Oil pan drilled, tapped, maybe fucked....
 

Well, I have been out to the hardware stores to get my tap, drill bit, mineral spirits, etc. I got all set to get a shitload of work done on the turbo install today, and the oil return was the start of it. I read and re-read everything posted on this forum about tapping the oil pan. The location to drill, drill bit and tap sizes, how to grease the bit, etc. I even just read today about someone hitting the oil pickup shield and was 100% confident that I would not have this nor any other issues. Wrong! :vash:

WTF....really. I drilled slow, wiped the shavings, and right when I broke the skin I greased the bit. Then I see this fucking brass colored shield looking right fucking at me! Are you fucking serious! Well, I was contemplating on just smashing my face with the hammer, or to say fuck it and just tap the hole anyways. I decided to just tap the hole.

My question is, should I be ok? If I had to answer my own question, I would say yes. It seems others have grazed the oil pickup shield before, and that the pickup itself is not where I am seeing the brass color through the hole I drilled. I just want to ask others before I go on with everything else. So the hole is drilled and tapped, and I hope to just locktite the fitting in, then JB weld around it. I just wonder if that little bit of shield right that is enough of a restriction to fuck anything up with oil flow. And how much metal might have fallen in the pan. I'm going out now to drain it and clear it with some mineral spirits.

What do you guys think? The pictures of the pan on the car is me, the other one I stole from one of Brain's posts to use as a reference to where the pickup tube is located.

Vash-

if it were me, i'd just bend it out of the way.


you really live up to your smilie dont you?

I would go ahead with it... Looking at where you put your hole. Little high and a little far back... However, its just a drain and the damage is already done. Tap it. and seal it well, JB WELD is your friend.

Goodluck

You apparently didnt do all the homework you claim. Compare where you drill and the picture you posted? Does it look like the same place? no.

Just tap it and be done with it, as long as you didnt hit the pickup youre ok.

i guess thats one reason why it's good to have A/C. It forces you to drill the hole farther foward.

if you didnt' puncture the pickup tube, it's fine.

Well seeing the tap is tapered, I had to go in a little more. I put a flat head on the shielding and hammered it away from the hole (gently). I tapped the hole again and got the fitting to screw in. I marked the fitting and counted 3.5 turns into the pan. To me, that seems like enough.

I did PLENTY of homework Sam, I just was kinda in a rush to get shit done. I didn't have any printouts with me outside, only what I remembered reading lastnight when I was stoned. ;)

I wanted to go closer to the front of the car, but my god damn hands just went where they wanted to. So I guess as long as the pickup wasn't hit, and there's not a junkyard load of metal in the pan, I should be fine? lol.

Thanks guys for the fast response! I love you guys, I always know I can count on everyone to be there to help! :bigtu:

Now I need to undo my old Greddy oil return line on the other side of the motor. I have been waiting to get rid of this 4ft oil line since the day I put it on.

Vash-

If it genuinely is the baffle you hit then there's no problem. If you're concerned about it blocking the drain, then plug the hole you just drilled and make a new one in the correct location- it looks like you've got enough space.

If it's the pickup tube, and you only grazed it, you're still fine. My pickup tube has tap-marks on the side of it.

If you punctured the pickup tube, it's time to pull the pan off.

BTW, your camera has a macro function. Learn to use it. It's absolutely impossible to see anything from those pictures.

Balls. Huge balls.

If possible, before you put that fitting on, take some Q-tips, bend them at a 90* angle, and fish around the bottom of the pan inside the hole. I promise you did get a small amount of shavings in there... no way to avoid all of them. Q-tips will allow you to get 90% of what fell. The rest won't be a factor.

Thank god I drilled my return before installing the oil pan. :( Good luck, mang!

?

I think I'm going to just bend the rest of the baffle out of the way and stick with this hole. lol, yea my bad on this garbage pictures, I forget about the setting with the flower on it all the time! I'm going to take one more on macro right up in that shit.

That's a good idea, I'm going to poke around in there now while the oil drains.

Thanks again guys!

Vash-

All is well in oil pan land. The fucking fitting fits perfect, no leaks, and no restriction when draining. I tested it by pouring some oil in the turbo drain line and watching underneath the car it coming right out of the drain hole.

I always hated my Greddy oil drain setup with a passion. The fucking tube was about 3ft long and wrapped around the engine. FUCK THAT. I wish I did the drill and tap alot sooner.

Now alot is making sense to me. When I took off my TD04 and removed the oil line, I remembered noticing alot of oil coming out of the line when I let it drop. As if it was backed up in the line, rather than draining into the block. Then I started to think, if the oil isn't draining, but is still being fed, where did he go? Now I think I understand why I had oil in my IC pipes. It must have to go somewhere, and mine went the wrong way. :eek5:

I'm glad this is my second go around at all of this. This time I can do everything right and take my time. Rather than rush and throw together a turbo miata halfassed.

Today started bad, but ended well. So I clipped the baffle in the oil pan, I still have my eyes! :)

Vash-

Cleaning out the pan was a waste of time, I didnt even change the oil in my car after drilling/tapping the pan. Oh yea, and I wasnt stoned if youre curious ;)

Whether it was a fuck up on me, or it's common, about 20 little shavings ended up in the container after flushing the pan. I wasn't in a rush to go anywhere, I would rather make sure no shavings were floating around in my oil. ;)

Vash-

Looks to me like you have a f'ed up bolt in the pan right in fromt of that hole you tapped. Might want to replace it now while you've got stuff apart anyway.

Congrats Vash. :)


Curious, where did your other turbo drain to before????

Jesus christ now i'm irritated with my 4ft return line. Thanks. Now i'm glad I kept that stupid huge nipple cover.

The oil drain on my Greddy setup went to a stock location on the block. Next to the oil filter, right behind the alternator. Once again, alot easier to work in this area with the intake manifold bracket removed. Black nipple and a clamp come off, oil drain line slips on. Only problem is it's on the other side of the engine. So now your oil drain line is 7ft long and makes 4 circles before it gets there. FUCK THAT!

In case anyone wanted to do the same and get rid of their horrible Greddy oil return, do yourself a favor. Get the parts/tools, take the time, and don't hit your baffle. For an hours work I was very happy.

Nipple part# - B660-10-328 ($6.85)
Clamp part# - 9928-62-200P (2.83)

I got the part numbers from Mazmart (thanks Ben) and picked them up locally.

Anyone that has the stock oil drain location still, should try this. Taking the old 12ft oil drain hose out feels fucking GREAT! I was so stoked after I tapped it, that I skated our pool now that its drained. That's how good this will make you feel! :)

PICTURE: Green is oil line going to block.

Vash-

Wow, I am kinda jelous of you A/C, P/S less guys after seeing those pictures.