What is in the way of drilling the pan??? *Pic inside*
 

I'm setting up to drill the oil pan, I look down into the engine bay with header and intake piping removed, and there is a big metal bracket thingy majiggy attached to the block - looks like it was the bracket for the A/C / PS (I removed both ages ago). This thing is completely blocking the part of the pan I need to get to. There were three bolts in the face of it which I removed, and then I found one in the front of it (facing the sway bar) - removed that too and the thing is STILL STUCK HARD onto the block. It's like it's welded on. Please shed some light on how to remove it to drill the pan people!
Thanks
-Ryan

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...37_42_full.jpg

Bracket for the A/C. There are FOUR bolts on the face of it, and one on the front of the block. It feels like it's welded in place because it's still bolted on. You need to replace the bolt on the front of the block; it's important. M8x1.25x45mm is the spec. (40 is too short, 50 is too long)

why not just run your drain further back on the oil pan towards where it would be if drilled vertical to the turbo drain?

Whoa whoa why is it important? I removed mine when I removed the A/c. I dont see any leaks so far.

Something to do with the oil pump. Some see leaks, some don't. I put a bolt there.

This is the bolt which screws in from the front of the block, just next to the crank pulley?

I thought this drilling could be done with AC in place, why do you need to remove that thing?

http://www.boostedmiata.com/blown_en...ssemble017.jpg

it can.....just do it.

Excellent. Thanks for the help, I'll try to find the fourth bolt tomorrow, and I'll pick up a bolt with the specs you gave Andrew when I make my hardware run first thing int he morning. Hopefully by the end of tomorrow I'll turn the key.
-Ryan

Yeah. The "fifth" bolt that holds the A/C compressor bracket to the motor, parallel to the crankshaft (not perpendicular like the other 4 bolts).

I did it with mine. 90 degree drill will work just fine.

" It's so easy...even a caveman could do it" I was a little worried when I did mine too....but it was real easy. Just go slowly

What's the consensus on how you should drill it to keep metal flakes out of the pan? I've heard of people rerouting a shop vac to blow air out instead of suck it in and taping it to the oil drain hole to create positive pressure so the metal flakes don't fall into the pan, but I don't have a shop vac. Any other ideas?
-Ryan

If you have an air compressor, 5psi in the valve cover won't hurt things. Grease the bit with heavy automotive grease, go slow, and flush the pan with a quart of paint thinner when you are done. Anything that's left will settle to the bottom of the pan, and anything that gets churned up from there will get trapped in the oil pickup screen, or in the oil filter.

If you want to make sure you get the oil return line high enough that it is above the oil level in the sump, you can remove that bracket and using an angle grinder cut out the middle section of the bracket between those two heavier 'lugs' of metal. mark the spot where you'll drill to match the gap you create, and away you go.

The other way to prevent shavings is use a good drill, a lot of tapping compound, clean the drill bit as you go, and then flush the oil pan thoroughly with white spirit just in case.

take that bracket off anyway. it weighs more than an ethiopian family of four.

Overkill much?

Shavings arent gonna go anywhere, ever. Majority of them will be removed by the drill bit prior to going through the pan, and the filings from the tap will remain on the tap. Then the stuff that does remain will have a really tough time getting through the mesh on the oil pickup and the oil filter.

Theoretically you dont even have to drain the oil.

LOLfunnies, dammit paul
this is something i couldnt figure out when i was doing my swap, i did only dedicate it two seconds of time though and didnt see a way
how do you get the final bolt of? i have one dumb ass bolt left in there, just hanging out pissing me off

You can drill the pan without removing anything. I drilled mine with no problem using a normal cordless drill at a slight angle.

If you tape the bit about 1/2" down from the tip, dip it in axle grease, take your time... and it will work out. Just do yourself a favor and get comfortable, light the area well, have a bunch of rags near by, clean the bit and re-grease every so often and it will work out.

If you are really worried...you can really over fill your motor with oil, then drill the hole. The extra oil will help push the shavings out as you drill in. But it is messy and fairly overkill.

Good luck and cheers,
Prospero

slightly off-topic, but anyone used a hole-saw to drill the hole? It makes a clean cut and also makes fairly large chips.