Notices
General Miata Chat A place to talk about anything Miata

Best way to remove/tap the oil pan?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jan 16, 2010 | 05:36 PM
  #21  
curly's Avatar
Cpt. Slow
iTrader: (25)
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 15,198
Total Cats: 1,398
From: Oregon City, OR
Default

For an improperly drilled and tapped hole like most people finish with after drilling/tapping with the pan in the car, yes, use JBWeld. For a properly drilled and tapped pan with the pan removed, using Teflon tape or Teflon goo would work. Their purpose is to lubricate the NPT threads so you can screw it in tighter, making a better seal, which is done completely with the threads, not any type of liquid sealant.
Old Jan 16, 2010 | 05:41 PM
  #22  
Stealth97's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,156
Total Cats: 67
From: Canton, Ga
Default

a local guy just lost a motor due to shavings from drilling the pan. I know 1000,0000x57 billion people have done it on the car, but I'd pull the pan.
Old Jan 16, 2010 | 06:47 PM
  #23  
Reverend Greg's Avatar
Junior Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 350
Total Cats: -26
From: McDonough Ga.
Default

Just my 2 pennies..I did mine off the car off,the engine.I put it on the shops Devlieg horizontal boring mill,drilled it 35/64",Tapped it 1/2"NPT,washed it in the parts washer.then I screwed my SS fitting in,and silver brazed it.Mine is PERMANENT,and 0 chips anywhere near my new bottom end.Feel free to omit the part that involves the 1/2 million dollar machine shop.but the rest might work for you.
(G)
Old Jan 16, 2010 | 06:56 PM
  #24  
curly's Avatar
Cpt. Slow
iTrader: (25)
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 15,198
Total Cats: 1,398
From: Oregon City, OR
Default

Our Devlieg was awesome, then they fired the only guy that knew how to run it. /thread jack.
Old Jan 16, 2010 | 07:03 PM
  #25  
Reverend Greg's Avatar
Junior Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 350
Total Cats: -26
From: McDonough Ga.
Default

Those things are as easy as smacking kids to run.
(G)
Old Jan 16, 2010 | 08:30 PM
  #26  
FastColt's Avatar
Junior Member
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 271
Total Cats: 0
From: CT
Default

Don't be a *****, leave it on. Use butt loads of bearing grease on the bits and tap. Most of all take your time. Flush it out with mineral spirits or oil then use thread sealer and you'll be a ok.
Old Jan 17, 2010 | 07:38 AM
  #27  
gospeed81's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (51)
 
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 7,257
Total Cats: 26
From: Spring, TX
Default

Originally Posted by Reverend Greg
Those things are as easy as smacking kids to run.
(G)
This...but couldn't you have done the same job on an old Bridgeport?


Stealth97's comment is why I said pulling the motor (and pan) is the "safe" way. I'm going to have a motor out soon, and had considered drilling it on the stand and just flushing...but I'm really considered a better, more permanent solution like yours.
Old Jan 17, 2010 | 10:19 AM
  #28  
olderguy's Avatar
AFM Crusader
iTrader: (19)
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 4,716
Total Cats: 364
From: Wayne, NJ
Default

Originally Posted by gospeed81
This...but couldn't you have done the same job on an old Bridgeport?


Stealth97's comment is why I said pulling the motor (and pan) is the "safe" way. I'm going to have a motor out soon, and had considered drilling it on the stand and just flushing...but I'm really considered a better, more permanent solution like yours.
If you do, weld in only a short coupler so it can be plugged if you remove the turbo.
Old Jan 23, 2010 | 11:26 PM
  #29  
myrmidon's Avatar
Thread Starter
Newb
 
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 27
Total Cats: 0
Default

so... friends who are helping me out say I must remove the oil pan or else they won't help.

can anyone point me to a general idea of how to get the sucker off, and any possible maint. items i'll need on top of it?
Old Jan 23, 2010 | 11:50 PM
  #30  
triple88a's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 10,522
Total Cats: 1,830
From: Chicago, IL
Default

just curious how do you lose a motor when there is an oil filter?
Old Jan 23, 2010 | 11:50 PM
  #31  
RCraig's Avatar
Newb
 
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 19
Total Cats: 0
From: Orlando, FL
Default

I think I talked to you about this at the last roadster meet. I did mine on the car. I drained my oil afterwards. Any metal that is small enough to fit through the oil screen in the pickup tube should easily pass through oil pump clearances and be trapped in the oil filter.

