Drop the oil pan
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,747
Likes: 224
From: Hillsboro Oregon
Drop the oil pan
Since my friend's recent experience with losing one side of a rocker which sent 33-40 needle bearings into the oil pan or around the lifters 
He was told by his mechanic that dropping the oil pan, cleaning it, and reinstall would run almost $500.......plus oil and that this was a 5+ hour job.
Questions:
is it a 5+ hour job
do you feel he should do it to see if he can recover the remaining missing bearings? Only found about 12-16 so far from the Magnetic drain plug and around the rockers in the head.
Your thoughts ?
He was told by his mechanic that dropping the oil pan, cleaning it, and reinstall would run almost $500.......plus oil and that this was a 5+ hour job.
Questions:
is it a 5+ hour job
do you feel he should do it to see if he can recover the remaining missing bearings? Only found about 12-16 so far from the Magnetic drain plug and around the rockers in the head.
Your thoughts ?
Last edited by jrprich; Feb 2, 2007 at 07:31 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,041
Likes: 4
From: Rockford Illinois
Since my friend's recent experience with losing one side of a rocker whicn sent 33-40 needle bearings into the oil pan or around the lifters
He was told by his mechanic that dropping the oil pan, cleaning it, and reinstall would run almost $500.......plus oil and that this was a 5+ hour job.
Questions:
is, is it a 5+ hour job
do you feel he should do it to see if he can recover the remaining missing bearings? Only found about 12-16 so far from the Magnetic drain plug and around the rockers in the head.
Your thoughts ?
He was told by his mechanic that dropping the oil pan, cleaning it, and reinstall would run almost $500.......plus oil and that this was a 5+ hour job.
Questions:
is, is it a 5+ hour job
do you feel he should do it to see if he can recover the remaining missing bearings? Only found about 12-16 so far from the Magnetic drain plug and around the rockers in the head.
Your thoughts ?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 3,452
Likes: 3
From: Spring, TX
Because its not that easy to do with the engine in the car. You have to drop the front suspension and cross member. It can be done but you have to support the engine some way. Some use a hoist from above but working on a engine supported that way is not wise as the hoist is not completely stable.
I need to replace my pan in my car and have not found a way that I think is safe short of removing the engine from the car.
I need to replace my pan in my car and have not found a way that I think is safe short of removing the engine from the car.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 9,909
Likes: 1,858
From: Hot Springs AR
I thought your friend was going to get some super-magnets (like those found in a hard drive) to drag anything in the bottom of the pan over to the drain plug.
And, in any case, if the needles haven't found their way into the engine to do damage, they're probably not going to now.
Have a good one,
Mike
And, in any case, if the needles haven't found their way into the engine to do damage, they're probably not going to now.
Have a good one,
Mike
Pro
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 552
Likes: 0
From: Lincoln Ne.
I would personally just get one of those strong magnets w/ the flexible metal shaft and go to town through the drain plug holes. The needles are going to rest on the bottom of the pan and more then likely do no harm if they made it through the reciprocating assembly w/o any damage. Get out what you can through the draing plug and maybe flush a few qts through the system w/ plug open to flush any strays pieces out. The pickup has a filter and I doubt it'd even pickup the needle bearings if they were directly under it.
otherwise, just drop the front crossmember down and pull the pan. I supported the engine w/ my hoist but I now have a custom tool that wil hold the engine in from the top w/o the legs of the hoist.
Dave
otherwise, just drop the front crossmember down and pull the pan. I supported the engine w/ my hoist but I now have a custom tool that wil hold the engine in from the top w/o the legs of the hoist.
Dave
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,747
Likes: 224
From: Hillsboro Oregon
I thought your friend was going to get some super-magnets (like those found in a hard drive) to drag anything in the bottom of the pan over to the drain plug.
And, in any case, if the needles haven't found their way into the engine to do damage, they're probably not going to now.
Have a good one,
Mike
And, in any case, if the needles haven't found their way into the engine to do damage, they're probably not going to now.
Have a good one,
Mike
I asked because the TSB on this has removing the pan as part of the repair.
