Oil sump gasket for your car

Prevent loss of lubricant with the oil pan gasket The oil pan is a vehicle engine's lowest point. It is where the oil circuit's lubricant collects and is pumped back into the engine via a suction tube. The oil pan sits directly under the crankshaft. It protects the engine's inside from ingress of foreign objects. Function and position of the oil pan gasket The pan gasket seals the oil pan against oil spilling from the side. The oil pan is a very simple and inexpensive component. It merely consists of a deep-drawn piece of sheet metal with a welded thread for the oil drain plug. Since it is where the oil is drained during an oil change, it must be the lowest point in a vehicle. However, the oil pan's proximity to the ground makes it very prone to impacts with rocks or the ground itself. Therefore, it is pressed from robust sheet metal, which however can behave somewhat reluctantly during the installation and removal. The oil pan must be completely removed during any maintenance of the crankshaft and the connecting rods. The oil pan gasket is replaced after any dismantling. Nonetheless, the oil pan gasket is a very durable component, which normally won't leak before a mileage of at least 150,000 km. Its replacement is easy and inexpensive. Oil pan gasket defects The oil pan gasket can be damaged by aging and incorrect mounting. In this case, it will begin leaking in one or more places, wherefore the grease can escape. Depending on the amount of oil that is lost, moving parts inside the engine can also take damage as a result of the missing lubricant. In any case, a leaking oil pan is a reason for failing the main inspection. This repair ought to be performed as soon as possible for reasons of environmental protection. The quickest way to detect a defective oil pan gasket is finding an oil stain beneath the vehicle. A thorough engine wash, especially on the underside of the vehicle, provides certainty pertaining to any loss of oil. If no wash box certified to perform an engine wash is available, the area around and beneath the engine can be sufficiently cleaned using brake cleaner and compressed air, thus allowing for detection of an oil leak. Repairing an oil pan gasket From a technical viewpoint, replacing the oil pan gasket poses no problem. First, the engine is brought to operating temperature and the lubricating oil completely drained. The operating heat is important, for it helps the oil reach its maximum viscosity. This ensures that the engine is completely emptied, which makes it considerably more pleasant and cleaner to work under the vehicle. However, it is equally as important to let the engine completely cool off after draining the lubricating oil. Just as the valve cover or the cylinder head, the oil pan also tends to warp if dismantled in a warm state. It is recommended to remove the bolts crosswise when removing the oil pan. This means that the screws shouldn't be unscrewed in sequence, but rather diagonally. This also prevents undesired warping of the oil pan.
Sometimes, some components such as the exhaust or transverse link must be removed before the oil pan can be removed. The first step upon removing the oil pan is checking the inner magnet. This magnet serves the task of filtering suspended iron particles from the oil. A slight layer of chips is relatively normal. Yet, if too many chips are stuck to the magnet, one should replace the bearings of the connecting rods and camshafts.
The engine block's sealing surfaces and the oil pan should be cleaned thoroughly. Next, the new oil pan gasket is inserted and the oil pan screwed back on tightly. When installing, it is also recommended to screw the oil pan in crosswise. Furthermore, tightening the screws should be done step by step. For the final tightening, a torque wrench is useful in preventing the gasket from being damaged by pressure. The required torque can be found in the vehicle's maintenance instructions. Depending on the vehicle type this can be between 10-25 NM. Long-lasting seal thanks to quality parts Oil pan gaskets are only as good and durable as their manufacture and the material they are made of. As a layman, one cannot differentiate inferior latex from durable and heat-resistant rubber. That is why care should be taken to always rely on the quality provided by brand manufacturers when replacing the oil pan gasket. Fortunately, high-quality oil pan gaskets are very inexpensive. Even the most expensive seals of this kind rarely cost more than 20 euro. If the oil pan can't be sealed despite new gaskets, it is probably warped. In this case, the fastest and easiest way is to also replace the oil pan with a new part.