Be a man, drill the pan on the car. If you want to be extra careful overfill your oil pan with oil, so as your drill penetrates the oil flows out the whole clearing the shavings.
Old Jan 24, 2010 | 12:03 AM
  #32  
Faeflora's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 8,682
Total Cats: 130
From: Los Angeles, CA
Default

Originally Posted by RCraig
If you want to be extra careful overfill your oil pan with oil, so as your drill penetrates the oil flows out the whole clearing the shavings.
That's a great idea. It's better and lazy so double win!
Old Jan 26, 2010 | 04:27 AM
  #33  
Eadohcturbo's Avatar
Junior Member
 
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 92
Total Cats: 0
From: Eastside Muff~Palmdale,CA
Default

Ill be doing mine on car,after reading this.
Old Jan 26, 2010 | 05:31 AM
  #34  
Laur3ns's Avatar
Elite Member
 
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,054
Total Cats: 14
From: Enschede, NL
Default

using teflon tape or teflon goo would work
Do NOT ever use teflon tape on your engine. NEVER. NOWHERE.
Old Jan 26, 2010 | 08:07 AM
  #35  
olderguy's Avatar
AFM Crusader
iTrader: (19)
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 4,716
Total Cats: 364
From: Wayne, NJ
Default

Originally Posted by myrmidon
so... friends who are helping me out say I must remove the oil pan or else they won't help.

can anyone point me to a general idea of how to get the sucker off, and any possible maint. items i'll need on top of it?
It will cost you more aggravation to get their help than to do it on your own leaving the motor in the car.
Old Jan 26, 2010 | 08:31 AM
  #36  
thagr81 us's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,697
Total Cats: 1
From: Wellford, SC
Default

Originally Posted by Spookyfish
Do NOT ever use teflon tape on your engine. NEVER. NOWHERE.
Why is this? I'm curious... Do you mean don't use Teflon tape if you don't know how to install it properly or not at all?
Old Jan 26, 2010 | 09:58 AM
  #37  
Jeff_Ciesielski's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (10)
 
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,770
Total Cats: 31
From: Rhode Island
Default

Originally Posted by thagr81 us
Why is this? I'm curious... Do you mean don't use Teflon tape if you don't know how to install it properly or not at all?
Teflon tape has the nasty habit of ripping off in chunks and clogging important things like oil pickups and turbo oil feeds.
Old Jan 26, 2010 | 10:17 AM
  #38  
m2cupcar's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,486
Total Cats: 372
From: Atlanta
Default

If you must pull the pan, you can drop the subframe after suspending the engine from the shock towers (or nearby). Somebody is actually marketing a pipe tool for this purpose to Miata racers. It's a matter of disconnecting brake lines, shock hats and then the six subframe bolts and lowering it down. I did it with a lift and it was surprisingly simple. W/o a lift may be different.

I can't imagine using so much teflon tape that it actually gets past the threads you're trying to seal.
Old Jan 26, 2010 | 10:45 AM
  #39  
thagr81 us's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,697
Total Cats: 1
From: Wellford, SC
Default

Originally Posted by Jeff_Ciesielski
Teflon tape has the nasty habit of ripping off in chunks and clogging important things like oil pickups and turbo oil feeds.
Yes, this is true if it is installed incorrectly... I don't see what the harm would be if it was install correctly though. I would see the Teflon 'goo' as more of a mess and more likely to get into your system over the tape.
Old Jan 26, 2010 | 11:11 AM
  #40  
Laur3ns's Avatar
Elite Member
 
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,054
Total Cats: 14
From: Enschede, NL
Default

Originally Posted by jeff_ciesielski
teflon tape has the nasty habit of ripping off in chunks and clogging important things like oil pickups and turbo oil feeds.
this



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:25 PM.