[Guest]

I just bought a used 2000 Insight 1 week ago and so far I really like it. Unfortunately, something not so great has happened in this short time. I was driving slowly accross some railroad tracks that I knew where very rough and bumpy. They were apparently rougher and bumpier than usual, because one of the bumps made a hole in the oil pan. I left a nice trail of oil from the tracks two blocks to my house.

So, now I have to do something about this special magnesium oil pan so I can get back to driving my great new car! I called the Honda dealership and they quoted me $1250 for parts, labor, taxes! I thought that sounded awfully high, and the repair guy did too, but he didn't know, because he'd never done it before.

Does anyone know if there's anything else I can do besides get a new oil pan? Like patch it or something. (The hole is about 1/4 inch diameter). Or is this something I could possibly do myself? Thanks.

 

[figgy]

This may be silly, but doesn't your insurance cover that kind of damage?

It is an accident which damaged the car, just like if you hit any other kind of road debris.

 

[ericbecky]

Patching steel is one thing, but patching magnesium is quite another.

I have not heard of anyone who has a home remedy for patching magnesium.

Perahps you could search for a used one off of a wrecked insight? It should be much cheaper than a new one.

 

[Wayne M]

Bad luck, indeed!

Nearly as bad as my IMA battery pack dead on the first day I have it. My 2000 I bought recently is in for some expensive repairs, but my used car dealer, unbelievably, is covering it.

You could get a complete engine with the oil pan attached here http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/01-04-Ho ... 0370QQrdZ1 for less than what that first estimate is.

Problem is, the oil pan is a structural part of the engine, I don't think that a 'patch' would work very well, or for very long before the stresses on it would cause an even more expensive repair later. If the car bottomed out hard enough to break the pan, then it no doubt has more damage than just the hole you can see.

You could get one for $236 plus shipping from these guys

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/aut ... CK-OIL+PAN plus the cost of your mechanics labor (do it yourself?)

Keep in mind, for the future, you only have 5.9 inches (150mm) clearance in an unloaded car.

 

[Rick]

Try these guys:

http://www.haprecycling.com/

To replace the oil pan takes reasonably longer than a more traditional car. The AC compressor is even bolted in to the oil pan so there's a fair amount of dissassembly. But a grand plus is rediculous. I wish I had R&R time's for Insight repairs so I could give a better idea of what the repairs should entail.

 

[Wayne M]

salvage cars with such light damage!?!

Rick, that site is showing 3 Insights in inventory, the pics of which show the damage. These cars get wrote off as a total from such light damage as that!?! :!: :shock: The airbags didn't even deploy in one car! Is this telling us that if we smack something hard enough to deploy the airbags and ruin the radiator, these cars are toast?

 

[originalbadbob]

Another option would be to find a drag racing shop who has fabrication facilities. Lenco transmissions have magnesium cases and magnesium welds just like aluminum. I've welded many cracked cases and broken mounting ears over the years (I don't work there any more though).
The down side is that it will tie up your car longer than a remove and replace, but for stripped oil drain threads or a hole like you have, it is a viable option.

If someone has had a pan with stripped threads replaced and still has the pan, maybe we could repair that and keep an exchange program going.
robert

 

[Willie Williford]

Rick:
Flat rate for [email protected] oil pan is 8.8. hours I believe.

Ask "jackmpg" for the exact time. I think he has pulled two to install the turbo oil drain line fitting............2 hours max. seems about right.

 

[Aaron Cake]

There are likely many epoxies that can patch a small hole. However, considering the importance of the oil pan, I certainly wouldn't recommend using them. I've seen the results of engines run low on oil. Not pretty.

Magnesium can be welded, but you may have trouble finding a welder willing to do it. Mag needs to be done in an inert atmosphere, generally helium. Most welding shops have a TIG these days, but are not set up to enclose such a large space in shielding gas. As mentioned, race shops are a good place to start.

Insurance is also a good suggestion...

I'm actually amazed that they only quoted $1200. Removing the oil pan is 5 hour job easily.

 

[originalbadbob]

I once patched a large hole in the bottom of a transmission from a 25 REO fire truck (where a shifting fork broke off and went straight through the bottom) with a devcon industrial two part epoxy. It doesn't run much anymore, but does a couple of parades each year. It was repaired almost 20 years ago, and doesn't leak. That might be an option, but I'd still be leary of it.
You could also machine a flat on the bottom of the pan and bolt a plate to it with silicone or a gasket.
robert

 

[Resist]

I called the Honda dealership and they quoted me $1250 for parts, labor, taxes!

I'm sure most of that price is labor, which as we all know is outrageously overpriced at dealerships.

 

[b1shmu63]

I had a pin hole leak in my pan. Honda replaced it free under warranty. Apparently 8.8 hours is to remove the engine from the car, replace the pan and replace the engine!. The mechanic was able to replace it with the engine in the car, and it took far less time. That was over two years ago and the car works just fine.

 

[Resist]

Yes but it sounds like his car out outside of the warranty and he caused the hole in the pan. I don't see why Honda would pay for it then.

 

[figgy]

I suggest again to see if your auto insurance covers it, as it was the result of an accident caused by poor road conditions.

 

[Resist]

The problem with having insurance pay for it is then they can raise your rates, something to consider and why many decide against reporting accidents to their insurance.

 

[figgy]

For a $50 repair, I wouldn't report it. If it's a lot of money, that is the point of insurance in the first place. Why have insurance if when you get slammed with a huge bill you don't report it? Hmmmmm....

 

[Resist]

Why have insurance if when you get slammed with a huge bill you don't report it? Hmmmmm....

So they don't raise your rates more per year, than what the repair cost or even drop you.

 

[Guest]

I called my insurance to see if I could file a claim for this and what it would do to my rates, but the rate increase was more than the repairs would cost. So I don't think I'll go through the insurance for this one.