Oil leak-Pan gasket or something else?

ANDY1977

MEMBER
2004 FORD TAURUS
150,000 MILES

My car has an oil leak. 2004 Ford Taurus. From what I can see just by looking under it from the front of the car (not lifted), there is oil on the front of the oil pan, underneath it, and back onto whatever that thing is behind it. I had noticed a decent size oil spot after my car had been warming up in the driveway. I have no oil pressure warning, no smoke, no bad smells. I let the car sit all night with cardboard under it. Not a drop of oil in the morning. When I let it run in the driveway for a bit, there was oil on the cardboard. But I can't see where it's coming from. I'm thinking it's the oil pan gasket and hoping it's not something worse like a rear or front seal. What do you think?

Wednesday, October 5th, 2011 AT 2:39 PM

3 Replies

ASEMASTER6371

MECHANIC
52,796 POSTS

Could be the oil filter gasket, oil pressure switch and yes, the rear main or front seal. It needs to be verified by a shop with a dye to find the source. At that time, you can get the exact location and a bid. The oil pan is common.

Roy

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Wednesday, October 5th, 2011 AT 2:48 PM

SAHILWALIA

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11 POSTS

Just replace the gasket and tighten up the engine head bolts and crankcase bolts with an equal torque. Also check out the seals.

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Wednesday, October 5th, 2011 AT 3:15 PM

CJ MEDEVAC

MECHANIC
11,004 POSTS

I AGREE WITH ASEMaster6371,

PROBABLY THE FRONT OR REAR SEALS WHERE THE CRANKSHAFT COMES OUT THE FRONT OR REAR OF THE BLOCK (SEAL)

IT COULD BE COMING FROM HIGHER UP, BUT UNLESS YOU DE-GREASE, WITH SOAP OR SOMETHING SIMILAR IT MAY BE HARD TO LOCATE. I USE A LARGE HAND MIRROR AND A STRONG FLASHLIGHT TO LOOK. MAYBE WHILE IT'S RUNNING

WATCH OUT FOR THOSE PESKY MOVING PARTS!

JUST HEARING YOUR DILEMMA, IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMEONE ELSE WILL PERFORM YOU FIX.

YOU MIGHT CALL SOME OF THE SMALLER AUTO SALVAGE YARDS, AND INQUIRE ON WHO MIGHT DO YOUR WORK REALLY REASONABLE, AND CORRECTLY, AND WITHIN REASONABLE TIME FRAMES. THEY KNOW THE "GOOD" AND THE "BAD", "LITTLE GUYS"! EVEN WHEN YOU COMPARE PRICES, A "HIGH LITTLE GUY" WITH OUTSTANDING REFERENCES, MAY BE MUCH LOWER THAN A "BIG SHOP". WHAT I'M SAYING IS, "DON'T CHEAP OUT", AND GET THE IDIOT, LITTLE GUY, WHO WILL HAVE YOUR CAR 3 MONTHS!

THE BIG SHOPS AND THE DEALER ARE NOT THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN

TILL YOU FIND YOUR HERO

CHECK THAT OIL DAILY, AND MAYBE MORE OFTEN IF YOU DO LONG TRIPS! KEEP SOME OIL ON HAND!

KEEP US POSTED ON YOUR PROGRESS. MAYBE IT WILL BE SOMETHING SIMPLE, HIGHER UP, IN NEED OF TIGHTENING!

THE MEDIC

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Wednesday, October 5th, 2011 AT 3:47 PM