# Lower oil pan leaking



## CodyItaliano (Feb 19, 2009)

on my E38, 4.4, the last few times i noticed a slight coating of oil leaking from the lower oil pan. not the upper, but definately the lower. 

being that i havent checked with the stealership on this one, and elsewhere online havent found readily available gaskets, would i be able to use some quality RTV gasket maker? looked like the upper pan piece was installed with grey silicon. i've done it before on other vehicles, but rubber gaskets are much nicer to work with. any suggestions. i plan to do it with the next oil change, maybe 12-16 weeks from now.


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## balance (Feb 13, 2009)

I'd much rather use a gasket than a sealant, it would seal better and last longer, not to mention be alot less messy. Grey sealant is used for aluminum, but the pan itself is steel, so I'm not sure if the grey stuff would be better than the black rtv for this situation. Taking off the pan should give you access to the oil pump bolts that I hear come loose on these motors, so be sure to check those out if the pan is off.


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## CodyItaliano (Feb 19, 2009)

no its definately the lower pan gasket. above it is dry as a bone, the aluminium part and block portion have no oil dripping down. not even from the valve covers. i'll see if the stealership has the gasket in stock though. it shouldnt be too expensive, my hoses werent.


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## wilk187 (May 22, 2008)

i changed that gasket on my e38 last winter...if the dealer is too high, go to www.autohausaz.com


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## CodyItaliano (Feb 19, 2009)

those prices, shipped even, sound great. i'll check with the dealer tomorrow though just in case i can get a better discounted price maybe. some parts i've found cheaper in town, but most are cheaper online. thanks for the link!


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