How to Locate the Oil Pan on a Car

A vehicle's oil pan is a metal pan that is attached to the bottom of an engine's crankcase. The oil pan is typically made of steel and can be removed. After the oil circulates through a vehicle's engine, it drains into the oil pan for storage. When the oil needs to be changed, the old oil is drained from the oil pan when the pan's plug is removed. An oil pan is easy to locate and is in the same location for all automobiles.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Car jack

1. Turn off your car and park it on a flat surface. If your car is low to the ground, you should use a jack to lift the car. If you have enough room to slide under the car, there is no need to jack it up.

2. Slide under the engine of the car. If you are in a dark area, take a flashlight with you.

3. Look for a large flat pan with a plug or bolt in the bottom corner. The oil pan is located closer to the engine than the transmission pan. If you cannot differentiate between the oil pan and the transmission pan, the oil pan plug will be warm after the car is turned on for 10 minutes.

References

• Car Parts: Oil Pan