Any way to drop front of of pan to access return line?
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
Any way to drop front of of pan to access return line? Apparently the *** hat that I bought this car from had a oil leak at the supercharger return line to the oil pan, so he RTV'd the **** out of it. The shop that installed the SC had pulled the motor when the original install was done and it looks like they used a fitting that has a nut on the inside. I had a leak that started recently and this is where it's from. When I put the 1" wrench on the pan side, the fitting moved. Once the hose was off I noticed the 1/2" plus of sealant! 
Can I drop the pan down and access it? I don't have the time or resources to pull the M6 or lift the motor. This needed to be done yesterday and I thought I was going to button it up tonight.
Can I drop the pan down and access it? I don't have the time or resources to pull the M6 or lift the motor. This needed to be done yesterday and I thought I was going to button it up tonight.
Last edited by mhslax6; Mar 12, 2014 at 06:11 PM.
You HAVE to lift the engine in order to drop the pan. However, from every discussion I've read here, if you have an M6, you have a problem, because the bell housing of the tranny is larger in OD that that of the A4. Therefore you don't have enough clearance to slip the pan out from between the main caps of the engine, the top of the K-member, and the bottom edges of the bell housing.
I can't get the picture to load, I just get the "circular hourglass"....
Anyway, I'm sort of imagining the type of fitting you have, and I'll go from there. For starters, you'll have to get the car SAFELY up on stands or a lift. And you WILL have to lift the engine. The pan can be dropped, not removed, but dropped, enough so if you're really good with your hands, and have a fair amount of flexibility in your fingers, you could PROBABLY get a small wrench in the pan, and remove the nut. Then you can remove all the RTV "band-aids", and reseal the fitting properly, and re-install the pan.
If you use one of the FelPro 1 piece oil pan gaskets, you can snake it under the block, and over the pan, and get it in place. The only tricky part is where the gasket goes around the dipstick opening. It takes a little patience to finesse the gasket in place there. It's not impossible, I've done it.
Since I can't see your picture, therefore see what kind of fitting "Bubba" originally used, I would think you need some sort of bulkhead type of fitting, one that will allow you to install washers/seals on both sides of the pan, then the nut to hold it in place.
Anyway, I'm sort of imagining the type of fitting you have, and I'll go from there. For starters, you'll have to get the car SAFELY up on stands or a lift. And you WILL have to lift the engine. The pan can be dropped, not removed, but dropped, enough so if you're really good with your hands, and have a fair amount of flexibility in your fingers, you could PROBABLY get a small wrench in the pan, and remove the nut. Then you can remove all the RTV "band-aids", and reseal the fitting properly, and re-install the pan.
If you use one of the FelPro 1 piece oil pan gaskets, you can snake it under the block, and over the pan, and get it in place. The only tricky part is where the gasket goes around the dipstick opening. It takes a little patience to finesse the gasket in place there. It's not impossible, I've done it.
Since I can't see your picture, therefore see what kind of fitting "Bubba" originally used, I would think you need some sort of bulkhead type of fitting, one that will allow you to install washers/seals on both sides of the pan, then the nut to hold it in place.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
Trending Topics
Keep in mind, the oil pan is subject to positive air pressure, as the crank spins, so cutting another hole in the pan isn't practical. You'd then have to be able to seal it effectively, which would be difficult. The second plug you pictured, appears to be just a replacement oil pan plug. If so, it needs some sort of female threads to screw into, and you'd still in the conundrum you're in now.
Wish I had better news......
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
Five Reasons the Camaro Was the Most Pivotal Player in the Pony Car Wars 2.0
Brett Foote
10 Reasons the LS7 Is GM's Most Extreme Naturally Aspirated V8 Engine Ever
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
I thought about JB or Right Stuff, figured I would just do a better job than the previous owner did... But I'm worried that the nut could possibly back off and the nylon washer and nut fall in the pan.
As I mentioned before, I have an A4 in my car, so I can wrestle the pan out of the car. I'm pretty sure that with the M6 you have to use an engine hoist to raise the engine as much as possible, and probably disconnect the transmission mount, so the engine/tranny can rise as much as possible, then you might be able to slide the pan out.
As you have already seen, the RTV, JB Weld, et al, "fixes" don't really work. They're "Band-Aids". You need to either get your hands in the pan leaving the fitting in place, and tighten the nut, or bite the bullet and drop the pan. Either way, my feeling is to do it right, so you only have to do it once.....
As you have already seen, the RTV, JB Weld, et al, "fixes" don't really work. They're "Band-Aids". You need to either get your hands in the pan leaving the fitting in place, and tighten the nut, or bite the bullet and drop the pan. Either way, my feeling is to do it right, so you only have to do it once.....
To drop the oil pan on an LT1 / M6:
1) Move all items off the top of the intake manifold, so the flat of the intake is the highest point, then disconnect the exhaust from the manifolds.
2) Pull the motor mount bolts
3) Remove the Transmission crossmember
4) Attach a cherry picker to the LT1 and raise the engine until the top of the intake manifold touches the bottom the of firewall.
5) Drop all of the K-member bolts by three (3) threads.
6) Remove (barely) the oil pan after struggling with the front of the pan and the crankshaft counterweights.
Cursing is optional, but suggested.
1) Move all items off the top of the intake manifold, so the flat of the intake is the highest point, then disconnect the exhaust from the manifolds.
2) Pull the motor mount bolts
3) Remove the Transmission crossmember
4) Attach a cherry picker to the LT1 and raise the engine until the top of the intake manifold touches the bottom the of firewall.
5) Drop all of the K-member bolts by three (3) threads.
6) Remove (barely) the oil pan after struggling with the front of the pan and the crankshaft counterweights.
Cursing is optional, but suggested.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
I dropped the pan and made a wrench that would fit the 1" nut on the inside, it's out now. Not fun with an inch of access. I really don't want this same fitting (above picture) because of the nut on the inside with Teflon seals. The hole is about 7/8" and the fitting I took out was 3/4" diameter (AN fitting). Anyone know of a fitting that I could use in this besides the bulkhead adapter? Thanks!
I dropped the pan and made a wrench that would fit the 1" nut on the inside, it's out now. Not fun with an inch of access. I really don't want this same fitting (above picture) because of the nut on the inside with Teflon seals. The hole is about 7/8" and the fitting I took out was 3/4" diameter (AN fitting). Anyone know of a fitting that I could use in this besides the bulkhead adapter? Thanks!