[zach70287]

Hey guys hope you can help me. So I'm in the middle of doing my oil pan gasket and ran into a problem. i have all the bolts to the pan off and the pan can move around but wont drop down. I read on another post that I may have to rotate my crankshaft a little to allow it to drop down. I haven't read that anywhere else but this one post so just looking for advise. I do have an automatic trans as well.

[CTinline-six]

Do you have a small mirror you can use to look inside the pan from above it? The oil pump pickup may be getting caught on the inside of the pan.

[zach70287]

Yeah that's what I was going to try today after work and see if i can see anything. The problem is it isn't dropping enough from the block to possibly get a mirror in there but I'm going to try. Its so odd because something is getting caught somewhere. I even removed the oil level sensor and that didn't help.

[marvinstockman]

Tap pan with a rubber mallet.

[zach70287]

I've broken it loose from the block. It can move freely from the block it just wont drop down to remove it. It drops down maybe 1/4 of an inch at the most. I don't know if I'm missing something that is still connected. I mean tell me if I'm wrong but being that mine is a 08 N51 I don't have the PCV drain hose do I? I didn't see one when I looked.

[pelon222]

Check for broken bolts, that happened to me it wouldn't come down until noticed a broken bolt that was holding it because it was kinda bent.

[zach70287]

Ok so I just checked all the removed bolts and no broken or bent bolts. Basically its like something is holding it up near the transmission. Not the greatest picture but maybe this will help explain it.

[CTinline-six]

Hard to tell from the pic but I'd say shining a flashlight in there all around the outside of the pan and using a mirror should show you what it's stuck on.

[OnlyDriveGerman]

It was my understanding you needed an engine hoist to complete the job. Have to lift the motor around a half inch. Before I had the time to work on my own car I had the pan replaced as I ran over a loaf of bread sized rock and cracked it, and had bmw do it cause of the lift. They pinched some vacuum line putting the engine back down and my car ran like crap, almost punched someone and I'm a kind man, cause they wouldn't turn it off saying it had to run to get normal. Probably a good idea to replace the oil level sensor while the pan is off as I hear they are coded to stop working around 100k miles or something. Good luck with the job.

[zach70287]

Thanks Josh, I'm going to try that.

Has anyone heard of having to possibly rotate the crankshaft? The post I read said something about a counterweight being in the down position.

[CTinline-six]

Originally Posted by zach70287

Thanks Josh, I'm going to try that.

Has anyone heard of having to possibly rotate the crankshaft? The post I read said something about a counterweight being in the down position.

You could certainly try rotating it a bit to see if it helps. I do remember reading that but forget what drive train configuration it was for.

[CTinline-six]

Originally Posted by OnlyDriveGerman

It was my understanding you needed an engine hoist to complete the job. Have to lift the motor around a half inch. Before I had the time to work on my own car I had the pan replaced as I ran over a loaf of bread sized rock and cracked it, and had bmw do it cause of the lift. They pinched some vacuum line putting the engine back down and my car ran like crap, almost punched someone and I'm a kind man, cause they wouldn't turn it off saying it had to run to get normal. Probably a good idea to replace the oil level sensor while the pan is off as I hear they are coded to stop working around 100k miles or something. Good luck with the job.

That sucks both about the rock and the shop. FWIW, the sensor isn't programmed to stop working at a certain mileage, it's the car's computer itself IIRC. I know Efthreeoh discusses it in his 200,000 and 300,000 mile threads.

[pelon222]

also did you remove the 3rd bolt on rear, transmission side. Normally it just comes down once you brake it loose from the block.

[zach70287]

Originally Posted by pelon222

also did you remove the 3rd bolt on rear, transmission side. Normally it just comes down once you brake it loose from the block.

Yeah I believe so. I know I removed I think 2 or 3 bolts back there. Everything seem free it just wont come down. I'm going to do some more inspecting today and hopefully figure it out. At the very least maybe get some better pictures for help.

[ctuna]

Replacing the Oil Sensor won't stop the 39 oil change software
problem.

[smass]

It could be this issue.
https://www.e90post.com/forums/showp...&postcount=297
https://www.e90post.com/forums/showp...&postcount=299

[zach70287]

Originally Posted by smass

It could be this issue.
https://www.e90post.com/forums/showp...&postcount=297
https://www.e90post.com/forums/showp...&postcount=299

This could be exactly the problem smass. Thank you for that! I will go at it shortly and see what happens. Thats exactly where its getting hung up at.

[NinetyEight740]

Originally Posted by zach70287

Thanks Josh, I'm going to try that.

Has anyone heard of having to possibly rotate the crankshaft? The post I read said something about a counterweight being in the down position.

Yes, if motor is at tdc or close to it you cannot move pan forward enough to drop free from transmission.

[zach70287]

Originally Posted by NinetyEight740

Yes, if motor is at tdc or close to it you cannot move pan forward enough to drop free from transmission.

NinetyEight740, so to confirm, if this is the case I will need to rotate the crankshaft in a clockwise direction? Clockwise standing at the front of the car looking at the engine correct?

[zach70287]

Originally Posted by smass

It could be this issue.
https://www.e90post.com/forums/showp...&postcount=297
https://www.e90post.com/forums/showp...&postcount=299

smass you're a life saver! I went down and did what that post said to do with the tabs and it came right off. Thank you so much for your help along with everyone else that chimed in.