While driving on interstate, I think rock hit bottom of my car and created hole in Oil pan. Honda people are saying I have to change Whole Engine and it’s going to cost me $4800 if insurance won’t cover. I read lot of article and it seems like we can change oil pan and engine will be back on track. I asked Honda people but he is like your engine will be noisy so instead of changing oil pan, change whole engine.
Please help. I appreciate it.
Describe in detail what happened on the interstate.
Did the oil light come on after the pan got the hole in it?
If so, the engine probably requires replacement.
Tester
+1
If the OP shut his engine down within–at most–one minute after the rock punctured the oil pan, then perhaps simply replacing the oil pan is a solution. On the other hand, if–as I strongly suspect–the OP kept his engine running for several minutes after that event, then the engine is “toast”.
Driving on the interstate, you’re doing 70-80 MPH?
At that speed, if the oil drains out of the engine and the oil light comes, it’s too late.
Tester
Hoping the engine is not roached, that is the first thing we need to know.
Assuming you still have comprehensive insurance . . . it would be easy to file a claim
Don’t know anyone who has had insurance pay for new motor due to road damage from hole in pan. Let’s see how that goes.
I’ve seen it
As said above, if the engine didn’t run low on oil before being shut off, replacing the oil pan is probably all that is necessary. Otherwise, if the engine ran low on oil at 70 mph … well, OP already knows what the effect of that is. If OP thinks they might have got the engine shut off in time, it’s worth taking a chance on just replacing the oil pan with a used one from the junkyard imo. Perhaps the shop can just figure out a way patch the existing oil pan. Then fill w/oil and run the engine at various rpms in the shop to check for unusual noises or performance problems, that’s another “lets do experiment” option. However, if the dealership has already made that determination , and they probably have, then best to just follow their advice. Shouldn’t be overly difficult to find a replacement engine from a 2011 Accord that’s been totaled and in the junkyard.
If filing an insurance claim is an option, I would do that. If not, you really have nothing to lose by replacing the oil pan, refilling the engine with oil, and seeing how well and how long it continues to run.
It may make annoying valvetrain noise, or even start to knock, but you really don’t have anything to lose (other than the cost of a tow) by continuing to drive it until it fails. If the noise isn’t too bad, it might still run for several more years.
Case in point: I was working on my wife’s car this weekend, and I heard a very loud hammering noise, like someone hammering a sledgehammer onto wood. I figured it was someone doing work on their house. I then noticed the noise got louder as a red Chevrolet Cavalier pulled up, then when it stopped at the stop sign in front of my house, the noise went away. Then when the driver hit the gas to drive off, the noise came back loud and clear. That’s when I realized that this car had quite a knock, and I personally would be uncomfortable to drive something in that condition, but who knows? It might have run for thousands of miles in that condition, and might run for thousands more.
If you want to test the engine, I’d try to find some way to plug up the current oil pan. Replacing it could be pretty expensive.
I know NAPA used to have a gas tank repair kit that we used to use to patch holes in a large trucks diesel fuel thank on the truck with fuel running out. It contained a wax stick to plug the hole and it would grab through the fuel on the tank.
If you’re doing it yourself, a quick Google search shows the OEM oil pan costs about $120, and aftermarket versions are available for as little as $50. Add another $25 or so for a new gasket. Even at shop prices, which would be higher, I can’t see this being more than a $400 repair.
That definitely would be covered under your insurance - IF YOU HAVE COLISION.
Replacing the oil pan is the cheap part of the problem. If it happened as I’d expect, hit something, drive, oil drains out, then oil light, then shut down, there’s a VERY high change the engine’s badly damaged. That’s why the pan only gets replaced if they can test the engine first.
If insurance isn’t an option, I would go to reputable independent shop and see about a Japanese used motor. Their taxes go up on old cars, not down, so people junk their perfectly good cars with moderate mileage on them. There are importers that you can buy the right engine from and have the shop install it. Probably the cheapest option .
Too bad op doesn’t live in my neighborhood
About 2 - 3 miles from my house there is a huge shop that does nothing but sell and install jdm motors
They’ve been there for years, so I assume business is good