oil drill issue
 

Hey everyone, idrilled my oil pan today. I did it just to the left of the motor mount. I got through fine, but when i pulled it out i felt in and i found some kind of metal shield. Is that the pickup? It doesnt seem like i damaged it, but i dont see how i can tap it now. any suggestions?

You can tap it still, just dont go too deep. Also, get a flash light and peek in to see if you damaged the pick up.

i already checked it out and the pickup looks good still, but i cant get the tap to turn. it wont catch. any suggestions for gettings it to catch. I don't think the hole is a completely 11/16th cause i didnt go in far enough, and my rotozip wont fit in there...

yes just gotta work at it, it's not catching cause the dirll bit is like .1" too small for the tap. so keep trying. possibly go back with teh drill and try ti slightly widen the hole, very slightly.

otherwise keep at it.

This is what you hit:

Attachment 214620

To orient you to the pic, front=right, anything left of that little space you'll hit the shield.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ile/img015.jpg
Attachment 214621

so is it safe to drilll further in and through the shield? or am i stuck trying to bore the hole out and tap it like is?

Do not drill through the sheild but just grazing it is no big deal It could well be the pickup after abit more distance. I find taping the tap with a hammer etc helps it bite ennitialy as i turn it.

well it's tough to get to it with a hammer but i'll try. I bought the correct drill bit so i'll try t o bore it out a little with it, and than go a little deeper. Than i'll try tapping it again,. I really dont want to pull the motor... or drop the pan.

What are the measurement from the top and the front that should be dead center of the oil drain fitting?

My biggest concern is drilling to low and being one with the oil level.

I am guessing you cant drill very high either because of the AC bracket?

im pretty damn close to the top, within 1inch to the center of the hole.

okay well i cant get my fitting in because it;s hitting the shield. any ideas koto? okay to drill through it a little or to bend it with a screw driver?

I would definatly bend it in. If you are 1000000000000% sure that there is no little tube of metal in the way feel with your finger first please. Then drill through the sheild, having a hole in the sheild is not bad having a hole in the oil pick up means
A. Pull the motor
B. Hope you are a lucky jewish bastard like Loki i beleive and JB weld the hole shut.
C. Pull the subframe
None of those apeal to me and i don't think they would apeal to you either. So do some recon and make the call Tom. GL.

man, pulling a motor for such a small little thing is a pain, but imo, the right way to do it. it will probably save you headaches in the long run, as it seems it would have already saved you some anxiety.

I did mine with the engine pulled for precisely this reason, Tom. Not knocking on you, just saying. With the pan off I was guaranteed not to mess anything up. Can you take some pics?

ill try to take a few pics. i went outsdie today and felt around. It is a smooth surface with a slope to it, and towards the bottom it has a sudden drop off. My assumption is that i was a hole in the shield like in your pics Koto. I'm thinking since this isnt my DD in the winter i should just pull the motor/trans and do my clutch at the same time. Thoughts on this? It should take a day to pull and a day to replace/drill/clutch. Probably will same me alot of trouble knowing that i am 100% safe. Koto how long it take you to remove it? Did you drop the motor or pull out of the bay?

there's no reason to drop the pan.


http://www.miata.net/hakuna/oilpangraphics/36453237.jpg

use the as a reference, use the bolt holes to get your bearings straight.

not quite sure what your telling me to do scott?

im telling ya to just bend the bitch :)

Hey Scott, how do you know that where the oil fitting is in that picture is not below the oil level.

okay so just bend the shield? okay i'll put a screwdriver in tomorrow and hammer it in a little. correct me if im wrong, that is what you ment?