csthews

It took me about 12 hrs..about 6 hours actually removing and replacing the pan. The remaining time cleaning/scraping 17 yrs of gunk, removing the silicon from the previous gasket, and hunting down sockets after I sat them down. If I have to do it again, I think I can do it in 4. One tip...follow the fsm instruction and remove the starter and oil filter holder. If the designers would have moved that filter holder 1/8 inch, you wouldn't have to move it out of the way.

PLRX

Dude, 6 hours to remove the oil pan?????

Midnight 85

I'm sorry you're having a problem but I can't count the times someone has done something to their car and had a problem afterwards. Go back and see what you did to create the problem! You don't need advice from anybody, you need to backtrack your work & see what is wrong. In the time it takes you to clean your hands, go in & get on the computer and start a thread like this, then sit around waiting for a miracle response you could have had the pan back off & most likely fixed the problem. If this offends you I am sorry but it is just good common sense.

csthews

Hey..I work really slow. I spent a lot of time trying to not remove parts I needed to remove. Then whoever did the last job put on a crap load of silicon and practically glued the pan in place. I'm a big guy working on my back with not enough room to roll over so every time i'd drop a socket or misplace an extension I would have to slide out find the tool then slide back....so yes at least 6 hrs. Also, working with cheap tools didn't help. After finally getting the pan off I went to sears and bought a 200 pc mechanics tool set. I have mechanics tools, I therefore am a mechnic now. Yeah right.

csthews

Lighten up dude. Isn't this forum here to share ideas and get help with problems? You are correct in that this isn't the first time this has happened to someone. I was just hoping that others that this happened to could give me ideas of what to look for. And if you read my post you would know that I had to go on a weekend trip and wouldn't be able to work on the car for a while. So while I'm away what better time to get advice. Thankfully, there are ppl here that are willing to give good advice.

Petees Vette

Ok thanks I just got mine done my mechanic only charged me 3 hours pretty dame good guy. And the gasket was around 70 bucks.

csthews

Sounds good. My gasket was around $30. I got a similar quote. Depending on what I find I might wish I would have taken it in.

dukeallen

Principal is gonna pull out the big paddle for this one...

nutz4c4

csthews

I guess I may have over reacted. Chill pill taken. Probably too late to edit so I will have to live with my punishment. Wouldn't have bothered me if the guy would have called me an idiot, know nothing mechanic wannabe as long as he would have given me something to work with.

cv67

Principal isnt female either.

Or Id take it.





In this case it isnt. What Midnight is getting at is you wont have to look for the problem. It will be obvious once you pull the pan down youll see it. Hes probably already been there perhaps you havent so dont take it personally. Hes right.

Post a pic of what you see when you pull it down if you still arent sure.
Til then forget about it enjoy the vacation.

csthews

Is it too late to say I originally typed back off and the phone autocorrectd it? If midnight has had this happen how hard would it have been to say what he found? Also, since I think the sound may be from something hitting the shield, I just wanted to see if this has happened to anyone else along that line. Oh well I will post pics after the vacation.

H P Bushrod

Both you and midnight85 got a warning. With me, you only get one. We're ALL adults here that drive Corvettes. I EXPECT EVERYONE to conduct themselves as such. The next time, expect a extended vacation from the forum.

WW7

Here's something that I don't think was mentioned yet.. The oil level indicator in the side of the pan is supposed to be removed before taking the pan off. Its also suppose to be put back in after the pan is on..If you put it back in before installing the pan you could of either bent the oil level indicator or the oil pickup tube..Just thought I would mention this.......WW

PLRX

...my first time

csthews

Yeah I read a lot of really good posts on here plus I read the procedure in the fsm before tackling this. I picked up a lot of pointers from this site. A lot of warnings on removing the level indicator first. So I made sure it was the very first thing out and the very last thing in.

SQUIRMIN VERMIN 84

Good point. By forgetting the dipstick, you become a dipstick...

Paul Workman

Pulling the injector fuse OR holding the throttle to the floor ("flooded engine" clear mode) - both one will shut off the injectors and you can crank the starter to troubleshoot.

But, really...we can all guess all day what you might have done, but nothing is going to happen till you get under there and LOOK. The issue should be obvious, once you do. Simple observation is one of the best troubleshooting tools "in the box".

BTW, you couldn't pay me enough to be under a car on jack stands while bumping the starter. I hope you didn't intend to do that!

A sharp (high frequencies) clanging like striking a sheet metal shield with a metal rod would (as already said) indicate something external to the pan. Laying a shop rag over that same sheet metal and striking it will reduce the high pitch frequencies, producing a sound more like what you would expect if something were amiss inside the pan.

I believe it was in the book "Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus" where it talks about (among other things) sources of frustration in male/female relationships. What the heck does this have to do with this thread? I'll tell you...

In short: Dealing with problems: Guys, given a problem to solve, tend to look for a solution or suggest one, eager to move on. Gals, on the other hand, often tend not to actually want an immediate solution. By nature they prefer rather discuss it or commiserate over it first; rolling it over and over before making a move to solve. The result is guys often become frustrated by this approach.

In summary, the book coaches the reader to understand these are different but also natural approaches to a problem. Sometimes a quick solution or "shooting from the hip" is not the best one; some solutions would be better if it were thought out more thoroughly. But, on the other hand, we have paralysis by analysis which extends the suffering caused by whatever problem is at hand. Just my observation, but I think I see some of this going on in this thread!

Just a little something different for this testosterone laden web page! I'm not accusing anyone of leaning toward male or female tendancies here, but for the record, I suggest you quit analyzing and get under there and have a look!!!

P.

csthews

Thanks mr workman. In my job I oftentimes make decisions on shutting down/not shutting down equipment which, if wrong will cost the company money. Because of the implication, I tend to make sure I have enough data to make that call. I guess I carry that in to my personal life, so I have to admit i do lean towards the female.

Btw. No way will I get under a car and bump the engine. Before I. Even did this job I put the car on ramps. Jacked it up slighty and lowered it onto jackstands, then left the floor jack on for added protection.

Finally, a good friend was working under a 60's camaro ss. There was a rattle coming from his oil pan so he took it off to investigate. He went to bump the engine by shorting across the starter terminals with a screwdriver. He'd forgotten that he left the key in the on position and it fired right up. He got out unharmed...lessen learned. Even more that was a day or 2 after he witnessed a coworker getting killed after standing under a load being moved by a crane.....another big nono.
Anyway thanks for the tip on starting the engine.

mrmtrtrnd