My car only leaks a bit of oil when left on Could this be dew to a faulty oil pan gasket & valve cover gasket?

I just took my newly bought 1996 Nissan 200sx to a mechanic today and I suspected that my small motor oil leak was dew to too much oil that the previous owner put in. The mechanic told me that the oil was not too excessive (although to me it seemed like it was since the oil was way over the line on the dip stick) and after inspecting the car he told me that I would need to replace the oil pan gasket and the valve cover gasket in order to fix the problem. The cost would be $270. Does this sound like the correct solution to my problem and is this mechanic charging me fairly? He seems like an ok fellow, but I'd just like to see what you all think. Thank you all for your help!My car only leaks a bit of oil when left on Could this be dew to a faulty oil pan gasket %26amp; valve cover gasket?
The over full problem shouldn't cause a leak. It could cause other problems though. Gaskets on older cars do some times crack and start leaking. The price seems fair for parts and labor.My car only leaks a bit of oil when left on Could this be dew to a faulty oil pan gasket %26amp; valve cover gasket?
I think $270 is fair price if he is paying for the parts. I would be able to tell you if the gaskets need to be changed if had seen the vehicle, but it's so easy to see when open the hood or you look underneath the vehicle...if there is any leak, you would see some oil residue.


Good luck!
is the oil filter screwed on tight?
dew (n.) Water droplets condensed from the air, usually at night, onto cool surfaces.





Could this be due to a bad gasket?





Yes, it surely could be one or the other, depending on where the leak seems to be coming from.





Sounds like you aren't sure of this mechanic, if that is the case, get a second opinion.
Get some engine degreaser at the parts store, spray the engine warm, and spray it everywhere you can (now days don't have to worry about distributor and carb) may take 3 or 4 cans of it, it's cheap, let it set for about 15 minutes, then use a water hose with a fairly strong spray and clean the heck out of it, then you can see exactly where the oil is coming from.
this doe not sound like you engine is overfilled with oil. as far as $270 to get your problem fixed this sounds more than fair. you obviously doubt the mechanic you took your car to so i would suggest getting a second opinion. from what you have suggested it could be a number of issues...leaky gasket, loose or cracked oil filter, a seal, or a bad oil sending unit/gauge. there could be other issues, but these are some of the obvious things that come to mind