Oil pan drop....day 2

[DeafSaab]

I am taking my time with this project....I am trying to remove the down pipe with the cat to the next flex pipe with the gasket before it so I can drop the pan with ease. The thing keeping me from removing the whole thing is the rusty gasket that no WD 40 would help get the nuts off. see pic. My solution is cutting it off with my sawzall. So I am here on SC asking for possible better solutions other than hacking it off with my Sawzall. My concern is that after cutting the gasket off, I won't have much room for the new connector on the flex pipe side after putting back the pipes together.

[Saaber95er]

There's no need to loosen that, If you get the down/cat pipe out and remove the bracket (holding pipe) just slide the pipe aside and secure it with a bungee cord. If you're using jack stands remove the right wheel and pulley cover, to get better access to those PITA bolts.

[DeafSaab]

Take a look at the pics. ohhhh man what a pain those two bolts were on the right side of the pan but finally got the D*mn thing off. How does it look? I freaked out when I saw those black grainy things till i felt them, whew it was just the pieces of silicone gasket. The stuff in the strainer had the pieces of silicone as well. Also had strange red substance when I wiped it off, it was some kind of felt, maybe from a rag?

I have no records on the car at all and it is such a relief to see that the car is much sludge free and is just very varnishy. The pan has cracks from the previous owner(s) running over something and is slowly leaking oil. I have a used pan that i bought off a member from this forum. I am a bit concerned that it isn't the exact same pan but was told that it will work.

Now that the strainer isn't that clogged up, why is my engine making noises? I posted the video of the noise awhile back. Maybe the engine did have sludge issues and was cleaned up before I bought the car.

Thank you SAAB GODS for not granting me sludgey engine.

[Saaber95er]

How many miles did you say is on the car again? Looks like the pan was dropped before and they used silicone. Which oil are you going to use? And don't forget the oversized filter.

[DeafSaab]

Originally Posted by Saaber95er

How many miles did you say is on the car again? Looks like the pan was dropped before and they used silicone. Which oil are you going to use? And don't forget the oversized filter.

106k. once I put in the used pan, I was thinking of using SAE 5 30w with cheap filter and use seafoam for only 100 miles or so while it cleans but the engine block walls make me nervous cuz it is pretty black, not sludgey. If you or the experienced say no to my idea of 100 mile seafoam clean i am just gonna use mobil 1 and the oversized filter along with MMO. sound good?

[Norm95]

There has been worse looking pickup screens than yours.

[unclemiltie]

I see no reason to sea foam the thing, as long as the pickup screen is clean (yours was not that bad at all) you're in good shape.

[charles.waite]

I think that black orange glazing is just varnish from age/heat-cycles. Pickup screen doesnt seem too bad, I'm going to be dropping the pan in my brothers 9-5 in the coming weeks so I hope mine looks not much worse than yours, and I'll be pretty happy.

[DeafSaab]

Originally Posted by unclemiltie

I see no reason to sea foam the thing, as long as the pickup screen is clean (yours was not that bad at all) you're in good shape.

Even with black interior walls in the block? Maybe the engine was saved JUST before the sludge ate the engine up and the leftover sludge dried up on the walls? Clean engine runs better and longer, correct?

I am no mechanic but what ya think of the crazy idea of spraying engine degreaser onto the interior of the walls? I am guessing that's a BIG NO-NO. The sight of those blacken walls tells me that the engine isn't gonna live past 150k, correct?

[unclemiltie]

The engine block is cast iron, it should be primarily black.

The sludge issue is an issue with the pickup. Unless you find sheets of black stuff coming off the inside of the block you are ok (rub your finger on it, does it come off easily) since the real danger is it falling off and getting in front of the pickup screen.

[Saaber95er]

I never tell folks to always do what I do. When I dropped my sump some years ago and removed the VC; I had that same crap on the engine/head wall so I put the VC back on then added diesel fuel 1qt (YES I SAID DIESEL) to the engine and let it run 15 min (didn't drive it); pulled the VC again, and with a spray bottle, sprayed more DF from the top and scraped as much of the crap that I could with a putty knife saturate the top again with DF let sit overnight then drained and dropped the sump. Sprayed and did the same to the bottom of the engine. Now after every other oil change I add 1qt of ATF 10 minutes before changing; this works for me.

[toxicavenger]

Originally Posted by DeafSaab

Even with black interior walls in the block? Maybe the engine was saved JUST before the sludge ate the engine up and the leftover sludge dried up on the walls? Clean engine runs better and longer, correct?

I am no mechanic but what ya think of the crazy idea of spraying engine degreaser onto the interior of the walls? I am guessing that's a BIG NO-NO. The sight of those blacken walls tells me that the engine isn't gonna live past 150k, correct?

Please don't spray anything inside your engine.

