bad puppy fixed..

[Huw Powell]

>> congrats. but, wouldnt it have been about the same work to replace the
>> pan?

> *****
> 1. I would have to drop the front half of the subframe
>     - the car is 16 years old, and was used for skiing in the winter . .
> .lotsa rust
>     - I'm not sure what shape the subframe bolts/nuts are in . . .good
> chance of stripping the hidden nuts or breaking off the bolt

Although I understand the trepidation, worry about the bolts being too 
weak to undo would be an even better reason to yank them.

> 2. I havent found a good explanation for getting at the rear oil pan bolts,
> which are covered by the subframe and the tranny. Something to do with
> looking thru holes in the clutch housing and lining up flywheel holes.

It's very simple.  The rearmost two oil pan bolts are a little awkward 
to access, but there are two slots in the flywheel that allow straight 
on access when the flywheel is turned to the right position.

> 3. As an experiment, cleaning and painting/patching the oil pan in situ was
> the least risky and fastest option to get the car on the road again.

That part certainly makes sense, especially since it worked.

> I had a spare oil pan ready . .had it cleaned and zinc etched . .and ready
> for paint. Then the wire the oil pan was suspended on let go. The oil pan
> hit the floor. The oil bung popped out.

New pans from the dealer are actually a pretty good deal, as I recall, 
in the $50 range.

Interestingly, "we" here in S. NH discovered the threshold for the local 
dealer stocking parts - if we bought three, I think it was, of 
something, the next person to order one would discover it was in stock. 
  This happened with oil pans, as I recall (t 85/89 style, they have a 
"dent" to clear the radiator), and I think with the windage tray as 
well.  And perhaps new leather shift knobs.

-- 
Huw Powell

http://www.humanspeakers.com/audi

http://www.humanthoughts.org/