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Oil pan gasket

Incidents & Traffic / Sudden Breakdown written by @Lochinvar Big Green (Honda CR-V 1999)
07.25.2020

I just replaced my oil pan gasket twice, and it's failed again.

I first changed it a few months ago. I found my car leaking for the first time after reaching 200k. I figured I'd just fix it as it's a common problem, so I bought a new gasket from Honda and put it in.

I had found when I changed it, that all of the bolts holding the oil pan in were loose, like, almost falling off the car loose.

No problem, I figured. That's probably why it was leaking, so I'll just check them at my next oil change.

At my next oil change, the new Honda gasket was leaking. All of the bolts and nuts were tight. It was a new, rubber, Honda gasket I used. I had thoroughly cleaned the oil pan, and block.

If a new gasket was leaking with a dry install, maybe I should use some sealant too, I thought.

Next oil change, I redid everything. Completely cleaned the oil pan, completely cleaned the block, completely cleaned all of the bolts and nuts. Used gasket making sealant on the oil pan, and on the block. Used a second brand-new Honda gasket sandwiched between the two. Got all of the bolts and nuts super-tight.

2000 miles go by (my car isn't even due for an oil change yet), and my car is smoking on the way home. I look under the hood to see what's in my pictures. I have to ask, what the actual f*k?!

I had thought at both the previous repairs that excess air pressure in the crank case can cause gasket failures, so I checked the PCV valve and hose, and the other vent hose, and they were all working exactly as they were supposed to, both times.

What am I missing? Have any of you seen a gasket squeeze out from between the parts it was sealing before? None of the bolts are even missing! It's squeezing out between two adjacent bolts.

If anybody knows what causes this, or has any suggestions, please let me know. I'm going to be changing my oil again this weekend just to fix this. I might put my first Honda gasket back in dry, since I still have it, or I might try an aftermarket gasket. I'm open to any suggestions.

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