oil pan replacement

[Flash]

When lifting the engine up from the bottom, do you HAVE to remove the pump so slide the pan out? Can i loosen the bottom and top nuts on the motor mounts to get it as high as possible?

I removed a pan at a junkyard and holy crap, it would be impossible to get those three bolts back in AND hold the pump AND the pan with two hands :eeek:

an m20 obviously.

[wodcutr]

I have done it both ways and lifting the engine is definitely better if you have the means to do it. I just use my cherry picker and lift on the front of the motor using the factory lifting spot. You do need to loosen the motor mounts from underneath though and help them rise up with a bar. Also a good time to replace them if bad. Remember to take out the dipstick or you could break it when removing the pan!

[Dave003]

I did this earlier this week and it was a BITCH that being said yes drop the pump in the pan with the motor mount bolts off and jack up the motor and with some shimmying the oil pan will come out and it is possible to install the oil pump with the clearence when you slide the oil pan back in but you will need to take the two bolts off from the steering rack with it loose you can do it but if I ever do this again im dropping the subframe thats how you get the pan off without removing the pump

and yes this was with my m20 325i

[ethrtyiS]

i've done this 3 times without raising the engine. of course raising it will help tremendously. but, just remove the three bolts holding the pump in and let it fall in the pan, then slide the pan out. put the pump inside the "new" oil pump and slide it in, line it up and bolt it up. make sure the oil pump pin is inline when you bolt it up.

[Ceeker]

i've done this 3 times without raising the engine. of course raising it will help tremendously. but, just remove the three bolts holding the pump in and let it fall in the pan, then slide the pan out. put the pump inside the "new" oil pump and slide it in, line it up and bolt it up. make sure the oil pump pin is inline when you bolt it up.

how hard is it to line up the pump and thread those bolts back in?
I am thinking of changing my pan gasket because it is a grease pit underneath.

question: how much clearance is there if you aren't lifting the engine up to get to the oil pump bolts? I also heard that loosening off the rack bolts helps.

[jlevie]

When I do this I lift the engine with an engine brace after disconnecting the motor mounts, then remove the four bolts that attach the subframe to the chassis and let the subframe drop. That makes the job a bit longer, but gives you more room to work.

[ethrtyiS]

well for the m20, all i did was unbolt the passenger side sway bar, and unbolted the steering rack and moved it clear out of the bracket, then i unbolted the pump, slid the pan out. prepped the new one, and then as i stated before, put the pump in, slide it in carefully, line up the bolts, it might take some time because the pin also needs to carefully aligned, bolt the pump, then bolt the rest of the pan up and put everything back together. you really won't need all that much of a raise if your planning on doing it that way, but it definitely makes it a lot easier.

on an m42, we had to raise the motor up a good inch probably due to the flywheel cover.