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any way to drill a oil return in a pan without taking it off

Discussion pertaining to positive pressure E28s.
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bimmerboy
Posts: 390
Joined: Oct 18, 2006 7:06 PM
Location: United States

any way to drill a oil return in a pan without taking it off

Post by bimmerboy »

I need to drill for the oil return, and don't really want metal shards in my sump.

Thanks
M. Holtmeier
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Location: Josephine, Texas

Post by M. Holtmeier »

I just made sure I had plenty of oil in the engine and started drilling. It's messy, but all the oil spilling outwards will carry a lot of the material. Once you're done, pull the drain plug and flush it as best you can and it should be fine.
davidu
Posts: 419
Joined: May 20, 2006 3:19 PM

Post by davidu »

I agree,buy some cheap oil and a uni-bit and keep drilling until you get to your right hole diameter.
turbodan
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Joined: Jan 09, 2007 10:19 PM

Post by turbodan »

I too drilled it with the pan on the motor. Most of the debris fall to the outside normally, and you can use grease on the bit or a whole bunch of oil in the crankcase, which is the best idea yet.
Brad D.
Beamter
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Post by Brad D. »

I drilled mine in place also. With the oil pan full, I drilled a pilot and then the final hole. I tapped it and then drained the oil and then poured a couple of quarts of cheap oil throug the engine.
George
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Post by George »

Is there any particular reason you guys didn't remove the oil pan for drilling?
M. Holtmeier
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Location: Josephine, Texas

Post by M. Holtmeier »

No pull the motor half way out! ;) (or all the other crap for the subframe)
turbodan
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Post by turbodan »

thesixerkid wrote:Is there any particular reason you guys didn't remove the oil pan for drilling?
Because its a lot of f%#king work. If that was all I were doing at the time I would have taken an hour to drop the pan out, but on that initial turbo install, its hard to find the motivation and take the time to go that far out of your way.

Let us know if you feel like going that extra mile after you've just fitted your turbo and manifold, welded up a whole exhaust system and all of your chargepipes. I didnt. I kinda wanted to just run it.
Brad D.
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Post by Brad D. »

turbodan wrote:
thesixerkid wrote:Is there any particular reason you guys didn't remove the oil pan for drilling?
Because its a lot of f%#king work. If that was all I were doing at the time I would have taken an hour to drop the pan out, but on that initial turbo install, its hard to find the motivation and take the time to go that far out of your way.

Let us know if you feel like going that extra mile after you've just fitted your turbo and manifold, welded up a whole exhaust system and all of your chargepipes. I didnt. I kinda wanted to just run it.
Haha, I must have experienced exactly what you did. That is exactly how I felt when I did mine. Lets see, I've done all this work and I can drill and tap my pan in 15 minutes or I can get completely filthy and pull the pan and spend several hours doing it with similar results.
turbodan
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Post by turbodan »

For sure. Dont get me wrong, I dont like to cut corners, but sometimes the risk vs. benefit ratio just doesnt justify the not necessarily necessary pain in the ass that is pulling down the oil pan.

If I were building an engine on a stand I'd weld a piece of tube in there. It would be legit. I should have done that when I put this engine together in the first place. Oh well. Maybe next time.
bimmerboy
Posts: 390
Joined: Oct 18, 2006 7:06 PM
Location: United States

Post by bimmerboy »

Yea, I've done enough projects to know that something like a oil return won't seem worth a few hours of work. I just did a quattro tranny and while I was in there I took the pan off and did the gasket. It was worth it, but it only took 20 minutes or so.
ismellfish2
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Post by ismellfish2 »

Random idle speculation- could you run a line with a fitting on the end threaded to fit the drain plug? No drilling involved...
Brad D.
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Post by Brad D. »

ismellfish2 wrote:Random idle speculation- could you run a line with a fitting on the end threaded to fit the drain plug? No drilling involved...
But then your drain would be below the oil level and will potentially hurt drainback. Any undue pressure in the turbo drain can cause internal seal leakage in the turbo. I have seen it done on other cars but it doesn't make it the best way to do it.
turbodan
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Post by turbodan »

The oil line itself would then hold oil up to the level of the oil in the pan. And it would be draining super hot, frothy oil right into the bottom of the sump near the pump inlet. Thats bad...
ismellfish2
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Post by ismellfish2 »

Touche.
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