I've a a small oil leak for years. I crawled under the truck and snugged down on all the bolts around the oil pan (I think that's waht it is). Seemed to help for a while but still occasionally leaks a few drops here and there. I plan to get under there again and see if I can snug them down more but I don't want to strip/break any of them. also thought about getting a rag and some degreaser (not sure what would be the best to use) and clean it up so I can try and pinpoint the issue. Would that be a good idea or not because I don't want to make things worse.
Lastly, would changing out the gasket not be a job for a relatively inexperienced person?


It's a 99 ram w/360.

Thanks.

 

2 or 4 wheel drive? I know the 4x4 fellers have plenty of clearance to remove the pan without having to lift the engine. Changing the gasket really isn't that bad of a job. Probably be able to be in and out in under 2 hours.

Cleaning it up nice, and seeing where it is actually coming from, really isn't a bad idea. Brake Cleaner works pretty good.. (get several cans though..... you'll go thru it quick.)

 

2wd. No idea about lifting the engine. That doesn't sound like something I would attempt. Was really hoping this would be a reasonably simple fix without having to take it to a $hop.

I'll at least start by cleaning it up and then seeing if I can snug the bolts down a tiny bit more.

 

The oil pan can be removed on a 2WD engine without lifting the engine albeit it's a trick. Snugging the bolts isn't going to do you much good considering what you've been through so far. If anything, you're going to snap one.

Get a new gasket and notice it's reinforced & designed to be reused. The oil pan will have to be drained after which it can be removed.
Pull the pan and check the sides and front for straightness.
Correct any issues.
Thoroughly clean the pan to be free of all oil and dirt.
Use a very, very tiny amount of sealant at the corners where the gasket forms the half circle for the rear main. This is to prevent movement.
Set the gasket in place.
What I've done in the past is use a few zip ties on every other bolt hole to prevent movement and maintain alignment.
Position the pan and insert bolts in the free holes. Don't cinch them down, just get the threads started. Once all the holes are filled, clip and remove the zip ties replacing each zip tie with a bolt. Once all of the bolt holes are filled, tighten each bolt taking care to proceed in a zig-zag pattern to the pan settles evenly.

Refill with the proper amount of oil.

Again, it is impossible to overtighten the pan bolts because of the reinforced gasket. If you go too tight you'll just snap a bolt. Just go snug or look up the torque values in the FSM.

It's not a difficult job and no need to take it to a shop. A first timer should be able to do this in a couple of hours.

 

Are you sure it's the pan and not the rear main seal?

 

I thought I had a rear main leak for the longest time that turned out to be the oil pan gasket having been slightly pinched when I reinstalled the pan during my engine rebuild. The OP's description leads me to believe the pan gasket is the culprit.

 

thanks for the tips so far. I might get a buddy over here in the next week or so to see if it's something he can help me with. It doesn't sound incredibly difficult but it would be better if I had someone more knowledgeable with me.

 

Be sure to come back and report how it went in the event someone searches this same problem down the road and finds this thread.

Be mindful of the fit of the seal around the curved portion of the oil pan as the pan is set back into place. That's where the seal can get knocked out of place and not seat properly which will only result in continued leaks.

Worst case scenario you have to unbolt the engine from the mounts and lift the engine with a cherry picker.