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6 hours labor to replace oil pan gasket????

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by trdracing5, Feb 21, 2011.

  1. Feb 21, 2011 at 3:35 PM
    #1
    trdracing5

    trdracing5 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I think my oil pan gasket is leaking so I took it to my trusted local mechanic (not the STEALERSHIP) and they said it was 6 hours labor to replace the oil pan gasket.
    IS THAT RIGHT?
    Can someone tell me if it does indeed take 6 hours to replace the oil pan gasket? I can't believe it would be that hard to do. Anyone else ever tried to replace the oil pan gasket?
    Its a 2.7 4X4 tacoma.
     
  2. Feb 21, 2011 at 3:53 PM
    #2
    larryde09

    larryde09 Well-Known Member

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    Sounds a bit excessive, but these labor hours are typically set in stone and are referenced from a book. However, I would still get a second opinion as well as compare labor rates.

    I'm not 100% sure, but it should be nothing more than draining the oil, removing the pan, scraping off the old gasket, replacing gasket, re-bolt the pan, refill w/ oil. Very similar to an auto trans fluid change, which only takes me about 2 hours on my wifes Xterra.
     
  3. Feb 21, 2011 at 5:31 PM
    #3
    trdracing5

    trdracing5 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Thats exactly what I thought. I have replaced several transmission pan gaskets in various vehicles. No biggie.
    I referenced the Chiltons manual and it said that you had to remove the front differential. It looks to me like the pan will come down without removing the differential.
    Anyone ever had to remove the differential in order to remove the oil pan?
     
  4. Feb 21, 2011 at 5:34 PM
    #4
    crf69

    crf69 scraping my emblems off my plasti-dip

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    ummm yeah
    dont pay
     
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  5. Feb 21, 2011 at 5:34 PM
    #5
    SampleFool

    SampleFool Three Percenter

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    Dude do that shit your self man it is crazy how much the "book" says, I would do it for half the price they charge you man. Oil pan is not that hard and maybe you will have to take a support bracket off I think. If u need help let me know, I live in Fayetteville man thats crazy talk.
     
  6. Feb 21, 2011 at 5:36 PM
    #6
    NelsonTacoma

    NelsonTacoma This is my derpawayinator!!!!!

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    According to Mitchell On Demand it's 5.0 hours for a 4cyl 4x4 or 5.4 hours for 6cyl 4x4. So they may just be rounding the hours up to accomodate for any extra time or mishaps.

    Mitchell is what we use at the shop I work at to determine labor hours.

    Here's the directions from mitchell on how to remove the oil pan on a V6 4x4

    [FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]1.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]Disconnect negative battery cable. Raise and support vehicle. Drain engine oil and front [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]differential fluid. Front differential assembly must be removed for oil pan removal. [/FONT]

    [FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]2.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]Remove lower engine covers for access to front differential and engine. Remove front axle [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]shafts. See AXLE SHAFTS - 4WD FRONT article under DRIVE AXLES section. [/FONT]

    [FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]3.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]Place references marks on drive shaft flange at front differential and transfer case for [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]reassembly reference. Remove drive shaft flange bolts/nuts at transfer case and front [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]differential. Remove front drive shaft.[/FONT]

    [FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]4.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]Disconnect necessary electrical connectors, hoses and tubes for removal of front differential. [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]Support front differential with transmission jack. Remove front differential rear mount nut and [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]front differential mount bolts. See [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]Fig. 28[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif] . Lower front differential from vehicle. [/FONT]

    [FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]5.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]On A/T models, remove oil cooler line as necessary to access oil pan. On all models, remove [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]bolts and stiffener plate (if equipped). Stiffener plate is bolted on rear corner of cylinder block [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]and front of transmission. [/FONT]

    [FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]6.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]Remove bolts and flywheel housing cover. Remove bolts/nuts and oil pan. Remove bolts/nuts, [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]oil pump pick-up tube with gasket and oil pan baffle plate from cylinder block (if necessary). [/FONT]
     
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  7. Feb 21, 2011 at 6:23 PM
    #7
    trdracing5

    trdracing5 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I keep looking at the Toyota Service Manual and I can not believe that Toyota would design an oil pan that would require the front differential to be removed so the oil pan can come off.
    I have looked at it on my vehicle and it is tight but I think the pan just might be able to be dropped down without removing the front differential.
    Removing the front differential must be why they came up with 6 hours. I could see that being a 6 hour job.
     
