Re: Oil Pan PM

[Igor Kessel <e6941tb@ix.netcom.com>]

Armstead, Brian wrote:
> 
> Just wondering if I should pull the oil pans on both my cars (both in the
> low to mid 100K range) to see if  the oil pick up is partially clogged?
> Is this a good p.m. move?   No symptoms but reading my new Bentleys and
> saw the diagram for the oil pickup.

Does your oil pressure gauge read 4 to 5 bar on a start up? Does it go there immediately 
without a visible delay? Does it level off at 2 bar at idle, when the engine is hot?
Does the oil pressure increase as you accelerate?

If the answer is yes- then *if it ain't broke - don't fix it*.
BTW, before disecting the car, I would excercise something bloodless, say, a couple of 
Mobil1 or (my favorite) Castrol Syntec oil changes. Synthetics, besides their superior 
lubrication properties and exceptionaly stable viscosity in a very wide temperature range, 
also posess remarcable detergent qualities.

BTW, in order to get to the oil suction tube, you'll have to: 
a) remove the front bottom bellhousing cover in order to get to those 2 10mm bolts, that 
hold the oil pan in the rear,
b) lower the subframe in order to slide the oil pan forward out of the car
c) buy that expensive oil pan gasket

It's not a difficult job, don't get me wrong, I've done it many times. I just don't see 
why do it, if it is not warrantied by a poor performance of the lubrication sys.

-- 
Igor Kessel
'89 200TQ - 18psi (TAP)
'97 A4TQ - on the boat
Philadelphia, PA
USA