I recently noticed drops of something on the floor of our garage under the Kia so I took it into Firestone to have a leak-check done. They determined that the seal on the “upper” oil pan has a very small leak, with it accumulating down below on the frame and occasionally dripping from there. Unfortunately, it’s a $2600 repair; given the position of the upper oil pan it requires dropping the transmission to replace the seal.
As the car has 104,000 miles, I’m on the fence about whether to make the repair or sell and buy a new car. In the meantime though, my question here is whether there is a specific risk to the car if I just monitor the oil level and if necessary top it off. The leak is so small that in the past 3 weeks the oil level on the dip stick still shows Full.
I’ve seen other online thread where people have talked about doing that and it not being an issue to have lost a quart between oil changes. On the other hand, anything from Kia or other similar sources says absolutely do not delay in getting an oil pan seal leak fixed.
Everything teater says is true but I would not recommend going to Firestone, Pep Boys or any national oil change, or tire chain. Make an appointment with a local real mechanics shop for his opinion and estimate.shop that is very busy. That usually means that people have usually found them trustworthy and competent.
I once stopped at a local Firestone Store to drop off a tire to be repaired and when I walked in, the color all drained out of the managers face. It turns out that I was a dead ringer for the inspector from our State Attorney Generals office. Hardly confidence inspiring.
Definitely just monitor the situation over time. Keep several bottles of the proper oil on hand to top off. I’d also suggest putting a large piece of cardboard or flattened box in the drip area. This will both help contain the “mess”, and help you monitoring the dripping.
Just about every time with an oil leak, it’s far easier/cheaper to just monitor your oil level and keep it topped off. Oil leaks are rarely cheap to fix.
The oil filter on our Olds Silhouette was above the front axle and it got wet every time the shop changed the oil filter. We cut up a big box and put a large side under where the engine sat when parked in the garage.
You don’t need to have it evaluated by a mechanic just yet. As mentioned above, check your oil level and see how long it takes to leak a quart of oil. Whenever you are a quart low, add another. Keep a list of how long it takes to lose a quart. You should check your oil every one or two weeks at first I case you lose a lot in a short time.
I think M.C. Escher is my fave. I don’t think he did any works with vehicles in them, so I’ll post this shot of someone who had his Self-Portrait in Spherical Mirror put onto a car’s hood:
