We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Automotive

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is an Oil Pan?

By Jeremy Laukkonen
Updated: May 23, 2024
Views: 28,672
Share

An oil pan is a component that typically seals the bottom side of four-stroke, internal combustion engines in automotive and other similar applications. While it is known as an oil pan in the U.S., other parts of the world may call it an oil sump. Its main purpose is to form the bottommost part of the crankcase and to contain the engine oil before and after it has been circulated through the engine. When an oil pan is removed, some components revealed usually include the crankshaft, oil pickup, and the bottom end of the dipstick. Some oil pans will also contain one or more magnets that are designed to capture small pieces of metal before they can plug the oil filter or damage the engine.

During normal engine operation, an oil pump will draw oil from the pan and circulate it through the engine, where it is used to lubricate all the various components. After the oil has passed through the engine, it is allowed to return to the oil pan. In a wet sump system like this, the amount of oil that an engine can hold is directly related to the size of the oil pan. An engine can hold no more oil than can fit in the pan without reaching the crankshaft, since a submerged crankshaft will tend to aerate the oil, making it difficult or impossible for the oil pump to circulate it through the engine.

The drain plug used to change the engine oil is typically located somewhere on the oil pan. An easy way to locate an oil drain plug is to find the pan and then look for its lowest point. The pan may be slanted, have a bulge on one end, or be at a slight angle due to the position of the engine. This low point is usually where the drain plug is located so that nearly all of the oil in the pan can be drained through it.

Certain engines, such as those in race or high performance cars, may make use of what is known as a dry sump system. Instead of storing all the oil in the crank case, these engines have a divorced reservoir that it is pumped to and from. Oil pans on engines like these will typically be much smaller than those in wet sump systems, since the oil is returned to the reservoir after being used for lubrication.

Share
WikiMotors is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wikimotors.org/what-is-an-oil-pan.htm
Copy this link
WikiMotors, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WikiMotors, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.