I was actually more curious as to the quoted time of 5 hrs to pull the pan
Thanks,
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Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 3,879
Likes: 3
From: Hobart, WI
I have done it a few times and the factory way is not the easy way. I am sure I could change a pan in 3 hours. The cross member only needs to come down ~4 inches or just off the bolts. Mark and remove the inner control arm bolts and leave the suspension alone otherwise except you have to drop the spring. Dealers have a fixture.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,246
Likes: 66
From: Middletown CT
It's not that easy. The bottom half of the oil pan has partitions cast into it that I assume are there to strengthen the pan, and also prevent the oil from sloshing around too much. It's like a maze. You can't just start at the back and pull the magnet to the drain plug. The bearings would hit one of the partitions, and be left behind as you move the magnet forward. You would really need to look at the inside of a pan to see how to move the magnet to get the bearings to the drain hole. Even then your ony hoping you got them all.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,747
Likes: 224
From: Hillsboro Oregon
It's not that easy. The bottom half of the oil pan has partitions cast into it that I assume are there to strengthen the pan, and also prevent the oil from sloshing around too much. It's like a maze. You can't just start at the back and pull the magnet to the drain plug. The bearings would hit one of the partitions, and be left behind as you move the magnet forward. You would really need to look at the inside of a pan to see how to move the magnet to get the bearings to the drain hole. Even then your ony hoping you got them all.
Yes, that is what the mechanic told him.
But the good new should be that the baffles will help retain the bearings in the bottom of the pan and prevent them from moving around much........or so we hope
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 894
Likes: 1
From: Bethel Township Ohio
Since my friend's recent experience with losing one side of a rocker whicn sent 33-40 needle bearings into the oil pan or around the lifters
He was told by his mechanic that dropping the oil pan, cleaning it, and reinstall would run almost $500.......plus oil and that this was a 5+ hour job.
Questions:
is, is it a 5+ hour job
do you feel he should do it to see if he can recover the remaining missing bearings? Only found about 12-16 so far from the Magnetic drain plug and around the rockers in the head.
Your thoughts ?
He was told by his mechanic that dropping the oil pan, cleaning it, and reinstall would run almost $500.......plus oil and that this was a 5+ hour job.
Questions:
is, is it a 5+ hour job
do you feel he should do it to see if he can recover the remaining missing bearings? Only found about 12-16 so far from the Magnetic drain plug and around the rockers in the head.
Your thoughts ?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,071
Likes: 0
From: Goose Creek SC
My personal opinion.... Don't waste the money. Those bearings aren't gonna hurt squat. The only way they could hurt is if somehow they were able to be sucked up off the bottom of the pan and then make it past the screen on the oil pick up tube. Since that isn't gonna happen, it's a total waste of money. Again, this has been my opinion, you don't have to believe it.
Hammer
Hammer
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 9,909
Likes: 1,858
From: Hot Springs AR
I really think you're OK. The bearings that may still be in the pan, IMO, would have already caused whatever damage they were going to.
Have a good one,
Mike
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,727
Likes: 19
From: Carson City, NV
First to answer your question, if you really want to do this and you don't have access to a lift, I would pay the $500. I recently dropped my oil pan and as others have said, the bottom of the pan is partitioned into a maze, so a magnet is a total waste of time.
Secondly, your pickup tube has a screen which will not pass the needle bearings, so personally I wouldn't worry about it. Eventually your magnetic drain plug will get most of them anyway.
Third, if you want to do this yourself, you can do as I did. I went down to the hardware store and bought some aircraft stainless steel cable and clamps. I threaded the 3/16" cable through the engine mounts and up around the shock towers and tightened multiple clamps on it. It held my engine in place just fine and total cost was minimal. I supported under the balancer pulley as a safety measure in case a cable slipped. It worked like a champ.
John
Secondly, your pickup tube has a screen which will not pass the needle bearings, so personally I wouldn't worry about it. Eventually your magnetic drain plug will get most of them anyway.
Third, if you want to do this yourself, you can do as I did. I went down to the hardware store and bought some aircraft stainless steel cable and clamps. I threaded the 3/16" cable through the engine mounts and up around the shock towers and tightened multiple clamps on it. It held my engine in place just fine and total cost was minimal. I supported under the balancer pulley as a safety measure in case a cable slipped. It worked like a champ.
John