What do i need to do to replace my oil pan seal with the engine in the car?

 

From what i hear you can jack up the motor and place blocks between the motor mounts and k-member. From there its just removing the bolts and other stuff in the way such as oil filter and starter and what not. I believe it will give you just enough clearance to slid a new gasket in. Some have to rotate their motor so the crankshaft will rotate out of the way. Seems like a pain in the butt but i have read its not too bad. Better be a pretty good leak to start tearing it apart and trying to replace the gasket!

 

Here is a short list:

If you have a 6 speed car, you cannot pull the oil pan without removing the transmission. You still can change the gasket though.

Drain the oil and remove the filter.

Remove the starter (it's in the way and only a couple of bolts)

Rotate the crank so the #1 cylinder is at TDC (this will allow the pan to drop down further)

Remove the oil level sensor!!! It will break in the pan if you leave it!!!

Lift the engine slightly with a jack on the oil pan.

Remove the two engine mount bolts

Jack the engine up as high as you can and place blocks between the engine and the cradle.

Remove the rock shield on the bellhousing (M6)

Remove all the pan bolts and drop it down. If the pan doesnt drop, rotate the crank until it does.

If you have an A4, you can actually remove the pan now.

If you have a 6 speed, then you will have to work around the pan to get the new gasket in.

Good luck......

 

Thanks!
And my seal was leaking badly and i just kinda tugged on it a little and the whole front of it came off in my hand....

 

Condensed version. On my M6 I took out the oil pan bolts and let the pan drop (a little over an inch) and pulled the old gasket out. took the new gasket and cut it on about a 3" diagonal on the driver side midway. Cleaned block and oil pan with MEK and assembled with Ultra copper sealant on both sides of cut place. Two years ago and it has yet to leak a drop. Took about 2 hours total.

 

Or the version with out lifting the motor. Doesn't matter A4 or M6.

Drop starter and drain the oil remove filter.

Remove all oil pan bolts.

Remove old gasket and clean all mating surfaces.

slide new gasket under the pan and pull up one side at a time around the oil pan. put some rtv on the U loops.

Reassemble every thing.

Should take 45-60 min max with hand tools.

HTH

Joe

 

I don't understand why you cut the side, OR slid it around the pan.... can you not just slide inbetween the block and pan then line it up?

No RTV whatsoever? (unless you cut it ofcourse.)

 

If you slide it in the pan it has to go around the windage tray and the oil pump pick up they do stick quite far down in the pan. You also have to get it around the oil level sensor that also gets in the way. The best way to avoid all of this is slide it under the pan and up the sides not in.

Joe

 

With my A4, I just removed all the oil pan bolts and slipped the new gasket around the bottom of the pan after disconnecting the low oil sensor. Removed the timing cover first then put it back on before tighting the oil pan bolts. I did put a rag on top of the rack so crap wouldn't get on the gasket as I ran it through to the front. That's about it. BTW, this is a Felpro one piece job.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/...68330640ncxlEM

Jeff D.

 

DAMMIT THAT LOOKS WICKED! (sorry got excited)

Can I stop this WOT leaking after all?!?!?!