Cracked oil pan; looking for some wrench help in SF Bay Area

[dgE30]

Hi there (hope this is in the right subforum) -
Hit a manhole cover in the Oakland Hills and sheared the entire oil pan right off of the bottom of my M20. Had just gotten the car running again after a bunch of electrical issues and was waiting for my next paycheck to buy a skidplate. :( I've never done any engine work before - I'm more of a driver/enthusiast but I do like learning how to do stuff. In this case though I need to get the car back on the road ASAP, and having just paid my taxes I'm pretty close to flat broke. If you are located in/near the SF Bay Area, I would be happy to barter beer/website development/computer repair or custom building and/or my everlasting gratitude for help getting my oil pan replaced. Let me know!
Kind regards,
David in SF
415-347-6746

[F34R]

Only should take a few hours to replace. Engine beam and lift up engine free of mounts. Then change pan, I would give you a hand if local. Sorry bud

[ethirtydavid]

sucks man, I bet ya find someone local that can help ya out though.
try posting again here (california section):

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=152

[Chriskbmx]

i can run you through the job right now man, its not super tuff, just tight and time consuming.
1. first thing you do is unbolt the engine mounts from the bottom of the subframe.
2. take a regular floor jack and lift the engine up as far as it goes by the ac bracket.
3. once you get it as high as you can take a 10mm socket and unbolt all the bolts around the pan.
4. un plug the oil level sender, and unbolt the ground strap im pretty sure its 13mm.
5. sometimes the pan sticks up so take a rubber mallet and tap it off.
6. you then need a 13mm wrench and unbolt the 3 oil pump bolts, that is probably the hardest part because it is so tight.
7. drop the oilpump inside the pan.
8. now its time to pull the pan. there is this spring loaded thing in there lol idk what its called, but u need to put you arm in there push that pin up and pull the pan out.
9. now that the pan is out its pretty easy, everything is as reverse but here is a few tips. put a lil rtv around the pan with the gasket and take tooth floss and tie it around the gasket and the pan holes. this will keep it from moving around because when you are in there working on tightening the pump back on.
also the hardest part off all of this is the drive gear/bar thing. it is hard to get in the intermidate drive hole and the pump, then tighten the pump up. just make sure that you try to spin the drive gear first. good luck!

[kevvve]

Straight forward.

DIY I used:

http://www.e30performance.info/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=228

Its really not that hard. working alone it takes a couple hours at a steady pace and with basic tools. I know that feel bro. sucks. Good luck though.

[Chriskbmx]

also invest one of these things, best tool i have ever bought and takes the pan swap time in half!!! http://www.dewalt.com/tools/cordless...-dcf815s2.aspx