Volvo oil pan

[TTait]

My automatic came with a Volvo oil pan on the engine (maybe a Volvo engine) that has access issues.

The pan gasket has a leak and I need to get it off. The rear bolts are blocked by the frame and the profile of the pan does not leave access without lifting the engine.


What is the process and potential pitfalls of loosening the motor (and transmission?) mounts and lifting the engine? How far can I lift without damaging transmission linkages etc?

[David T]

My automatic came with a Volvo oil pan on the engine (maybe a Volvo engine) that has access issues.

The pan gasket has a leak and I need to get it off. The rear bolts are blocked by the frame and the profile of the pan does not leave access without lifting the engine.


What is the process and potential pitfalls of loosening the motor (and transmission?) mounts and lifting the engine? How far can I lift without damaging transmission linkages etc?

It is rare for the pan gasket to leak. More common for the oil sender on the rear left to leak and make it look like the pan gasket. Fix that first before trying to undo the pan. Access to the bolts by the frame member is difficult. Why do you think you have a Volvo pan?

[TTait]

It is rare for the pan gasket to leak. More common for the oil sender on the rear left to leak and make it look like the pan gasket. Fix that first before trying to undo the pan. Access to the bolts by the frame member is difficult. Why do you think you have a Volvo pan?

It's a stamped metal pan, no ridges/fins with the drain plug facing straight down.

It's not the sender, sensor or cam caps, but it could be the main seal. It's difficult or impossible to tell, but I can change or the gasket and pan relatively easily , the main seal, no. I have a proper pan and new gasket to install.

[jawn101]

I've done this. There is no problem at all loosening the mount studs and lifting the motor to get access to the pan bolts under the frame crossmember. You will likely need to remove the tubular crash bar at the rear of the engine bay, but that's easy - just two huge bolts and it comes right out. You will probably want to lift the motor from above using a crane rather than jacking it up from beneath, since your best lift point from underneath is the pan that you're trying to remove :)

Be careful not to pinch or tweak any fuel, clutch, coolant lines!

Don't buy any oil pan gasket other than DPI's. Ask me how I know.

[TTait]

So close I can taste it.

The rear of the car is on ramps, front on the ground. Battery disconnected. Engine mount through bolts loosened. Cross brace loosened and not bound. I've got the engine up a couple inches jacking at the bell housing. I can get a stubby 1/4" socket on a 1/4" universal joint onto the bolts, but I just cant quite get the socket all the way on, so I risk rounding the bolt heads. Just a little more clearance would do it.

The pan bolts have a phillips head cut into them as well, but the socket squares up better. If I can break them loose I can run them out easily with a screwdriver.

Rather than break anything its time to take a breath, get some rest, and go at it again in a day or two when time permits.

In the meantime - any hit that puts me over the top would be appreciated.

Tom

PS - wait - I'm not tasting impending victory, its road grime and oil that fell in my mouth. It hit my safety glasses first though, so I'll swish and rinse and count myself lucky anyway.

[jawn101]

So close I can taste it.

The rear of the car is on ramps, front on the ground. Battery disconnected. Engine mount through bolts loosened. Cross brace loosened and not bound. I've got the engine up a couple inches jacking at the bell housing. I can get a stubby 1/4" socket on a 1/4" universal joint onto the bolts, but I just cant quite get the socket all the way on, so I risk rounding the bolt heads. Just a little more clearance would do it.

The pan bolts have a phillips head cut into them as well, but the socket squares up better. If I can break them loose I can run them out easily with a screwdriver.

Rather than break anything its time to take a breath, get some rest, and go at it again in a day or two when time permits.

In the meantime - any hit that puts me over the top would be appreciated.

Tom

PS - wait - I'm not tasting impending victory, its road grime and oil that fell in my mouth. It hit my safety glasses first though, so I'll swish and rinse and count myself lucky anyway.

What about a ratcheting box wrench? I think that's what we used around those bolts at the rear of the pan.

[Josh]

Even if you do get it off, how will you get proper clearance to get a torque wrench on to re-install the pan with the new gasket?

I would just partially pull the engine. This would require a hoist. Ask around, hopefully someone you know will have one. I know it sounds like a big job, but fiddling around in a tight space is very time consuming and unrewarding as well!

Just my .02

[jawn101]

Even if you do get it off, how will you get proper clearance to get a torque wrench on to re-install the pan with the new gasket?

I would just partially pull the engine. This would require a hoist. Ask around, hopefully someone you know will have one. I know it sounds like a big job, but fiddling around in a tight space is very time consuming and unrewarding as well!

Just my .02

I do agree with you in theory. And I stick by my earlier statement that the way to go is to lift the motor from above - you'll get more clearance.

But when we did mine, Josh at DPI told us that specific torque was not necessary on these bolts - just "as tight as we could get it with a 1/4" socket"

Worked like a charm. I do hope you're using that DPI gasket....

[Josh]

I do agree with you in theory. And I stick by my earlier statement that the way to go is to lift the motor from above - you'll get more clearance.

But when we did mine, Josh at DPI told us that specific torque was not necessary on these bolts - just "as tight as we could get it with a 1/4" socket"

Worked like a charm. I do hope you're using that DPI gasket....

Hmm, i dont really agree with that information. But he does it for a living so it must be working for him. I do have one of his gaskets after you had explained the issues you experienced!

