A Few Screws Short

[flashlight]

Alright this weekend I had to change out my oil pan because the other one got damaged by a rock, but now I can't get a couple of the screws back in. I am leaking a little oil because I can't get the full seal because of those missing screws. Is there an easy way and a hard way to to do this? Or is there something that I can try that I haven't even thought of yet.

[GM Line Rat]

Originally Posted by flashlight

Alright this weekend I had to change out my oil pan because the other one got damaged by a rock, but now I can't get a couple of the screws back in. I am leaking a little oil because I can't get the full seal because of those missing screws.

1st, Were all the oil pan "Bolts" installed when you removed the damaged oil pan? If so, Oil pan bolts should be cleaned good with brake parts cleaner etc.. BEFORE you re-install the bolts......Then ALL of the oil pan bolts should be "Hand Started" in the holes BEFORE any of the bolts are tightened down to spec. If you replaced the damaged oil pan with the correct replacement Geo Metro oil pan for your model /year of the engine.....The only thing stopping you from installing ALL the bolts back into the oil pan/Block of the engine is not properly aligning all the holes and hand starting all the bolts 1st......Or some of the oil pan bolts were damaged from the rock accident when you removed them....Were they? If so, they will need to be replaced with the same type of thread and length......Take 1 bolt out of the pan, then take it to a good hardware store that has Metric bolts and buy the # of bolts you need. Use small flat washers on the new bolts if they dont have them like the factory bolts.

[DOCTORBILL]

Not clean just the Bolts!!

You should get the crap out of the bolt HOLES or you are just driving clean bolts into grit and crud.

Especially under the engine where road dirt gets pushed into EVERYTHING!

If some bolts were missing originally, then those bolt holes will be filled with grit and hardened greasy crud.

You should clean each bolt hole out with some kind of tool (pipe cleaner, wire, spray (3-In-One Oil with the long
tube attached?) to remove grit from the threads - else you will not be able
to screw the bolt in or it will seize up part way in...

Been there - done that!

[flashlight]

All of the screws were in the pan before I took the damaged one out. I will go ahead and clean them all. Also how can I hand tighten the ones located in the tight hole between the muffler and the transmission or even get them in there?

[91Caprice9c1]

Originally Posted by flashlight

All of the screws were in the pan before I took the damaged one out. I will go ahead and clean them all. Also how can I hand tighten the ones located in the tight hole between the muffler and the transmission or even get them in there?

Specifically for this location, and for many other hard-to-attack bolt locations, one of these comes in very handy.



It's a 3/8" universal joint. In combination with a 3" long extension, and a 10mm hex socket, I use this trio by placing the oil pan bolt into the socket, then starting it in by hand with the extension. Once you are convinced it's not cross-threading on you, get your ratchet handle (or preferably torque wrench!) on it and snug it down. Torque spec. is 97 in.lbs.

-MechanicMatt

[flashlight]

Just wanted to thank everyone for providing me with helpful information. The 3/8" universal joint tool worked extremely well. I'm glad that it was mentioned as I used it in a spot that only one of my fingers would have fit in, which wouldn't have been enough to hand start the screw.