Schuyler

iTrader: (1)

Wait! Don't get out the pitch forks yet!

So, there is tons of documentation on how to tap the pan itself. But, what about getting to the block? However, when Shuiend and I tried to do this today, there was a tonnn of stuff in the way, mainly PS and A/C related. It looked like a tremendous amount of work to remove enough stuff to fit it all.

I know a 90° drill would do this just fine, but with the number of "**** off noob. Drill it on the car. Easy ****" posts, surely we overlooked something. Otherwise, it can wait until I do the clutch.

18psi

iTrader: (76)

what about unbolting the mounts and lifting it up at least a few inches?
on a phone right now can't really post up pictures illustrating ways to do it.

Schuyler

iTrader: (1)

Major problem is several hoses (read: rubber with rigidity of hard lines) are in the way, and would go up with the motor. So i'm not sure lifting it would help much.

18psi

iTrader: (76)

I usually tap behind the ac pump and not under it like fm/begi recommends.

msm has the return in the same exact spot I always tap

DNMakinson

iTrader: (3)

With engine in the car? I looked at that, as it makes sense, but saw no way to get to it with the, IIRC, the motor mount.

Schuyler

iTrader: (1)

I suspect it works with these two combined:

Can't speak for hoses etc. though without seeing it.

18psi

iTrader: (76)

This is what I had in mind earlier

codrus

This is where I did it as well:


It sits right between the motor mount and the subframe, a straight downward drain, but there's no way you could drill it on the car.

--Ian

18psi

iTrader: (76)

even if you removed the mount and lifted the engine as high as it will go?

shuiend

iTrader: (24)

You just cannot fit a drill in there to do it in that position. My guess would be that you are hitting the subframe with the drill. When the motor is out of the car, then I think it is a perfect place to install the fitting.

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

I drilled a couple in the front corner in front of the compressor.

codrus

You could probably do it if you took the subframe all the way out of the car, but at that point you might as well just pull the engine out.

--Ian

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

This didn't require special tools.

shuiend

iTrader: (24)

Did they have power steering and AC? On the NB the power steering has 2 hard lines that I think are for cooling in the way, they are not there on NA's. Then you still have the normal AC lines and another PS line in the way. With a drill that had a 1/2" chuck it was just to big to fit in around the lines and still be reasonably straight. I will try to get a picture in the next day or so of everything that is in the way.

18psi

iTrader: (76)

please post pictures when you can

we haven't had a "tap the pan" discussion in a long time, perhaps people figured out new ways/tricks

DNMakinson

iTrader: (3)

The answer is in the first post. That's how I did it. Still was tight and I scarred up the chuck a little. Sorry, I have no pictures of the operation.

Then I used, IIRC, a racheting box wrench to turn the tap, very gingerly.

At Home Depot

18psi

iTrader: (76)

oh wow thanks for that link, I was actually looking around the interwebz for super compact right hand drills, and that one looks like its about as good as it gets for tapping the pan.
And I am about 2 minutes away from a Home Depot

shuiend

iTrader: (24)

That drill chuck unfortunately is not large enough for the correct size drill bit. You need a 1/2" chuck.

18psi

iTrader: (76)

I was gonna use a 3/8" fitting....

shuiend

iTrader: (24)

The drill bit that I received from Begi and the one I just got from JeffBucc both require a 1/2" chuck to fit into. When I am home tomorrow taking pictures of engine bays I will take some pictures of the drill bit and tap and some sizes to go along with them.