substitute for everything

 

Thanks For the Post bud Im Actually Doing That Tomorrow Morning. So if All goes Good Ill Post Up Pics Up from My 96 LS

 

And? Problem? Use whatever you want. I'll keep doing **** the way I do with zero issues.

 

is it normal for the gasket to squeeze out the side some?

 

Mine got "squeezed" just enough to feel a definite bulge between the pan and block.

 

Is it a must to take the down pipe off? or can you get around that?

 

^ its a must.

 

i didnt completely remove the header
since i have a 1 piece header i just removed the header from the block and it worked out fine
i used a morosso oil pan too (baffled)