Dear Tom and Ray:

I have a '94 Honda Accord LX that I recently took in for a 30,000-mile service (it has almost 60,000 miles). The nice mechanics informed me that I needed an oil pan gasket which is a real bargain at only $30. Unfortunately, it costs $165 to install. As a single female, I tend to be a little skeptical of mechanics. So my question is, what is an oil pan gasket? Do I really need to pay $200 to replace it? I checked some auto repair books at the bookstore, but couldn't find anything about it. -- Jenifer

Ray: Generally speaking, Jenifer, a "gasket " is a seal; a larger version of what your plumber would call a "washer." That's why they're cheap to buy. They're usually made of some sort of rubber or composite material, and they usually go in between two metal parts of the engine to keep fluid from leaking out between those parts.

Tom: But because they usually fit in between two hard-to-reach, important pieces of the engine, they're usually expensive to install.

Ray: And the oil pan gasket, as you might guess, goes between the oil pan and the bottom of the engine block, so it has a pretty crucial role to play in keeping oil in the engine. And since the front exhaust pipe has to be removed on this car to get the pan off, the job does involve a couple of hours of labor.

Tom: However, we can't tell from your letter whether or not you actually need a new oil pan gasket. If it's not leaking much -- if you're not having to add any oil to the engine between changes -- it may just be that the bolts are loose. And tightening them up may stop whatever small amount of oil is oozing out.

Ray: So this is definitely a case in which you'd be advised to get a second opinion, Jenifer. Since you say you don't trust these mechanics, ask another mechanic to make sure the bolts are tight and see if he thinks the gasket needs to be replaced now. But if it does, $200 is about the right price.

Stop the madness! You can stop driving like a knucklehead, and you'll help your car in the process. Learn how your driving habits can harm your car in Tom and Ray's pamphlet "Ten Ways You May Be Ruining Your Car Without Even Knowing It!" To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1998 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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