Quick question, been reading about folks doing oil pan braces with the engine still in the car. Mines started to leave a little puddle under the pan area (driver's side). So I figure it's now or never.

I just wanted to double check that I'm not gonna f**k something up if I jack the transmission at the bell housing using a block of wood in between it and a floor jack?


I don't own a engine hoist. ...


Should be ok?



edit: using this link: http://www.fd3s.net/oil_pan_removal.html last post down.

 

When i did mine i supported the transmission behind the bell housing where it is flat, gives you more room to work and no chance of the jack slipping off the rounded bell housing.

 

thanks! that's where i was hoping someone would say .. now need to go see if the auto tranny has a flat spot like the manuals.

 

My jack comes no where near that part if the trans. Car is on stands on full height. I tried using blocks btw the jack and trans but it was too flimsey and slipped. I don't want to lose my fingers here. Any suggestions?

Also, would I have enough clearance just unbolting the mounts or do I need to lower the subframe as well?

 

If you want to do it the right way, go ahead and unbolt the subframe. I've heard some people being able to put everything on by just unbolting the engine mounts but it just seems like it would be a major pita. There is not much clearance for everything to be done right without it leaking again a week later. When I put my oil pan brace on I took the subframe off and everything was sooo much easier to do. Cleaning up the pan, cleaning the holes with a tap, and preping the surface is a lot easier to do with the subframe off.

 

Lowering the subframe is probably best; however, I did the install w/ the engine in the car. I had to remove the turbo and manifold/dp in order to get it out.

it can be done.



I put a block of wood ('bout 6 inches). turned it flat on the floor jack and butted it up to the transmission "flat part". Unloosened the motor mount bolts... jacked it up until it hit the transmission tunnel (open your hood). Then removed the mounts with a socket and an open-ended wrench from the block. You can probably get the passenger side mount out at this point - but maybe not the driver side. Then take off the oil pan bolts. It'll drop down then you have to remove the 2 bolts from the oil sending pipe inside the pan. Once that is done, just shimmy the pan out the passenger side.

Re-install was just in reverse. NOT a fun job.


Course I could've never dropped the sub-frame by myself and 1 floor jack.

 

I've helped guys in the past do the oil pan both ways. Take the time and drop the subframe, you'll be WAY ahead of the game.

If you don't have or can't borrow an engine hoist, call around and rent one. Most rental places have them, and you can probably rent it for like $30 for the weekend. This will give you full access to really clean the bottom of the block, chase the threads out for the bolt holes, etc. If you don't have enough access to get in there and do the job right, chances are you'll be back doing it again when it doesn't seal up properly.

Dale

 

Or you could get one of these....

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=96524

It's gonna make my life easier for things that require the subframe to be dropped. Plus you don't have to work around that floor jack that's holding up the engine by the tranny or the legs of an engine hoist if your doing it that way.

 

How does that work?

 

^^^^

It sits across your engine bay and you use a chain, or two, to suspend your motor while you loosen the subframe, etc. Works very well.

 

I live in an apartment complex and working on your car is explicitly forbidden. There's no way my landlord wouldn't see an engine hoist or my subframe out of the vehicle. Large jobs like this are always done at night ~1am.

I offer this b/c not everyone can drop/lift due to other outside factors.

 

The above is a similar tool that Mazda uses to hold the engine up. I made one years ago to straddle the fenders out of 1" pipe


later