OIL PAN Gasket Replacement Tips

[Cabriolet]

I disconnect the motor mounts (and usually replace them at this time).
then i use a bottle jack on the passenger engine mount arm. and then lift the engine ~3-4 inches. i have to bend the fan blades a little so clear the shroud.

then drop the pan, and never once have i needed to remove the oil pump.



if you are on a tight budget i would just use a jack and a small block of wood and do it the same way.

[tractioncircle]

I just replaced the Oil Pan gasket on my 91 325i. Just adding to the observations made here.

1.> The engine support bar is something you should get ($52 after discount and taxes at HF)
2.> There is no need to unbolt ANY subframe or suspension related component.
3.> Just hook up the support bar, undo the mounts, unclip the radiator shroud and just raise the engine couple of inches. You can stop when the rear of the block hits the firewall.
4.> Unbolt the pan after unhooking the oil level sensor and ground strap, and the pan drops out easily.

The hardest part was to get the old gasket off the block, I soaked it in WD40 for about 1/2 an hour and I guess it helped in getting the gasket off.

Regards
TC

[Kelqutub]

I am having trouble actually getting the pan out. It will not clear this piece of metal(no idea what it is). I have removed the pump and tried to get that piece of metal out the way with a crowbar but it won't budge. Some one please help.

[Thizzelle]

did you loosen steering rack? loosen motor mounts? just jack up engine a little more if so. Also listen to CAB

[Norbert]

I bought oil Pan from 2.4td. It is identical but the hole which is for the oil return thing for turbo. How can i eliminate tht hole? Metal Glue and bolt threaded in would work? It just NeXT to oil sensor connection

[ManSalad]

I bought oil Pan from 2.4td. It is identical but the hole which is for the oil return thing for turbo. How can i eliminate tht hole? Metal Glue and bolt threaded in would work? It just NeXT to oil sensor connection

I bought a used oil pan from a friend with a 325i and it had the same hole. let me know if you find a permanent fix! I put a rubber plug that I found laying around that fit perfectly to cover it temporarily just so nothing falls in my oil pan haha.

[Norbert]

I bought a used oil pan from a friend with a 325i and it had the same hole. let me know if you find a permanent fix! I put a rubber plug that I found laying around that fit perfectly to cover it temporarily just so nothing falls in my oil pan haha.

and it works? :D I have made a bolt with gasket on it and I will put 2 component metal glue on top of it and see if that would be enough. :)

[raudonis]

Thank you ingenious people for DREMEL and my wise brain for coming up with golden idea to finally buy it last summer :bow:



Not so much thank you BMW for using the shit torx screws. The tiny star shapes from 1983 have disintegrated to nothing
Cut a groove in each head, hammer in handle-less screwdriver, turn with adjustable wrench. No space for the wrench? Grab the screwdriver with a vicegrip, turn the vicegrip using the adjustable wrench



Then the "surprise little shit" right there by the starter motor, yeah right in the sweet spot The DREMEL extension barely fits, but it does :bow:



Oil has been drained, to be continued tomorrow...

[khofmann]

has anyone ever found a needle bearing in the pan? can't imagine where it came from unless some dipstick used contaiminated oil or a dirt funnel.

[jayuuey]

do you have to undo the trans mounts as well when jacking the motor up or is there enough flexibility that you can just leave it alone?

thanks

[DrJosh]

do you have to undo the trans mounts as well when jacking the motor up or is there enough flexibility that you can just leave it alone?

thanks

I did not but it certainly wouldn't hurt anything if you did.

[jayuuey]

Thanks, you're right no need to undo trans mounts. One thing I didn't get from this thread is that if the pan gets hung up, rotate the crank a bit and it should slide right out.

[raudonis]

At least in my case rotating the m20 crank achieved nothing. There were 3 limiting obstacle points: front crankshaft damper, oil pressure relieve valve and front subframe-steering rack.

[jayuuey]

i used hi-tack on both sides of my paper mtc gasket and I'm getting 1-2 little drops of oil coming from the flywheel cover weep hole when parked. i tried torqued the bolts to 11nm again to be sure. Could this be the rear main seal or would that dump oil when driving?

Im thinking of trying again using hondabond instead of hi-tack.

[raudonis]

I had some driping from the same spot after the gasket change, though it gradually dissapeared