Whoever said changing an oil pan without..

[Fidhle007]

Exactly. BTW, awesome sig man! ^

[Easily Distracted]

I would monitor the dipstick carefully for a little while anyway. When the oil level sensor sits dry, it sometimes takes a little while for it to start acting normal again. I bet after you warm up the oil and restart it will start working again (if it's not because it's on jackstands).

[Fidhle007]

Yeah, it takes a bit to get oil back into the sensor. Just run it to cycle the oil and check the level, if it's slightly over your cool and if you need more you know what to do. Rarely is the book bang on for amounts, being a tech I learned this very fast. I use what the book says as a guideline and take it from there.

[Schniddy]

^low oil light on the check panel

The check engine light went off after like 5 seconds.

I'll bolt up the flywheel cover, get the engine mount stud back down, bolt back up the one side of the sway bar ( I know, I wouldn't of needed to do this if I the engine up before hand), and take it back down.. hopfully the light goes out.


woooo floating in the air

[Fidhle007]

Oh yeah, the ETA may be less, my bad. I know going over is bad, but when my dipstick tells me to add more I do...

Oh, and were you talking about the Low Oil light on the check panel or the Check Engine light on the cluster?

[Schniddy]

the manual and everyone else says 4.46L w/ a new oil filter on a 325e. Going over is bad for your engine. My probably is most likely the oil hasn't been circulating enough and its at an extreme angle to start out with.

to late to finish now .

soooo gone.

[Fidhle007]

It's probably because you need an oxygen sensor...

To chime in on the oil pan discussion, I just did Oil Pan #4 a few days ago (NH roads suck, note to self: buy skid plate) and did not undo the motor mounts or jack the engine very much at all. Granted, I have a lift at my shop so that makes life easier.

I jacked the front of the motor up about an inch or so and then pulled out the steering rack, this gains you all the needed space and saved me some time over last time when I undid my motor mounts. Everything went in fine and so far it all looks cool.

As for the 4.5 liters, my car took 5.5 liters so maybe it's the Low Oil light that Schneider is talking about? If that's the case, run the car a bit (just a few minutes) to make sure there's oil in the filter and what not, then shut it down, wait about 30 seconds to a minute so it can drain back to the pan and check the level. If you put in 4.5 liters chances are you'll need another one. Don't worry if the Oil Level light doesn't go out right away, it takes a few minutes before it realizes the level has returned to normal.

[Schniddy]

Instead of making a new thread, I gota quick question. The new pan is all bolted up ( still have to put bolt up a few more things however till its done) and filled up up with some oil. I accidentally put nearly 4.5 liters in, so its about .4 liters to much (I'll just drain it a little).

Anyways the check engine oil light is on and wont go off. Is it because the car is still in the air or what??

[2002maniac]

When you hit your pan so hard it cracks the lower pan and the upper pan.

ouch!

[boom-monkey]

why would you ever have to changet the upper?

When you hit your pan so hard it cracks the lower pan and the upper pan.

[Jscotty]

Why are you guys taking the oil pump off?

I guess that would be the best opportunity to replace it. I don't know if an oil pump in an E30 lasts the life of the engine or if its one of those items that you have to get every 200K or so. I had a ricer a few years back where I broke the oil pan on a speed bump. A week later the pump went.

[tn325i]

I have to attempt this tomorrow.. So this is good reading..

[2002maniac]

Not the upper pan.

why would you ever have to changet the upper?

[boom-monkey]

or get a 318is and not have to worry about it. changing the pan is a breeze..

Not the upper pan.

[strad]

^^ because there's no room to do it any other way if the subframe is in place.