hey guys i'm new to the forum, and this is my first official question....


i live in manhattan and keep my car on the street, stupid i know, but sure beats paying for a spot. Anyway, about a week ago there was a festival on the street where my car was parked and the city towed it to another spot, no big deal. anyway, when i get to the car there is a huge oil spill under the front of the car, and i'm thinking this can't be good!

so i peek under the front and see oil leaking from the oil pan right behind the bumper and i feel where the oil is leaking out and i feel a huge cut! about a half inch wide and about 2 inches long right in the middle of the oil pan... no seems anywhere near. I'm pretty sure when they towed my car, they latched onto my oil pan and cut it open.

so my question is how involved of a job is it? i see the oil pan part isn't overly expensive, is this something i could do myself? if not, how bad are we looking at a repair shop?


thanks so much for any help!

also, if you're wondering, the city is/was of no help whatsoever.

 

I know NYC traffic dept are a bunch of ******, but they should pay for the damage. They may have a right to tow the vehicle but not damage it. They probably slipped those arms under the front -- the kind that grip the tires -- and banged a hole in the pan. Did you get any pictures? I encourage you to call them up and demand to file a claim.

Good luck and sorry to hear about your problem.

 

You can probably get a used pan from Shokan.com they are in Orange county other side of the river across from Poughkeepsie. shouldn't take long to get it, they will UPS it to you. Get a gasket from Audi or www.Audipartssupertore.com or www.partsgeek.com you will also need a seal for the oil level sensor located on the bottom of the pan if the wrecker didn't take that out too.
use silicone RTV to seal the pan gasket. Not a hard job. bolts get torqued to 10nm diagonally

 

Unless you know someone on the job let it go you will get nothing but a headache, you know how it works. Filing a claim in NYC could take years to get anywhere. They don't even give you the friggin papers to fill out you need to find them yourself or hire shyster - forget about and move on. Maybe you'll see that pathetic tow guy out one night,they circle the same areas, offer him a beer and then drop a dime on his ***.

 

Well, since you park on the street I have to question where you will do this repair, but assuming you have a place and jacks and tools etc. It looks straight forward:
Lubrication system components, removing and installing
Oil pan (lower part), removing and installing

Required equipment

◆ Catch reservoir
◆ Drill with plastic brush attachment
◆ Protective glasses
◆ Silicone sealant
=> Parts catalog



Removing

‒ → For vehicles with auxiliary heater, remove bolts (arrows) for exhaust pipe of auxiliary heater at sound insulation.



‒ → Loosen mounting parts -1 to 4- and remove sound insulation.
‒ Place engine oil drip tray beneath engine.
‒ Drain engine oil.



Vehicles with automatic transmission

‒ → Remove bracket for ATF lines, to do so remove nuts -1- and -2-.
Note:

Union nuts -3- of ATF lines must not be disconnected.



All

‒ → Unbolt bracket for refrigerant line at oil pan (arrows).
Note:

Depicted in illustration for a vehicle with manual transmission.



‒ → Disconnect electrical harness connector at Oil level thermal sensor (arrow) and move wiring clear.



‒ Place engine oil drip tray beneath engine, since oil will escape again.
‒ → Unbolt oil pan (lower part) -1- and carefully remove.



‒ → Using rotating plastic brush, remove any remaining sealant from oil pan (lower part) and at upper part.
WARNING!
Wear protective glasses.
‒ Clean sealing surfaces so they are free of oil and grease.
Installing

Installation is reverse of removal, noting the following:

Note:

Replace gaskets and O-rings.



‒ → Cut tube nozzle at front marking (jet diameter approx. 1 mm).



‒ → Apply silicon sealant bead to clean sealing surfaces of oil pan (lower part) as depicted in illustration.
◆ Thickness of sealant bead (arrow): approx. 1.5 mm
Note:

◆ The oil pan (lower part) must be installed within 5 minutes after application of silicon sealant.
◆ Sealant bead must not be thicker than specified, otherwise sealant could get into oil pan and clog the oil pump strainer.
‒ Install oil pan (lower part) and pre-tighten all bolts diagonally to 5 Nm.
‒ Tighten bolts of oil pan (lower part) in diagonal pattern to 10 Nm.
‒ Add engine oil and check oil level.
Tightening torques

Component

Nm

Oil pan (lower part) to oil pan (upper part)
10

Oil drain plug

30

 

thanks for the detailed response! The car is currently at an exotic rental shop where i used to work. I think that seems like a doable job... i'll have access to a lift and what ever else i might need. i have the spare oil pan, 55 bucks from ebay. just didn't want to start the job and find out i was in over my head!!!

The main question i have is about the 3 screws... how can i know if i'm getting the first 2 screws and not that last one?

 

also will i need a new oil pan gasket?

 

Not sure what 3 screws you are referring to. Email me and I will send you a .pdf of the above instructions with images.

 

Yes, and O-rings.. Get some good sealant to seal it all.

 

hi there
have same problem with engine oil pan, but I moved in CO. I lived in Astoria.Here is a phone from excellent mechanic (gorge 646 246 4504 ) and not expensive. I did timing belt job with him( 600 $ ) beside other small things.
If you have any questions call me
max 970 306 1047