Oil pan gasket leak

[BIKER13]

Out of curiosity how many of you giving advice are actually mechanics?

i aint no mechanic but I know an oil leak when I see one and can determine the extent by putting a piece of cardboard under the pan. The rest is up to the OP and what he does.

 

[mfoster]

I alwa

What others have said. They're full of it. Do what Biker13 recommended and see how it goes.

I started doing my own work (especially oil changes) when (about 2001) some 19 year old robo momo at one of the "lube places" came into the waiting room carrying my brand new K&N air filter to show me how dirty it was and how it needed replacing and they just so happened to have a new filter for $21.00.

I went ballistic. First because I told the ****ing moron to NOT touch the air filter housing (they always break something) and second because of the down right fraud. I mean the K&N filter is washable and reusable but also because I'd literally put the damned thing in myself only two days before.

i tell them to do what ever they think it needs,I’m only paying for a oil change

 

[User170512]

The oil pan has got to be the easiest part of a vehicle to remove since they are usually fully exposed which would make putting a new gasket on it simple enough.

I imagine if you aren't a do it yourselfer then it'd cost about 150 dollars for someone else to do.

I've worked on some where you can't even see but a 1/4 of the pan with all the cross members and BS in the way.

 

[Gingerbeard Man]

I had a car with a leaky oil pan gasket when we lived in Hawaii. Car had 287k miles under her belt and still ran like a champ. I just called it the perpetual oil change. Always kept her topped off and always had clean oil on the dipstick. Bet she's still cruising the island to this day.

Long story short, just check your dipstick, top off when needed.

 

[Dan Muk]

All you damn know it alls and no one has mention flexseal yet!? I am ashamed of y’all!

 

[Glock 21]

All you damn know it alls and no one has mention flexseal yet!? I am ashamed of y’all!View attachment 5924409

That will work fine for a temporary solution but to do the job right a few tubes of JB Weld down the oil fill is the way to go. Let car run 30 mins and shouldn’t have to worry about the oil leak anymore

 

[basstracker89]

If you had an oil leak like they're suggesting, you'd have to put oil in your car almost every day. Yes, if it's leaking that bad it could start a fire. This is why I do as much of my own maintenance as possible. To keep an eye on things myself. That way I know what's going on. At least get 2 or 3 estimates. You've gotten a lot of good advise on this post

 

[User170512]

I had an old car once and could tell how bad the oil leak was getting without ever looking under the car at all. The whole rear of the car/bumper would start getting an oil misting all over it.

 

[Trailrider]

Out of curiosity how many of you giving advice are actually mechanics?

Been working on my own stuff since I was a kid with my dad. Does that count?

Can't say I've worked on an 09 Mazda before though. I know, I'm not an ASE certified tech working at a shop but I know my way around tools, motors, cars/trucks, boats, motorcycles, etc. Just the way I was raised, he didn't take anything to the mechanic, we fixed it ourselves in the driveway. We even built a couple of Camaros, one Trans Am, and a GTO.

I will admit though, as I get older I am a lot less tolerant of crawling around under a vehicle than I used to be. Back/neck hurts for days and those knuckle busters don't heal as fast