[jawn101]

Hmm, i dont really agree with that information. But he does it for a living so it must be working for him. I do have one of his gaskets after you had explained the issues you experienced!

Sounded crazy to me too. I don't even open the wrench drawer of my toolbox without the torque figures in front of me.... but I trust Josh immensely and the process worked!

Besides, the manual doesn't even list torque figures for those pan bolts (that I saw anyway) - we went with a figure for a similarly sized fastener at 11 ft/lb (I think) when we installed the original gasket that split.

[Josh]

Sounded crazy to me too. I don't even open the wrench drawer of my toolbox without the torque figures in front of me.... but I trust Josh immensely and the process worked!

Besides, the manual doesn't even list torque figures for those pan bolts (that I saw anyway) - we went with a figure for a similarly sized fastener at 11 ft/lb (I think) when we installed the original gasket that split.

The 3.0 shop manual lists the torque spec as 12Nm (9ft-lbs). The delorean workshop manual is pretty bad, but better than nothing. I used it to install my clutch and slave and the information was very sparse and full of discontinuities.

[David T]

The 3.0 shop manual lists the torque spec as 12Nm (9ft-lbs). The delorean workshop manual is pretty bad, but better than nothing. I used it to install my clutch and slave and the information was very sparse and full of discontinuities.

I don't want to discourage you but getting the bolts out is not the hardest part. Getting the pan loose and removing the gasket can be very difficult, at least the Delorean pan and OEM gasket. In your case I don't know how hard it will be.

[TTait]

I don't want to discourage you but getting the bolts out is not the hardest part. Getting the pan loose and removing the gasket can be very difficult, at least the Delorean pan and OEM gasket. In your case I don't know how hard it will be.I think if I caqn break the bolts loose I'll be fine - I have enough clearance to clean off the old gasket, and will have better access with the DMC pan than I do with the Volvo one.

I've looked at getting at them with wrenches, any wrenches - not just ratcheting box wrenches - and its a no-go.. The volvo pan has a raised lip around the perimeter and the bolts are low profile as well, the head does not protrude above (below?) the height of the lip - you have to go in with a socket to get at it.

I've got almost enough room using the 1/4" shallow socket on a universal joint. I could get another quarter inch or so if I were to grind that socket down so it was even more shallow - but hope that with a fresh start it will all come together fine, or that I can manage to get the engine just a hair higher.

As far as gasket - I got a "new" gasket from Danny at DMCCA - he said the previous gaskets were admittedly terrible - but that his new gasket worked like a charm. Hoping its similar to what Josh sells - can someone point me to a thread that better defines what makes a good gasket - hoping this one fits the bill...

Tom

[David T]

Removing the old OEM gasket was like chiseling stone. It seemed harder than the aluminum. Causes you to wind up scratching and gouging the aluminum making it harder to get a good seal with the new gasket. OK because it seals so well but makes a real mess if you ever have to remove the pan! I guess the newer ones are softer and more easily removable yet still seal well.

[jawn101]

Removing the old OEM gasket was like chiseling stone. It seemed harder than the aluminum.

I can't agree with this statement enough. It took us hours to remove that old pan, and we had to buy an emergency blowtorch to even get it started. If your pan doesn't basically fall off when the bolts are removed, you're most likely gonna have to pull the motor to get it detached anyway. And definitely to do anything close to a sufficient job cleaning up the remains of the old seal.

[Josh]

I can't agree with this statement enough. It took us hours to remove that old pan, and we had to buy an emergency blowtorch to even get it started. If your pan doesn't basically fall off when the bolts are removed, you're most likely gonna have to pull the motor to get it detached anyway. And definitely to do anything close to a sufficient job cleaning up the remains of the old seal.

So it just wasn't mine then! I had a heck of a time cleaning up that gasket, and I had the lower crank case removed and sitting on the work bench!

[Andrew]

Would it be possible to post a picture of the Volvo oil pan and motor mounts as adapted to work in a Delorean?

[vwdmc16]

Jon and I used one of these super short sockets with a universal built in, its the proper tool to get in tight spots.

https://goo.gl/images/S3eosK

[Andrew]

Jon and I used one of these super short sockets with a universal built in, its the proper tool to get in tight spots.

https://goo.gl/images/S3eosK

Was that with a stock DMC engine or a Volvo swap? I'm reseaching the possibility of installing a Volvo engine without a lower crankcase swap.

[vwdmc16]

That was all Dmc stuff, never worked on a volvo converted set up.

[Andrew]

Upon the arrival of my Volvo 2.8, I confirmed that the transmission mounting bolts on the Volvo lower crankcase are different than the DeLorean / Renault lower crankcase. Thus, absent extensive fabrication a lower crankcase swap is necessary. Thankfully having completed a lower crankcase swap last night, I can confirm that it isn't too bad of a project.

[dn010]

I too would be interested in seeing this lower crankcase installed in a D. I've "heard" of it being possible to install with motor mount modification but I've never seen pictures of it. I too have confirmed that the B280F lower crankcase will not bolt up to the stock D transmission and it just seems like it is way more work then necessary to get it to install properly. I have one or two lower crankcases from the B280F and I keep tossing them out.

[Delorean Industries]

The sump configuration is a bit different and not the best due to our engine placement. The stock sump also act as a heat exchanging system using the pan as a heat sink. We made a one off stainless pan configuration without additional heat exchanging provisions and noticed a increase in engine oil temp. Not a good thing.