Oil pan gasket leak??

**transamgirl89** · 01-24-2011, 04:28 PM

So I noticed my car was leaving a few drops of oil in my parking spot lately and came to find out it's due to an oil pan gasket seal is busted. Would that explain why my oil pressure fluxuates from 60+ at 45mph and when idling it drops below 60 pressure. I run 5w30 in the winter and currently have 10w30 synthetic in her now. Since it is an 01 V6 3.8 could I remove the sub-frame instead of pulling the whole motor?

**Wesman** · 01-24-2011, 04:53 PM

Originally Posted by transamgirl89

So I noticed my car was leaving a few drops of oil in my parking spot lately and came to find out it's due to an oil pan gasket seal is busted. Would that explain why my oil pressure fluxuates from 60+ at 45mph and when idling it drops below 60 pressure. I run 5w30 in the winter and currently have 10w30 synthetic in her now. Since it is an 01 V6 3.8 could I remove the sub-frame instead of pulling the whole motor?

A leaking oil pan will not affect oil pressure.

The fluctuating oil pressure could be due to a faulty oil pressure sending unit or a mechanical problem.

Oil pressure should increase with RPM. So if its below 60 at idle and around 60PSI when cruising and stays steady, that is normal.

You can drop the subframe in to replace the pan gasket, but that requires supporting the engine with a support bar or engine hoist. The engine is attached to the subframe, so if you drop the subframe the engine will come down with it. In order to avoid that you need to remove the engine mounts and support the engine with another fixture, then the subframe can be dropped down.

**JayTA98** · 01-24-2011, 06:09 PM

I have to replce mine also but is not looking easy to do. i don't have an engine hoist or support. I might have to do this one at a shop. I read some people support the engine by the tranny housing and the underpulley. Im not so sure of that ...

**pajeff02** · 01-24-2011, 06:27 PM

I am not at all familiar with the oil pan layout on the V-6 cars. That being said, I would get under the car and snug up all the oil pan bolts in a criss-cross pattern. Over time, the gaskets can harden and shrink allowing oil to weep and eventually drip under the car. This is not a permanent solution, but it may stop it from dripping for quite a while.

**transamgirl89** · 01-24-2011, 07:24 PM

Well reason I was asking was one shop quoted me $850 to pull the motor and my normal guy said he would do it for $450 and drop the subframe so I was just checking the facts. I had the engine out over the holidays to fix my intake leak and decided to just clean it while I was at it and noticed it then. I did tighten all the oil pan bolts and aparently it didn't do much good cause it still drips but my oil levels are normal so it's nothing major at the moment. Is it something that needs to be fixed asap?

**pajeff02** · 01-25-2011, 03:10 AM

I generally do not worry to much about small drips. It's more of an annoyance than a serious issue. Our Monte Carlo dripped oil for 6 months before I finally changed out the valve cover gaskets. The Trans Am will put a drop on the floor every now and then. Not sure if it is the oil pan, rear cover or rear main that is the source. When it turns from a drip into a puddle, then you have to act to correct it.

**Smittro** · 01-25-2011, 03:25 AM

3800's like to leak..

You just had your topend off down to the valley..

Are you for sure that it's leaking from the pan??

Where exactly underneath it, is the oil comming from?

You do not have to pull or unbolt a bunch of stuff on the 3800 to change the pan gasket...

It can be done on a level surface..