How Much Does It Cost to Replace an Oil Pan？
An oil pan is considered to be the most vital part of your car. It is located at the lower part of the engine. The oil pan stores oil and pumps it to the whole engine for lubrication and movement. It eventually makes the movement of a car possible. The location of the oil pan also makes it work as a cooling agent for your vehicle.
Replacing an oil pan is not a complex repair. You can even do it yourself if you have enough time. But to avoid faulty repair and future complications, it is recommended for you to take your car to a good mechanic or automotive advisor.
Just like any other automotive part, an oil pan can also get damaged. Hence, it needs an immediate replacement to avoid complexities in the engine. The replacement of an oil pan can be expensive so to avoid the high cost, you can also grab a used oil pan from the junkyard. To have an insight into the oil pan replacement cost, keep reading this article!
Role Of an Oil Pan in A Vehicle
An oil pan is used as the cache for the oil underneath the engine. The oil from the pan is pumped into the overall engine. It further helps in cleaning, cooling, and lubricating the automotive parts of the vehicle, which further maintains the health and activities of your car’s engine.
How Much Cost Will Be Incurred for An Oil Pan Replacement? — Prime Pricing Factors
If your vehicle has a bad oil pan you should go and get it replaced right now! Oil pan replacement is crucial to keep the engine healthy. The direct cost of the part is not much, as it costs around $40 to $100. But the following factors can appear as an increased cost for you to bear.
Cost Of Labor
Labor cost ought to be the most high-priced aspect while you are getting your oil pan replaced. Labor cost is half of the total cost. It is a time taking and staining job. Hence, the labor charges a hefty amount to do the job.
Model Of Your Vehicle
The model of your vehicle also plays a part in deciding the cost of your oil pan replacement. Some vehicles demand dismantling of the whole frame to remove the single oil pan. Hence, you are bound to pay $1,000 to the labor. On other hand, people with less complex vehicles pay $250. So the more innovative and complex vehicle you own, the higher the cost would be.
Cost Of the Part
Oil pans can vary notably in price. The brand name plays a huge role in this variation. Such as, if you are going to buy a new BMW oil pan, you will have to pay around $ 1,000. Whereas, if you are buying an OEM Ford oil pan it will cost you $ 175. On the other hand, if you are buying second-hand repaired or the mass manufactured oil pan, they will cost you around $60 to $200. The universal parts that are likely to fit in most of the vehicles cost around $40, only. Quality is another factor that affects the cost of the part. The plastic ones are cheaper than those of metal.
Other Parts
At times the oil pan replacement can lead to changing several other parts. Hence, the cost increases. These other parts include the oil plug gasket, oil pan gasket, oil plug, and engine oil. These extra indirect costs are the addition of around $20 to $100 to your total replacement cost.
Cost Of Oil Pan Replacement in Different Cars
The price of an oil pan replacement is different in every vehicle. The article ahead tells the estimated cost of oil pan replacement in different types of cars.
Honda Civic
Being a luxurious car the cost of the part itself is lower than the cost of labor. The oil pan costs between $167-$398. Whereas the labor cost starts from $225. The difference in both the prices is due to the technical replacement of the part and the time consumed during the process.
Toyota Camry
This also comes under the category of luxurious cars. Therefore, the cost of labor crosses the starting price of the oil pan itself. The cost of the oil pan ranges from $164 to $320 for Camry. And the labor charges between $219 to $454. It is because of the complex automotive structure of the car.
Honda Accord
If your Accord has a bad oil pan, put aside around 800$ to get it replaced. The oil pan of a Honda Accord ranges from $155 to $370 with an addition of labor cost. The labor cost lies in the range of $209 to $356.
BMW
The most luxurious and expensive car of the time, BMW has a high maintenance cost. Hence, the replacement of its oil pan will cost you an arm and a leg. The price of the part itself is around $250 to $1300 and according to the complexity of the vehicle, the labor cost is around $300 to $1700.
Cost Of an Oil Pan Replacement on Average
Before making a visit to your mechanic for the replacement of an oil pan, it is important to have a cost estimation. The cost of the oil pans varies from vehicle to vehicle and manufacturer to manufacturer. The basic price lies in the range of $40 to $1,500. But it can fluctuate according to the factors discussed in the article ahead.
The factor that makes it an expensive repair is the cost of labor. The labor cost lies between $100-$1,700 and can sometimes hike up to $300 to $400, depending upon the time and efforts needed by the mechanic. However, this article is going to give you a guide to an estimated cost of oil pan replacement.
Major Reasons to Replace an Oil Pan
The damage and fault in an oil pan are the major factors that demand you to replace your oil pan. There are two reasons why you need to change your oil pan: damage and leakage of oil.
Damage
Road accidents and remnants are the high cause of damage to the oil pans. The minor damage can be solved with the repair. But if a hole appears in the oil pan, you can't drive your vehicle.
Leakage Of Oil
Worn-out gaskets with time and ignored drain plugs are what cause an oil pan to leak. Therefore, you should pay attention to the bottom of your car and get it replaced as soon as it gets damaged.
Symptoms That Give You a Sign to Change Your Oil Pan
Checking the bottom part of your car physically is surely a task that people don’t pay attention to. So, by keeping the symptoms being discussed in mind, you can identify the faulty oil pan and detect the fault at an early stage.
Warning Lights
The vehicles with innovative technology have sensors for every part. If the oil pan is damaged or leaking, a modern vehicle will keep bugging you with a warning light of low oil levels or temperature rise. Do not ignore these lights and pay a visit to your mechanic.
Lower Levels of Oil
The low level of oil in an engine indicates pan oil damage. An engine does not receive lubrication in this case which is the most commonly identified symptom of oil pan damage. A sudden drop in oil levels is an indication for you to get your oil pan checked.
Vestiges Of Oil Leakage
The traces of oil leakage can be seen dripping on the road. If not, you can get it checked by using a jack to lift your car. The presence of oil around the drain plug is also a major symptom of leakage, leading to the replacement of the oil pan.
Smoke From the Engine
This is the most serious symptom of oil pan damage. The leakage of oil from the damaged oil pan causes a rise in the temperature. Hence, creating smoke emissions from the vehicle. If your vehicle seems to be emitting any sort of smoke. You need to visit the mechanic right away.
Takeaway
Adequate lubrication and proper oil supply are important for your car’s engine to stay healthy. So, if you see any of the mentioned symptoms in your car, go get it checked by a professional mechanic right away. The cost of initial oil pan replacement is not cheap but it’s surely better than the damage it can cause to your car’s engine, which is then going to cost you a hefty amount. This is the cost you need to take care of. It is an amalgamation of the cost of the part and labor cost. The later part costs way higher than the initial because the trickier the process, the higher the cost of labor. It is a vital cost because a healthy engine needs a good lubrication system to serve as a long-term part of your vehicle. Take care of your oil pan as you take care of your vehicle. Have a safe drive!
