My wife has a 2000 explorer, and it is burning oil. I think it is coming from the oil pan, but won't know until tomorrow (I sprayed off the pan and surrounding area, will look for more leakage after she drives again). How difficult would it be to replace the oil pan gasket? Anyone have any ideas? I found that on a 97 it requires pulling of the engine....does anyone know if the design has changed?

 

How easy it is varys a ton. The 2wd version would be easier, since you wouldn't have to deal with the front axles and such, but it may not be too easy on the 2wd version either.

cant really help. You need to find a service manual for the car.

 

trade it.


btw, some oil pans are easy, you never know

 

FYI, usually the term "burning oil" would mean you have a piston ring leaking, scared cylinder walls or a valve seal thats gone. I.E. oil making it's way into the combustion chamber burning with the fuel and going out the exhaust seen as blue smoke.

You just have a oil leak it sounds like. Much less of a problem than "burning oil" and way cheaper to fix.

My guess would be your front or rear main seals leaking, before I would guess the oil pan. But anything is possible.

Some oil pan gaskets are easy to replace. Parts will be cheap, it'll take you awhile though. Front or rear main seals can be a bitch depending on the engine.

 

you forgot a common one among mid-late 80's Dodge Minivans which are KNOWN for burning oil. Bad head gasket.
Head gasket is pretty simple to fix. take off the head, if the gasket doesn't come off easily scrap it off. then drop on the new head gasket. put that special "gasket glue"(i call it) then put on the head and tighten everything down.