Oil Pan Removal: Bently VS. r3v

[smoke4ndmears]

After searching the board everyone who's posted seems to lift the engine, whereas Bently's directs only disconnecting the steering rack from the subframe and removing the bellhousing reinforcement plate is needed. What gives?
*edit* and is the bavauto gasket set decent?

[indecline]

Use a jack with a piece of wood to lift the engine little by little until it clears the oil pan. Make sure not to ding the oil pan sender sensor when your removing the pan.

You can go ahead and drop the sub-frame and steering rack, if you like tedious work.

[Fidhle007]

Leave the subframe, pull out the rack and let it hang down. Lift the front of the engine with a jack and block of wood on the dampening ring (the toothed one.) You won't get much lift if your motor mounts are good but it helps a little. You can undo your motor mounts but the last time I did mine I just left them and pulled out the rack. That was the 5th pan I've done recently (sadly, a lot of those were on my car and not customer's cars) and that seemed to go the smoothest with the rack out.

[smoke4ndmears]

Thanks fellas. I'll keep this in mind when I get around to doing this. I have a feeling my motor is leaking from all of the places it can and not implode. At least its helping to fight corrosion in the undercarriage.

[Fidhle007]

Do the valve cover gasket first, it's the easiest and is often the source of what usually appears to be much worse leaks.

[badvibrations]

Yeah the bentley doesnt say dickhole about lifting the motor up a bit...trying to hold the oil pump in place to bolt it back on during reassembly is a pain in the ass...it took me hours...dropping the pump bolts in the pan and having to pull it back out and start all over...though it never occurred to my ignorent ass to lift the motor up a bit...this may have saved me some time...

[Fidhle007]

Lifting the motor is a big help when reinstalling the pump, also keep a small magnet on a piece of wire handy for when you drop the bolts into the pan. Because you WILL drop bolts...

[Jordan325iC]

I drop the pan by:
1) Unbolting the motor mounts
2) Jacking up motor a few inches from the tranny.
3) Unbolting the oil pan and taking it out (no need to remove the oil pump).

Viola. You might want to disconnect the lower radiator hose from the engine. I don't, but it looks like it might be a little strained.

[rcko]

regarding the gaskets. I forgot which brand it was but for sure the one I orderd from BAVAUTO was cork for both the tranny and the valve cover. I ended up ordering another set from Pelican and these were not cork but some other synthetic looking material and persiable more durable. I went with the later. Sorry, but I cant recall the manufacturer. I figure call the BavAuto or Pelican or whoever, and make sure you get a decent material gasket before ordering.

[Fidhle007]

Cork is fine, especially if you use a little Aviation Forma-gasket or whatever it's called. It's brown and sticky and seals shit.

[AndrewBird]

To get a bit more room, get some bolts that are the same size as the subframe bolts, but an inch or two longer. Replace the stock subframe bolts with them, leaving them sticking out those few inches and lower the subframe down onto them. This way, you don't have to pull the entire subframe and suspension apart, but still have lots of room.

Josh and I did this and I can't remember exactly, but I don't think we lifted the motor.

[smoke4ndmears]

I ordered the BavAuto gaskets: if they are cork I'll just add some extra sealant as per 007's post. When I get to this I'll have a lift and a transmission jack available so lifting the motor should be do-able. All of these ideas will come in handy. Thanks.