elzergone

Well, I'm pretty screwed. A rock punched a hole in my oil pan about the size of a quarter, with long cracks running out from each side. The engine was shut off very soon after I realized what happened, there was still good oil pressure when it was shut off. The hole is high up on the back side, so it wasnt draining as fast as it could.

This happens in my parents driveway of all places... uhg. I feel sick.

I've been researching the job, and it looks like its going to rather hellish for a newbie mechanic. On top of that, the ONLY oil pan I can find is a used one on ebay for like $650.

Does anyone on the west coast/nevada have an oil pan they're selling?

Does anyone have any advice on what I should do?

I'm at a loss, depressed, and exhausted.

I feel so bad for my car, it was so well taken care of for all its life, and now this... \

edit, this is the 86 NA. My 84 is apparently indestructible...if rather uncomfortable to drive.

Matt Sheppard

Dude, chill. I am sure someone local has an oil pan for less than that. I am selling a whole longblock for $350 so I know you can get a pan for less then that. Send a private message to boostfeen - he has a veritable 944 graveyard in his backyard and prob. has one. He's in Sonoma, I'm in Windsor.

It is a big job, but not beyond the garage mechanic if you can follow instructions. It's much harder for us Turbo chaps.

http://www.clarks-garage.com/

look under "O" for oil pan gasket. . .

Yummybud924

i'm sure you can find an oil pan for much cheaper than that.

Also the job isn't really hard but i'd say time consuming. get an engine support from like napa autozone or wahtever, I got mine for like 100 bucks or so. then you support the engine from above with chains attaching to the engine rigns and the support goes across the top of the engine and on the strut towers on the engine bay.

all you have to do is lower the entire crossmember with engine mounts attached and steering rack attached (after disconnecting it all).

then you remove all the little bolts for the pan take it out. put new pan with new gasket on and torque it on. you need torque wrenches. oil pan bolts are only like 6 ft-lbs so you need a micro torque wrench in inch pounds follow the torque sequence.

then you just put it all back......

if you take your time and do it slowly it'lll probably take you a weekend. i'm sure some people can do it in a couple hours but I take long breaks and take it slow so it would take me 2 days.

yeah not really a fun job to do. hardest part is getting the engine to allign on the motor mounts when you are putting it back together and getting the bolts to go through the engine mounts. I had to use pry bars to move the engine around until it properly sat on the engine mounts.

Grandpa#3

Call around to welding shops and see what they would charge to TIG weld a patch over the hole and cracks. I know I could do it if you lived near me. Just clean up the oil pan real good before taking it in to them.

Cheers,
Larry

Yummybud924

Eric_Oz_S2

You can definitely get a sump for less than 650. There are loads of Porsche Wreckers around. I have found that Douglas Valley Breakers in the UK are pretty good value even with freight charges to Oz.

While you are in there you may as well do the rod bearing hey? I'm doing mine in about 3-4 months.

Chads996

Sorry to hear kid. Call or email this guy in South Carolina. I guarantee he has one. When you call, tell him Chad Austin sent you.

Name: Brian Richardson
Email: 944turbo AT sc.rr dot com
phone: 803-960-Seven931

I am positive he has one that will work. He parts 944's all the time. He usually is very fair on his prices. I am sure that if you tell him the circumstances he will do what he can.

C.

Brian A.

I have an oil pan in great condition from an 88 Turbo that I will sell for $150 shipped to your door. I'm not certain it will fit but Pelican Parts shows a common oil pan gasket (944/944S/944 Turbo (1983-88)) which makes me think it might fit.

KuHL 951

+10 on the TIG welding. It's easier to just clean the area and have a small plate repair welded than replacing the pan. The pan isn't structural at all and getting a good pan reseal is a skill in itself. Look for a good mobile welder, drain the oil, clean the area well and use a wire brush to bright metal, disconnect the DME harness at the DME, and have the car high enough he can get to it. Much easier IMO than swapping the pan.

J Berk

Try Arizona Foriegn Auto...I believe they are a site sponsor here and they are great folks !

944obscene

I personally wouldn't weld the pan, unless I knew there wouldn't be any ill effects from the impact and the hole made. An oil pan isn't structural, but think about it like a brittle acrylic box. You patch it and weld it up, but there's no guarantee that something else can't stem from this problem.

Plus, now you can use this opporitunity to get a baffle and check the bottom-end of the motor, as well as looking at the oil pickup. The one thing I've noticed about 944's, or just Porsches in general- They are "While you're in there" cars. It's just good measure if you ask me.

I mean. I FUBAR'd my front bumper, so I'm taking the opp. to check hoses and stuff when I get the new one painted, and I'm replacing the stock Batwing that got messed up with a CPR splitter. Pretty cool if you ask me. Plus I can inspect wiring and figure out why my front driver's signal won't work!

bearone

what did you hit in the driveway, was the cover on?

87951
95sl320 dd

Tom M'Guinn

I'd probably replace the pan, since you don't really know what metal may have broken off inside, and you should be able to get one pretty cheap.

I've used this stuff (cheaper on ebay) with good results, but you'd still need to remove the pan (and baffle to keep it from melting) and get new gaskets, etc.
http://www.aluminumrepair.com/video_new.asp

elzergone

My wife and I were over there for dinner, and apparently sometime in the last few years my dad had lined the edges with rocks. It was dark, and I was pulling my car off the to side so that my brother could back his car out, and..bang.

I drove over one low enought to miss the front valance, the sway bar, everything, but the oil pan tagged it and swung it up.

Anyways. For the time being I may actually try to find someone to weld it, provided I can make sure that there are no pieces inside. Already called one guy and he says he wont do it unless its off the vehicle...which kinda defeats the purpose.

Anyways, thanks for the advice everyone.

J Berk

To correct my previous post....it's 20th Street Auto in Arizona....they are great folks !!!!