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My oil pan flexes or moves?

T

tom5170

New member
Did an oil change yesterday. While I was breaking the drain plug bolt free, a few good harsh yanks - the rear of the pan seemed like it was moving. I do notice some oil around the oil pan bolts and the majoirty of the oil seems to be around the side where the drain plug bolt is. Can these bolts just be loose? Would that cause the oil pan to move? It was the rear of the oil pan around where the drain plug bolt is. That whole side was flexing. Can I tighten all the oil pan bolts or do I need to remove stuff? Can I use some blue loctite?

I've done my valve cover gaskets and grommets, etc.


02 GP gt, 199k, 3.8 series 2...
 


if its wet and not a valve cover, it needs to come off install a new gasket with rtv on both sides and thread sealant on the bolt threads.

it maybe rusted up, or you just saw the side of the pan moving, and thats kinda normal if the bolt was very tight and you were pulling on it hard.

best to de grease the whole engine and watch for the leaks to form. one way to trace em down.
 
tom5170 said:
Did an oil change yesterday. While I was breaking the drain plug bolt free, a few good harsh yanks - the rear of the pan seemed like it was moving. I do notice some oil around the oil pan bolts and the majoirty of the oil seems to be around the side where the drain plug bolt is. Can these bolts just be loose? Would that cause the oil pan to move? It was the rear of the oil pan around where the drain plug bolt is. That whole side was flexing. Can I tighten all the oil pan bolts or do I need to remove stuff? Can I use some blue loctite?

I've done my valve cover gaskets and grommets, etc.


02 GP gt, 199k, 3.8 series 2...
Click to expand...

If your pan was loose, you'd loose all your oil after 1 drive so it's unlikely the entire pan is loose. I'd just go under and try and tighten them. My guess is you moved the entire motor when you were trying to get the drain bolt free.
 
Yeah the bolt was on pretty tight. Is the gasket hard to change? Any idea how much a garage would charge?

I got oil on the bolts. I dont see any oil from valve covers. I degreased everything. About a month ago I had the crankshaft sensor replaced the mechanic said there was oil protuding from the crankshaft bolt probably from a seal. Does this make any sense? I can also see what looks like oil on top of the motor mount near underneath the crank pulley.
 
crank bolt cant leak oil. the pan leaks or the crank seal can leak, the rear engine cover and its crank seal can also leak.

a shop will rape you, its no fun but can be done in the car, the hard part is getting the motor mount bracket off and back on it seems.

a engine hoist helps to lift the engine up a little bit too.
 


^ yup what he said, thts why most of us will leave it alone and deal with the little oil leak from the pan until it gets really worse

Sent from my KYOCERA-C6745 using Tapatalk
 
REDCRAPGP said:
^ yup what he said, thts why most of us will leave it alone and deal with the little oil leak from the pan until it gets really worse

Sent from my KYOCERA-C6745 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


or it blows up, then you re gasket the whole new engine on a stand, now its all easy to change. true story.

right red lol
 
Very true story lol then you take it one step further and get a aluminum pan and get rid of the horseshoe mount
 
no need, its a piece of cake to get back on when its on a stand. you just roll up on your stool and bolt it on.

then you paint stuff too lol we're talking about the bracket the motor mount bolts too, it bolts to the sides of the block, ac compressor needs to be un bolted, and its just super fun to work in in the car through the wheel well.

002_zps7izvpwp6.jpg
 
You inspired me, I painted the block yellow, well I wouldn't just go out and buy a aluminum pan and mount for this reason alone but since the replacement came with it I'd be dumb not to use it lol
 


My original oil pan felt beer-can thin.
It also always seemed wet but no drips.
The replacment pan was or seemed a lot more sturdy
 
Where can I get the aluminium pan from? My gasket's shot too, and the pan itself is pants as well! Also: will the new pan have that sensor or whatever the heck it is on the front of the OE pan?
 


thats the low oil sensor, and no it dont come with it, you need to unplug it, then remove it from the pan before taking the pan off, or you will break it.

the al pan theres threads with part numbers, search around.
 
I've found a used one from an '06 LaCrosse with an L26 for $50 they pull it (pickup tube included); I'll buy the motor mount new. Incidentally, is the cast pan one of the reasons the 05/up transmissions aren't supposed to interchange (according to the boneyard, only 04 will work with 04), or are there other reasons?
 
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