1500hd Cracked Oil Pan?

[cbw]

Hi everyone, I'm new here so hopefully I'm posting to the right place. Took my truck to the dealer for a small oil leak. I was thinking it was the pan gasket or something to do with the sensor in the side of the pan. They called and said it is a small crack in the pan and that it would be close to $400 for a new pan and another $400 to install it. Anyone had this issue before? I've never heard of an oil pan cracking before, it's not like I run the truck that hard or off road. Anyway, I declined the service and decided to put up with the leak until I can get more information or maybe come up with another way to fix it. I considered letting the oil drian for a couple of days so it's nice and dry, then cleaning the area really good and trying to use jbweld to seal the crack.... any thughts on that one? It's a 2001 1500HD 4WD 6.0L with about 90k miles. Thanks!

[txab]

Where is it cracking?

[Stevens03]

Welcome to the site. First off, you can find oil pans online for cheap and just replace it for next to nothing. Even a salvage yard would have one. I suppose you could try the jbweld. But I'd drain the oil and clean the pan real good before doing it. Even scuff the area thats cracked before applying it. But I'd make sure it can withstand the heat and oil before trying that. I'm sure you could get an oil pan at a local yard for pennys and even a new one online for under $150.

 

Good luck

[cbw]

Where is it cracking?

 

Last time I changed the oil I assumed it was coming from around the sensor in the side of the pan but didn't look real close. I pick the truck up from the dealer today so I'll look closer at the area and see exactly where it is coming from. But it's definitely on the side, I think about half way up.

[cbw]

Thanks for the reply. I just did a real quick search and couldn't find anything for a 6.0L but I'm going to search some more today. Also, didn't even think about calling a salvage yard, I'll do that as well.

 

Any idea why they wanted so much labor to replace it? He said something about a cross member needing to be removed and it's harder because its a 4WD. I guess I need to look at it again when I get it home today, but I thought there was plenty of room under there.... maybe I'm wrong. I agree on the weld, if I do try that, I'll clean it really good and rough it up a little with sand paper.

[jro909]

i don't think cracking oil pans is a common issue on any GM truck...jb weld holds up well to anything even though its a hillbilly fix, i'd recommend putting some sort of metal over the crack first then lathering jb weld over the piece of metal to stop contamination of the engine oil...my old truck had half a fuel tank made of license plates and jb weld and it held up fine

[blacksierra01]

In my experiences , J.b weld has worked pretty good, patched up quite a few atv and dirtbike engine side covers with it, and a transfer case on a dakota. Stuff seems to work good but its got to be really , really clean for it to bond well.

[jro909]

the packaging use to say well may still but anyway..."can patch an engine block" the stuff is great but you really need to get a good amount on there and give it alot of time to harden

[blacksierra01]

Yeah it says somthing along the lines of: City of dallas saved x ammount of money but patching the engine block on a Cat loader or something.