A few weeks ago, I noticed an oil spot in my driveway. I took my Tahoe to Firestone, and they told me it was the rear main seal and oil pan gasket, quoting me about $2,000 for the repair. Instead, I took it to a local mom-and-pop shop that quoted me $950 for the rear main seal, oil pan gasket, and valve cover gaskets. They said it included both parts and labor.
After the repair, oil spots started showing up again. I took it back to the shop, and they mentioned that a screw from the transmission area (which had been worked on before) was missing. I feel like I’ve been taken advantage of. I’m upset because they had to remove the transmission to get to the engine, but I’m still not sure where the leak is coming from. Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated!
Buy a couple of ramps or jack stands and crawl underneath to take a look for yourself. Or find a mechanic who will show you the issue while the vehicle is on the lift.
This sounds like a leaking oil sending unit. Try using a mirror or your phone with the flash on and look behind the intake at the back/top of the engine. There’s a sensor there that’s notorious for leaking oil. It runs down the back of the engine between the transmission, making it look like a rear main seal leak. It’s about a $40 part, and you can replace it without removing anything else from the engine. Don’t forget to replace the filter screen beneath the sending unit!
