I've got some oil residue on that pan that I can see if I look down through the fan belt. It is probably drips that occurred when the first and only oil change was performed at the dealership. I am Mr. CleanFreak and retired without much else to do and would like to remove that pan and clean it up and put it back on.

I'm gonna be using that Topsider to do my oil changes, so once I get it clean I won't have to mess with it anymore. But I don't want to be taking stuff loose if it's gonna a major headache to put back on.

Is removing that pan something I can do without a lift? Can I remove the pan and get it back on without spending a month in traction and do it without special tools?

thanks mates...

 

Yes, you can easily take it on and off with a few bolt/screws. Fairly tight under there due to the height of the car but it is no big deal.

Steve

 

If you can drive your car up on just a 2x6 or something thicker, it will help. I don't recall if the 4 bolt heads are 8 or 10mm. Two are easy to reach, two you must stretch your arms a bit to reach depending on how far you can get under the car.

I would remove it just to be sure you don't have an oil leak. Clean it up good, then reinstall it. I personally will always drain the oil from the bottom so I can check out the underside while under there.

James

 

Would that be 4 bolts overall? Or 4 on each side? Do you happen to know if this might be illustrated in the digital manuals that are on the site?...http://homepage.mac.com/gregmeach/XFire/

 

James1549 is right - check for a leak.

Same thing just happened to me; residue in pan visible from top. Turned out to be a bad leak from one of the valve covers. Tech cleaned it out and replaced the valve cover gasket. 4,600 miles.

 

There are 2 bolts on each side 4 bolts total but there is also a plastic push pin in the very front of the pan. Reach your hand inside and push the pin down and it should come out pretty easy.

 

I just looked at it from the driverside and didn't see anything. Then I looked from the front end and I see a big aprx 2'x2' plastic bowed pan. I can see two 10mm bolt heads on the corners at the front. Any other bolts are not visible at least from my hands and knees. I'll head down to Lowes and have
the chop up a 6x6 into 18" pieces, glue two on top of each other and cut a ramp with my bandsaw's resaw blade. Then those back two bolts should be visible. Didn't notice the pin, will go and look again...Thanks...

That pan must be there for air flow...

 

TBS: 7-May-05 - 21-002-05A - Auto Trans - NAG1 Fluid Weepage and or Leaks--------
I took mine in and they changed the gasket on the tranny oil pan,
jim

 

Pin is missing...and it looks like I do have an oil leak, as I had dried what I could see off, but now I see more wet oil in the same place. I called Crystal about the pin and they will get me one, and will have to call back and see if they will drop the pan for me and see where that oil is coming from ...thanks for the serendipitous lucky advice....

 

The oil drips could be caused by your dealership not replacing the washer when they did your oil change. This happened to me. The oil drain plug dripped leaving oil pooled on top of the cover.

 

Went to dealership this morning and they pulled the pan and cleaned everything. The mechanic could find no active leak, and believes that the oil puddle was from pulling the oil filter and not damming up the drips that will certainly happen if the oil filter element is full. They also put some black light dye in the oil so if there is a leak that appears later they can pinpoint where it is coming from with a black light. This is by far the best dealership I've ever been to. Turns out there is no problem, and that makes me very happy...

And the price was exactly right...a handshake. Oh! they found a pin that will work and put it in...

 

I spoke to a Chrysler exec at the Woodward Cruise and he says Mercedes demanded those plastic pans because they don't want their customers to complain about their expensive cars dripping oil all over their driveways. Explains why they are also in my Audis.

 

Interesting...I'll be watching that nice clean plastic pan...

 

If you live near a quiet street one tip that has worked for me is to drive two wheels up on the curb. It wont slip like props like wood ( or split ). The curb is solid and ugly but safe.

BTW I removed my pan due to the time it takes to pull and such cause Iam often doing changes, adjusting height and stuff. I have a lift so getting in is easy and I agree that the pan is for oil drips and some streamlining of the undercarriage. I leave it off to get better access and cooling down after runs.

Woody, Enjoy

 

I removed my bottom cover also, mostly due to me dropping things from the engine bay loosing it inside that cover! How many people on here have done that? I'm sure quite a few have!