When you hear that vehicle engines are complex, of course, all that hardware, wires, and circuitry come into your mind. What you may have missed is the importance of something as seemingly small as the oil pan gasket.
A component that is responsible to let you drive your civic for thousands of miles without a leakage, there are times this small component needs replacing too.
This is why you need to learn how to change oil pan gasket Honda Civic owners! You start by removing the flywheel cover. Remember to drain the oil and then go on removing the bolts and nuts to take the oil pan and the gasket out, clean up their surfaces, and let it dry before you reinstall the new gasket.
Lastly, replace the oil pan and seal it with the nuts on. If you still see leakage, a gasket sealant will fix it all for you.
How To Change Oil Pan Gasket Honda Civic?
The process will begin first with the preparation for the replacement and then the actual changes in steps for your vehicle:
Preparation
If you had been driving before starting the change, make sure you leave time for the engine to cool down. Doing the change while the engine oil is still white can be dangerous for obvious reasons, hence give your car at least 45 minutes to rest before you start working. And while it is cooling down, arrange the following:
- A floor jack
- Some Jack stands
- An RTV sealant
- A Ratchet set
- A Scraper
- A Torque wrench
- Cleaner/degreaser with rags
- A draining pan
- An Oil filter wrench
- New engine oil
How To Execute The Oil Pan Gasket Replacement?
The steps can be quite daunting for someone just starting, so if you are unsure of them, you still have time to opt for a professional service provider. But if you’re confident you can carry on with the following steps:
- Take a floor-jack that has the more weight lifting capacity than your Honda Civic’s weight and with the stands, lift it off the ground.
- After that, remove the AC bracketry and the exhaust manifold, and you’ll get access to the oil pan. Now it’s time for the harder bit. Locate the bolts on the oil pan and remove them without damaging the oil pick-up inside the pan. If you can’t angle your oil pan to get the edge out between the crankshaft support and the tranny, you’ll have to start hammering the pan corners. If it still doesn’t work, you will need to pry and use a screwdriver to push down on the oil pan without applying any force against the block. Spraying plenty of PB spray between the gasket, block, and oil pan like the B’laster 16-TDL Advanced Dry Lube helps a lot in this regard. After this, you can easily remove the mount, the pan, and that old gasket.
- Next, put a draining pan under the car. Undo the oil drain plug and the filter as well to drain the old/used engine oil out.
- Wipe off that engine mount, the oil pan, and the lower engine block and let them all dry for some time.
- When they are completely dry, start applying a layer of an RTV sealant like the Permatex 82180 on the surface. Position the new oil gasket with the right pressure against this mounting surface and gently apply pressure.
- With 3-inch wires, twist them around this replacement gasket loosely to prevent any movement. After you have installed the pan bolt, rapidly de-tangle the wire you just used.
- Redirect yourself to Honda’s specifications for how much torque should be applied on the pan bolt depending on your car model.
- Reinstall the oil drain plug, the oil pan filter, and other necessary parts before you refill the Civic’s engine with freshly-poured oil. Make sure to check for no leaks.
- Take your car off the jack stand, lower it, start the car’s engine and watch it go for a couple of minutes.
- Turn off the engine and wait for some time, then go on to check the oil levels again. Start the car again and take it for a short drive, ensuring zero signs of oil leakage.
How Much Does It Cost To Replace Oil Pan Gaskets?
Usually, it should take you between $100 to $350 to have the oil gasket replaced.
However, depending on the year your Honda Civic was made, the cost may change. The gasket itself will not cost you more than $40 to $150, however, it’s the labor that you’ll need to pay more for depending on your state and the servicing shop.
How Long Does It Take To Change Oil Pan Gasket?
It will take a professional mechanic to change the oil pan gasket within 1.5 to 2 hours. If you are not a professional and you are doing it yourself at your home garage, it might take you between 4 to 6 hours, even when you have all the tools.
How Long Does an Oil Pan Gasket Last?
An oil pan will last you between 8-10 years. However, there’s no saying how long the oil pan gasket will last. It can be between 5-20 years depending on how high-quality a gasket you got and how much you’ve driven the car.
How To Extend Oil Pan Gasket Life?
To extend the life of your oil pan gasket, you need to start driving more carefully and invest in high-quality Honda auto parts.
Drive Carefully
If you find yourself frequently driving on bumpy roads, be extra careful. Since the oil pan is often located beneath the engine block, it is pretty close to the road you’d be driving on.
While newer cars have a protective panel to protect the oil pan, older models may not have so. This is why drive cautiously to ensure that you do not scrape the underside of the car and hence the oil pan.
Invest in Quality Parts
Make sure your replacement oil gasket is a high-quality one. Since you have to keep it for a really long time before another change, investing in a good piece goes a long way for your car.
Buying OEM designed for your vehicle by its manufacturer is your best bet. However, if there are better components, you should obviously invest in those and not the OEMs.
FAQs:
An oil pan is what holds your engine oil. There can be 2 oil pans in the car, one to store the engine oil and the other to hold the transmission fluid. Besides acting as an oil reservoir, it also helps cool the oil down, settle impurities in the oil, etc.
An oil pan gasket is a sealing and cushioning material for your engine oil. It is usually situated between two mounting surfaces of the oil pan and the engine block, held down by bolts to prevent oil from leaking.
Yes, you can drive your car with a leaking gasket but not for too long. So when you become aware of the leak, you should stop and act to prevent severe complications from happening.
It can be caused by wear and tear from going through intense heating and cooling cycles. Impact damage from poorly driving your car when unwanted objects hit it can also cause a leak in the gasket.