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  8. Feb 21, 2011 at 6:26 PM
    #8
    travelingman

    travelingman What would Scooby do?

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    Wait a second-you said it was your local TRUSTED mechanic,right? So you don't trust him?
     
  9. Feb 21, 2011 at 6:33 PM
    #9
    NelsonTacoma

    NelsonTacoma This is my derpawayinator!!!!!

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    It's always good to do research anyway. As a mechanic I know that the book isn't always right, but it's what we go by. There are plenty of jobs that pay 6 hours that I can do in 2 or 2.5. But that's because I know how to do it and have done it sooo many times. You're not always paying just for the time it takes, but you're paying for the knowledge your mechanic has.
     
  10. Feb 21, 2011 at 6:39 PM
    #10
    larryde09

    larryde09 Well-Known Member

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    Wow....removing the front diff, that explains it!! I'd be damn sure the leak is from the gasket before you pay for that craziness.
     
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  11. Feb 21, 2011 at 6:43 PM
    #11
    Demon Taco

    Demon Taco Well-Known Member

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    what about lifting the engine up a little to get the clearance you need?would that be possible.I had to do this when removing the oil pan on an f250 with a double sump pan.just another thought.just because the book says it,it doesn't mean its the only way.
     
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  12. Feb 21, 2011 at 7:26 PM
    #12
    Yamaha Dave

    Yamaha Dave Well-Known Member

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    I could be wrong but I'm almost positive I remember my service advisor at a dealership in Austin telling me Toyota doesn't use gaskets on the oil pan they only use a sealant. So they basically remove the oil pan and scrape off the old stuff and reseal it. I just had mine done under warranty as a preventive maintenance because apparently it's pretty common amongst Tacomas.
     
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  13. Feb 21, 2011 at 7:30 PM
    #13
    HondaGM

    HondaGM CallSign Monke

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    never trust a mechanic
     
  14. Feb 21, 2011 at 7:32 PM
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    NelsonTacoma

    NelsonTacoma This is my derpawayinator!!!!!

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    This ^^^^
     
  15. Feb 21, 2011 at 8:12 PM
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    trdracing5

    trdracing5 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    My mechanic (who I trust) told me to go home, clean up all the oil and make sure that the oil pan was the problem.
    If I understood him correctly he said that it also could be the rear main seal leaking and spraying over the oil pan making it look like the oil pan is leaking.
     
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  16. Feb 21, 2011 at 8:13 PM
    #16
    NelsonTacoma

    NelsonTacoma This is my derpawayinator!!!!!

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    Sounds like a good way to go. You may also want to add flourescent dye to the oil so he can check it with a blacklight. That makes it way easier to find leaks.
     
  17. Feb 21, 2011 at 8:30 PM
    #17
    2000GTacoma

    2000GTacoma Well-Known Member

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    Check your oil pressure sensor. I have a 2000 3.4 v6 that was leaking oil I understand you have a 4 cyclinder but still has to have a sensor for oil pressure. Mine was leaking oil pretty bad I had oil all over everything on the bottom of my truck. I too thought it was the oil pan turns out it wasn't I checked the sensor $40 from Toyota replaced it in 15 minutes on a life good too go not leaking any now just my $.02
     
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  18. Feb 21, 2011 at 9:43 PM
    #18
    kumaWRX

    kumaWRX Well-Known Member

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    Wow, it still baffles me how some people can be so ignorant....
     
  19. May 18, 2015 at 10:32 AM
    #19
    foampile

    foampile Well-Known Member

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    there is really no excuse to hire somebody to do this super trivial task for you
     
  20. May 18, 2015 at 10:39 AM
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    doyouevenprerun

    doyouevenprerun Well-Known Member

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    just got a simple lift on her
    alot of people can not remove a front differential or other things on their own.



    i can tell you that the oil pan is right up against the front diff, and the only way to remove it would be to remove the front diff.

    takes me about 3 hours to swap a front differential.

    Edit: i am sure lifting the engine would make it do able as well. but i wouldn't do that.
     

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