do i have to drop the motor to remove the oil pan
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From: Goochland, Va.
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,676
From: Melvindale, MI, US
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,027
From: Lansing, MI via Bowling Green, KY: Dalton, GA: Nashville, TN & Atlanta, GA
You can't take the oil pan off without lifting the motor, removing motor mounts etc.? I'm assuming this isn't a ground clearance issue?
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 271
From: Canfield, OH
I did it not too long ago. I used the instructions by Sweetzrag. I've added a few steps needed because of the M6. It's a little harder because the M6 belhousing is square instead of set back.
1) Disconnect the driver side O2 sensor.
2) Drop Y pipe (15mm deep socket)
2B) Remove the two bolts that hold the catalytic converter to the hangar (15mm). This will aid in lowering the y-pipe.
3) Remove Torque converter cover (10 mm socket) (Not required with the M6).
3A) Remove Starter.
3B) Remove bellhousing cover.
4) Remove oil filter.
5) Remove oil level sensor (it can get hung up on the baffle inside the oil pan and break).
6) Remove engine mount nut and bolt on both sides (18mm on bolt head, 15mm on nut) I used a punch to lightly tap the bolts through.
7) I removed starter bolts and moved starter to the side but this probably wasn't necessary. (It is necessary.)
7A) Remove shock tower brace (if you have one).
7B) Disconnect fuel line from connection at top right of manifold (mine hit the top of the cowl).
8) Remove dipstick (10mm bolt). It comes out easier after you raise the engine. It hits the passenger side wheel well if you try before raising.
9) I raised the motor using a floor jack and a 2 X 4 on the bottom of the timing cover (my balancer bub was off). Be very careful as this could slip. I did one side at a time and slid small 2 X 4 blocks in between the 2 halves of each mount as I raised. BE CAREFUL!!!!! I do not recommend this method to raise the motor. It can be very dangerous and you could damage engine parts.
This is where things got interesting. I did not have enough room between the tranny and the floor pan to raise it high enough to get the pan out. This has to do with the shape differences between the A4 and the M6 bellhousing. The M6 belhousing does not angle back like the A4's.
9A) Place a set of jack stands under the crossmember and remove the six 18mm bolts that hold the k-member in place.
9B) Place a jack under the cross member and lift it up off of the jack stands. Lower the stands two inches and place them under the k-member. Lower the k-member down onto the jack stands.
9C) Place jack under the tranny bellhousing and raise engine/tranny up until it touches the floor pan. This will give you enough clearance to remove the pan.
10) Remove 2 corner bolts or nuts using 13mm socket (I found 1/4 drive sockets work best in the tight space).
These next two steps may not be necessary. I had to do them because I could not get access to the pan bolts on the driver side due to the oil cooler lines.
10A) Drain radiator.
10B) Remove oil cooler lines from base of oil filter housing.
11) Remove all pan bolts using 10mm socket except stud holding A4 cooling lines. For this one, use an 11 mm deep socket to take off nut, remove line bracket and then 10mm deep socket to remove stud.
12) Remove pan. It was a little difficult because it hit the crank weights but I managed to get it out.
This should help out the M6 guys. Good luck and remember: I may not be a fun job to do, but it sure beats mopping the kitchen floor!
1) Disconnect the driver side O2 sensor.
2) Drop Y pipe (15mm deep socket)
2B) Remove the two bolts that hold the catalytic converter to the hangar (15mm). This will aid in lowering the y-pipe.
3) Remove Torque converter cover (10 mm socket) (Not required with the M6).
3A) Remove Starter.
3B) Remove bellhousing cover.
4) Remove oil filter.
5) Remove oil level sensor (it can get hung up on the baffle inside the oil pan and break).
6) Remove engine mount nut and bolt on both sides (18mm on bolt head, 15mm on nut) I used a punch to lightly tap the bolts through.
7) I removed starter bolts and moved starter to the side but this probably wasn't necessary. (It is necessary.)
7A) Remove shock tower brace (if you have one).
7B) Disconnect fuel line from connection at top right of manifold (mine hit the top of the cowl).
8) Remove dipstick (10mm bolt). It comes out easier after you raise the engine. It hits the passenger side wheel well if you try before raising.
9) I raised the motor using a floor jack and a 2 X 4 on the bottom of the timing cover (my balancer bub was off). Be very careful as this could slip. I did one side at a time and slid small 2 X 4 blocks in between the 2 halves of each mount as I raised. BE CAREFUL!!!!! I do not recommend this method to raise the motor. It can be very dangerous and you could damage engine parts.
This is where things got interesting. I did not have enough room between the tranny and the floor pan to raise it high enough to get the pan out. This has to do with the shape differences between the A4 and the M6 bellhousing. The M6 belhousing does not angle back like the A4's.
9A) Place a set of jack stands under the crossmember and remove the six 18mm bolts that hold the k-member in place.
9B) Place a jack under the cross member and lift it up off of the jack stands. Lower the stands two inches and place them under the k-member. Lower the k-member down onto the jack stands.
9C) Place jack under the tranny bellhousing and raise engine/tranny up until it touches the floor pan. This will give you enough clearance to remove the pan.
10) Remove 2 corner bolts or nuts using 13mm socket (I found 1/4 drive sockets work best in the tight space).
These next two steps may not be necessary. I had to do them because I could not get access to the pan bolts on the driver side due to the oil cooler lines.
10A) Drain radiator.
10B) Remove oil cooler lines from base of oil filter housing.
11) Remove all pan bolts using 10mm socket except stud holding A4 cooling lines. For this one, use an 11 mm deep socket to take off nut, remove line bracket and then 10mm deep socket to remove stud.
12) Remove pan. It was a little difficult because it hit the crank weights but I managed to get it out.
This should help out the M6 guys. Good luck and remember: I may not be a fun job to do, but it sure beats mopping the kitchen floor!
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,676
From: Melvindale, MI, US
