OIL PAN busted?!?!

[mryzza]

Not sure if this goes here but... I have a 1992 Infinity Q45. Everything works fine, all windows work, all tinted, etc etc.

So anyway, I am driving 40mph down a newly finished road and then WAM I hit a big *** bump, actually it was an unpaved section of the road which was paved a few weeks ago and then all of the sudden they stripped it, just a tiny section. I didn't even see any signs that said "Unpaved road"

So yea, apparently I hit it so hard that even my rear view mirror got shaken up so I had to adjust it. Then I park at my friend's house and the f$cking car starts smoking and a few minutes layer there is a huge *** puddle of what I think is oil. So I check the oil stick and yea... It is almost completely dry and I had around 1500 miles left before an oil change.

So, howmuch will this cost me? Also, is there anyway I can get the city to pay for towing and fixing it because I didn't see any signs and tommorow I will go there very very very very slowly and take a ton of pictures and show whoever that there were no signs whatsoever.

[louiegz]

Damn! That sucks. Read this thead, open up a bottle of Jack Daniels, and start to weep. Sue those bastards. Good luck.

zerothread?id=77266

[louiegz]

You know I should be more informative. Here is the short version. I'm sure the experts will chime in. It involves lifting the engine, removing the cross member that supports the engine, replacing busted pan, a while you're at it of changing the motor mounts and put everything in place. Lots of labor and will be pricy. On the plus side, you have new motor mounts and you got rid of all the crap in the oil pan. I would defiantly see if the town will pay for it. It's their fault. I saw you have a 92. Have your chain guides been done?

[mryzza]

Ummmm, I am not sure. This car has 200k miles on it but it drives fine.

I just read that thread you posted and I think I am going to rob a bank or sell to crack to fix my car if I plan on keeping my bank account with at least some money in it.
Modified by mryzza at 10:35 PM 6/25/2006

[deltamoon]

Hey,I kinda had the same thing happen to my Q, although I had to pull off the road RIGHT away. I don't know how bad yours is. Mine had 2 holes in it from a sawblade. I used some JB weld and it worked great and is still working great. Less then $10.00 at hardware store...

[Q45tech]

The oil pickup and strainer are extremely close to the bottom of pan.......repair options depend on the exact location, depth and shape of the dent and hole.

Take a picture [clean the pan and provide visual clues to depth of dent].

Do not crank car until repaired!!!!!

[PIONEER]

Depends where the damage is or how deep the dent on the pan is.

First Off, Don't Start the carSecond, Don't use JB Weld

Check down below to make sure you didn't cut a oil cooler line or a trans cooler line rather then putting a hole in the oil pan.

There is another way to remove the cross memeber without lifting the engine. Support the engine with Chains and a steel pipe or something you would bench press with if you lift weights. Use 2 bars if you have to, Then lower the front cross member and leave the engine suspended in the air.

Remove the pan, and repair it or replace it.

Don't need to change engine mounts unless they are broken. Mounts are like light bulbs, they either work or they don't. You don't change the bulbs in the house b/c they are a few years old do you?

Again, Don't start the car, You'll cause engine damage by starting it and all hopes for a (cheaper) repair are out the door at that point.

[maxnix]

1.) Don't need to change engine mounts unless they are broken. Mounts are like light bulbs, they either work or they don't. You don't change the bulbs in the house b/c they are a few years old do you?

2.) Again, Don't start the car, You'll cause engine damage by starting it and all hopes for a (cheaper) repair are out the door at that point.

1.) Light bulbs don't compress and change driveline alignment, thus improving vibration. And if you don't like the dark and know the burn time on the bulb, then yes, one can change it before it fails. This is called preventative maintenance. Commone in critical production industries.

2.) Even after the repair, you don't start it until you have inspected the chain guides. Read her via searches, starting with the Articles Forum. If you have original guides at 200K, you are the champion. But I am betting if your guides are original, there are pieces in the sump. Another reason to combine the jobs.

[PIONEER]

If his car was poorly tuned, engine jumping around under the hood then yeah I can see where the mount can be a problem. I've seen cars with over 200K miles with near perfect mounts, and I've seen cars that Just had their mounts replaced 6months ago and the new mounts were broken b/c of crappy idle, and driver abuse.

at the end of the day If he can't do the work himself, then he sould just get it all done in one shot and call it a day. Or he can fix the problem at hand and fix the other stuff later if $ is a problem. A broken mount willnot stop the show, but a hole in the pan will.

[elwesso]

Chances are your oil pan has holes AND its dented.. Like Tech said, even a few CM of upward movement will cause oil starvation, even if it doesnt leak.. It is REALLY close to the bottom of the pan!

Anyway, check the infiniti articles, Ty posted a thing how to replace the oil pan without doing anything terribly major.

[louiegz]

I've seen cars with over 200K miles with near perfect mounts, and I've seen cars that Just had their mounts replaced 6months ago and the new mounts were broken b/c of crappy idle, and driver abuse.

I don't think it's an issue of miles as much as age. The Q is a 92. 14 years does a lot to rubber. The engine will be lifted or suspended anyway. It would be cheaper to do the mounts now then to do the labor twice. I don't know how much mounts are, but I'm sure it wont break the bank like the labor involved in lifting the engine again. It just makes more sense to do it now than later.

[mryzza]

Anyway, it is in the shop right now so they will call me later and tell me how much the bill will be to be fix it.

Later I will go to the place where this happened and take a ton of pictures and then call the city people or whoever and tell them to pay up.

[Q451990]

I think I would contact the city first... with the estimate. If you just show up with a paid invoice and ask for reimbursement - I would think your chances of getting paid are much less.

Heath

[mryzza]

Alright, got an update: The Oil Pan and oil pump need to be replaced which will cost around 800 dollars. So far I've got the money to pay it off all at once but since I'm going to college right now I really don't want to pay for this ****. I got the number of a city councilman that deals with roads and claims, whatever, gonna try to get him to pay for the damages.

I was also thinking what it will cost to completely "rebuild" the engine. I don't really know much about this but what would it cost to rebuild it or at least replace some parts to make the engine tip-top? I've got 2k that I can spend and then maybe another thousand comming in soon.

Also, how hard is it to do all of this by myself? Would I have to completely take the engine out of the car to do all of this? I've done some work on cars like replacing belts, alternators, spark plugs, breaks, rotors, nothing major; how hard would it be for someone like me?

[Q451990]

Other than replacing worn or damaged bolt-ons (fuel injectors, sensors, hoses, etc) it seems to be best to just ride it out and replace the engine with JDM take-outs if they bite the dust. Your biggest concerns at this point is the timing chain guide issue... At 200K+ they have either been replaced or you are VERY lucky. Ask the tech. who's working on the car if they found any plastic guide parts in the oil pan or strainer.

Heath