Hello all.

I've got an 04 blazer, rwd 4dr, with 56k miles. My oil pan is a bit weepy in the front two corners. It's never actually dropped oil on the ground, but the front of the oil pan always glistens with oil. If I wipe down the pan, the oil spot travels down about 3 inches a day. The oil dipstick is still at the full line. I'm pretty sure it's done this since I got it, but not 100% sure.

To be honest, this is my first vehicle I've owned. I'm not very good at determining what requires immediate attention, and what is just a quirk of owning a 19 year vehicle.

So what do you all think? Just monitor and carry on? Or is it one of those things that should be looked at ASAP?

 

Weepage is low on the list of things to fret over. Make sure the PCV valve is a factory A/C and that it works. Otherwise, happy motoring!

 

Another common place these vehicles weep oil from is the remote oil cooler lines. Depending on where it's leaking from on those lines, that could be the cause.

My '02 did this when I first bought it, got the lines replaced (unfortunately the shop that replaced them used the Dorman brand lines and are out of warranty) so they have been leaking for the past 20,000 or so miles.

I'm eventually going to replace them, probably when I do my passenger side wheel bearing this spring. If it is the lines that are leaking you might want to replace them before the leak gets worse, but I don't wouldn't say that it's an emergency either. It's more annoying when it does drop oil and stains the driveway. If it were me I'd just monitor it and carry on (and honestly probably not even worry too much about it).

 

Yeah, the motor oil cooler hoses DO leak at some point. I have a set of genuine GM lines and fittings on the shelf to address the inevitable leak from mine. Mine had 260,000 miles on it. so..... (The Dormans are of lesser quality?)

 

Thank you both for responding! That's what I thought- monitor it, and carry on. I'll check those remote oil cooler lines too.

 

The front two oil pan bolts are known to come loose; suggest try just a little tightening of the front two bolts. The torque setting is 18 ft lb...so do not get crazy here...just snug them up if loose. On my '02 the bolt heads were 1/2", which I thought was odd as I was expecting them to be 13mm. A U-joint adapter might be necessary to get a socket onto those bolt heads.
Additional info: the engine front cover or timing cover has a half circle groove for the oil pan gasket. Problem is the groove is about 1/2" wide whereas the gasket is about 3/8" wide or thick; the difference has to be filled with RTV. The problem is getting enough RTV but not too much RTV in this area. Since you have a RWD, access is much easier, as to replace the oil pan gasket requires the pan to be dropped and since there is (or should be) RTV in the timing/front cover...cleaning it out is pretty much impossible, so the timing cover also has to be replaced. This requires removing the coolant pump, draining the radiator, etc. A lot of work to replace that gasket.

 

With the cast aluminum oil pans, and the plastic timing cover, THE proper repair is to remove the oil pan and replace the timing cover. This cover has a bead of sealant already made onto it. It is also emblazoned with the directive to replace said timing cover once removed. The oil pan uses a bead or ribbon style gasket which fits into a groove. The "smile" portions of this one piece gasket are molded as part of the entire assembly, and are positioned front and rear.
Tightening the bolts should be a first approach attempt at stopping the leak. It's much easier.

 

Yeah... If replacing the gaskets were easier, I wouldn't hesitate to do it, but I think these 2wd require lifting the engine out to do the oil pan gasket...

I'll check that those bolts are tight. A lot of stuff on this vehicle has never been touched in its 19 years, so there's a good chance they're a bit loose. I'll be getting myself a torque wrench that goes low enough to do it without overtightening it.

 

Yes, the engine must be removed for the oil pan to be removed!