Hello all, I have a 98 GS400 with about 145K miles; I just noticed I have a major oil leak on the sub oil pan gasket .......I dont even think its a gasket, it look slike silicone...

anyways, I noticed that these cars have the small balck oil pan, but then on top theres a sub oil pan that is as long as the engine block..

My question is this, to change that gasket/silicone seal, can I take out that sub oil pan through under the car, or do u have to take out the frigging motor....cos if so Im gonna chop my leg off and feed it to a dog, thats how pissed/crazy I will be LOL

So if u know what Im talking about please let me know, has anyone else had this problem?

 

Are you sure you know exactly where the leak is coming from? It may be from the front main seal behind the engine cover... Or maybe from higher up? If you do have to reseal the #1 oil pan (upper), you will need to unbolt the motor mounts, and jack up the engine.. there should be enough room if you really get in there and move things around.. remove the engine? no.. there are always ways around it.. sometimes just a little difficult.. good luck!

 

Thanks for the reply...well Im 99% sure cos I actually jacked up car cleaned everything, turned it on, and watched the oil pulsate right under the last pulley from that seal...its a bad leak, like arterial bleeding, only difference on a car lol...its not jsut a drop or 2 its a steady stream. How much u think a job like this would cost by an average good mechanic ( not the dealer)?

Thanks!

 

I have a somewhat different situation with my '03 GS430 but I wanted to relay it to you b/c it may end up saving you additional pain. At 22,000 miles +- I had a very small drip from car's oil pan seal so I took it to the dealer, luckily it is still in warranty. They told me the records showed the oil pan gasket had already been replaced at 4,000 +- miles. They replaced the oil pan gasket again and also the little o-ring that goes in the dipstick. Well not, 2,000 miles later, the thing is dripping again. I mention this all to you b/c I think the pan must be warped so you should check your's very carefully before reinstalling it to save having to take it out again.

 

If your oil pan is leaking (double check the dipstick insertion, sometimes leak from there too). The easiest way to take it out without damaging the oil pickup pan is to use a torch to burn silicon. Normally, you can not pry the pan out with silicon holding. If you do that you will damage something. Use a torch and burn the silicon area. Make sure you release the oil and remove the nut before burning. After about 10 minutes the silicon will loose its strength and with little prying muscle, the pan should come out.

Once its out, make sure you clean both surfaces and re-silicon the pan and screw all those 8 mm screws back.