Rusted Out Oil Pan

[BostonBLS]

Changed my oil today and as soon as a pulled the drain plug noticed my oil pan is rusting out. Couldn’t believe it. It’s a 2019 with only 70k on it. Never seen this happen before. Anyone else with similar issue?

Not weeping at all yet so that’s good but hoping it’s covered under my extended warranty.

 

[vincentw56]

There's another post on here about it.

 

[Cbty2050]

You hoping that rust is covered by the extended warranty?

 

[HSKR R/T]

Hemi Rusty Oil Pans

Hey everybody while under my truck replacing my sway bar bushings which turned out great. I was looking around as I really do not service my new cars. I noticed the oil pan to be in very rough shape and worse than I have ever saw on a new truck/car under 4 years old and under 100,000 kms. Who...

5thgenrams.com

 

[HSKR R/T]

Both threads were on 2019 trucks. Hopefully it's isolated to just a certain run of oil pans in 2019

 

[lapoolboy]

That salty crap they spray all over the roads up there probably doesn't help too much either!

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

I have a TJ sitting right now with an oil pan about as secure as a screen door from rust. I am not surprised earlier Rams might have the same problem.

 

[Darksteel165]

That salty crap they spray all over the roads up there probably doesn't help too much either!

I haven't owned a singe car\truck that had an oil pan look like that and I have lived in MA my whole life and we put crap all over our roads in the winter.
Frame sure, but not the oil pan.

 

[jessed1]

My old dod

I haven't owned a singe car\truck that had an oil pan look like that and I have lived in MA my whole life and we put crap all over our roads in the winter.
Frame sure, but not the oil pan.

I had a 2005 dodge dakota that looked like that after 8 years of Syracuse salt. When I traded it in, it was weeping.

 

[Darksteel165]

My old dod

I had a 2005 dodge dakota that looked like that after 8 years of Syracuse salt. When I traded it in, it was weeping.

Sounds like a Dodge/Ram problem. The pans should be aluminum and not rust. Sounds like Ram/Dodge cheaper out and used steel. That's odd and unfortunate.

 

[HSKR R/T]

Sounds like a Dodge/Ram problem. The pans should be aluminum and not rust. Sounds like Ram/Dodge cheaper out and used steel. That's odd and unfortunate.

Most manufacturers use stamped steel oil pans. Cost savings.

 

[stebo]

I just noticed this the other day too on my 2019.

 

[Rick3478]

Looks like it's deep drawn from sheet, which requires pretty soft metal for best results, so probably little or no nickel or chromium content. They could maybe have tinned or galvanized it after forming, but probably didn't, so chip the paint and rust begins immediately.

Mostly I have questions.

First, what corrective maintenance actions could be taken? Like once in awhile run it up on a hoist (or ramps and crawl under), clean it and chip off the rust, dab it with rust converter, then paint with your favorite Rustoleum or whatever?

Also, what are the alternatives? Anyone make better substitute parts that will fit?

And what does it take to replace the pan with OEM or a substitute? Can it be done without pulling the engine completely out?

 

[Cbty2050]

And what does it take to replace the pan with OEM or a substitute? Can it be done without pulling the engine completely out?

It is a 6.0 hour job and then about $400 in parts(pan, gasket, oil and filter). Drop the front diff out or raise the engine are the options. Service information says to drop front diff.

 

[HSKR R/T]

Looks like it's deep drawn from sheet, which requires pretty soft metal for best results, so probably little or no nickel or chromium content. They could maybe have tinned or galvanized it after forming, but probably didn't, so chip the paint and rust begins immediately.

Mostly I have questions.

First, what corrective maintenance actions could be taken? Like once in awhile run it up on a hoist (or ramps and crawl under), clean it and chip off the rust, dab it with rust converter, then paint with your favorite Rustoleum or whatever?

Also, what are the alternatives? Anyone make better substitute parts that will fit?

And what does it take to replace the pan with OEM or a substitute? Can it be done without pulling the engine completely out?

It's stamped steel. That's the word you are looking for. If it was coated properly, it should hold up. General maintenance z keep an eye on it during oil changes. That should be often enough to catch it before it gets too bad. If needed, hit it with some steel wool or a wire brush, then spray it with paint or other protective coating like POR15

 

[MannyN]

It's a lot of work, if you want to replace it, the cost is only about $70.00.

 

[Rick3478]

It's stamped steel. That's the word you are looking for.

That's two words, and I wasn't looking. "Deep drawn" are the words I chose and meant.

 

[HSKR R/T]

That's two words, and I wasn't looking. "Deep drawn" are the words I chose and meant.

I meant term, not word. Basically arguing semantics at this point

 

[Rick3478]

I meant term, not word. Basically arguing semantics at this point

Was poking a bit of fun, but from a tooling perspective "deep drawn" implies a lot more than just "stamped". Stamping usually implies basic tooling like punching out a two dimensional shape. You might form some shallow dimples at the same time and call it embossing, but drawing implies pulling and stretching sheets around corners into a shape with significant amounts of a third dimension, and it works best with alloys that are both soft and tear-resistant. As steels go, that can also mean not rust-resistant, and FCA was probably also going for cheap.

 

[Av1]

Mostly I have questions.

First, what corrective maintenance actions could be taken? Like once in awhile run it up on a hoist (or ramps and crawl under), clean it and chip off the rust, dab it with rust converter, then paint with your favorite Rustoleum or whatever?

Also, what are the alternatives? Anyone make better substitute parts that will fit?

If the rust wasn't too bad, the repairs you and others mentioned would work just fine.

But if it was as bad as the one shown in the OP, I would just replace the pan.

Before it was installed it, I would strip the pan, apply a chromated epoxy primer, and then either have it powder coated or I'd at least apply a good polyurethane topcoat. Imron Elite Single Stage is pretty durable.

I know that seems like a lot of trouble, but I'd want to make the new one as rust resistant as possible before I installed it.