Also I wouldn't be running and cleaner inside my engine unless I plan on dropping the oil pan frequently to clean out everything the cleaner loosen up, they way it doesn't clog up the pickup screen.

But yor oil actually looks pretty good. Give it all a good cleaning, change out the pick up tube's o-ring and get some anerobic sealant to closing everything up.

I Purolator filters that are a stock size with nos issues at all.

Good luck and congrats on how clean your oil pan looks.

[DeafSaab]

Originally Posted by unclemiltie

The engine block is cast iron, it should be primarily black.

The sludge issue is an issue with the pickup. Unless you find sheets of black stuff coming off the inside of the block you are ok (rub your finger on it, does it come off easily) since the real danger is it falling off and getting in front of the pickup screen.

Originally Posted by Saaber95er

I never tell folks to always do what I do. When I dropped my sump some years ago and removed the VC; I had that same crap on the engine/head wall so I put the VC back on then added diesel fuel 1qt (YES I SAID DIESEL) to the engine and let it run 15 min (didn't drive it); pulled the VC again, and with a spray bottle, sprayed more DF from the top and scraped as much of the crap that I could with a putty knife saturate the top again with DF let sit overnight then drained and dropped the sump. Sprayed and did the same to the bottom of the engine. Now after every other oil change I add 1qt of ATF 10 minutes before changing; this works for me.

Originally Posted by toxicavenger

Please don't spray anything inside your engine.

Also I wouldn't be running and cleaner inside my engine unless I plan on dropping the oil pan frequently to clean out everything the cleaner loosen up, they way it doesn't clog up the pickup screen.

But yor oil actually looks pretty good. Give it all a good cleaning, change out the pick up tube's o-ring and get some anerobic sealant to closing everything up.

I Purolator filters that are a stock size with nos issues at all.

Good luck and congrats on how clean your oil pan looks.

Ok great! thank you all for your suggestions, now what i am gonna do is put in the mobil 1 with whatever high quality filter i can find, and add in MMO, the reason I decided MMO is that it can stay in till the next oil change AND to try to quiet the noise on the top side. Thanks again.

[Rarelibra]

Your pan looks great.

Use only 100% synthetic oil 5w30 or 10w30, either way your Saab will stay healthy.

DO NOT use sea foam. You don't need it, you can end up causing issues with it - yes, some members did and their cars are ok. But some used it and it helped open up areas near the gaskets that subsequently leaked.

This engine can last well into the 300k+ mile range if you take care of it and service it regularly. There are members driving Saabs with well over 200k and 300k miles who go to Carlisle and their cars look and run great.

I dropped my pan a couple of months ago, changed the o-rings, and it was clean. Remember to connect the breather tube to the pan, and go back in after a month or two and check to make sure that none of the bolts loosened up.

[DeafSaab]

Originally Posted by Rarelibra

Your pan looks great.

Use only 100% synthetic oil 5w30 or 10w30, either way your Saab will stay healthy.

DO NOT use sea foam. You don't need it, you can end up causing issues with it - yes, some members did and their cars are ok. But some used it and it helped open up areas near the gaskets that subsequently leaked.

This engine can last well into the 300k+ mile range if you take care of it and service it regularly. There are members driving Saabs with well over 200k and 300k miles who go to Carlisle and their cars look and run great.

I dropped my pan a couple of months ago, changed the o-rings, and it was clean. Remember to connect the breather tube to the pan, and go back in after a month or two and check to make sure that none of the bolts loosened up.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.

[toxicavenger]

Originally Posted by DeafSaab

Ok great! thank you all for your suggestions, now what i am gonna do is put in the mobil 1 with whatever high quality filter i can find, and add in MMO, the reason I decided MMO is that it can stay in till the next oil change AND to try to quiet the noise on the top side. Thanks again.

MMO? ARe saying you are going to put Marvel Mystery Oil in your car? If so I think you should pass on it.

[Saaber95er]

I second that, if you had an old chevy that smoked then ok but not in a Saab until the next oil change.

Originally Posted by toxicavenger

MMO? ARe saying you are going to put Marvel Mystery Oil in your car? If so I think you should pass on it.

[Rarelibra]

I agree with not putting MMO (or ANYTHING) into the oil. There are several here trying to give you sound advice - don't do it. The noise you hear topside can be resolved by pinpointing the issue - is it a clicking noise? Could be the timing chain is loose enough or the chain guides are worn down. Could be a lifter. But you don't put additives into oil and think that it will quiet the noise down between oil changes. You will find it to cause many more issues for you in the long run.

If you want to run this car for many more miles, just use 100% synthetic Mobil 1 and change no more than every 5k miles. You had no sludge issues, and your screen was clean. If you add stuff, you may end up clogging the screen - so consider that, too. If you add stuff, you may end up dropping that pan all over again (something that doesn't need to be done much at all).

Same with the fuel, BTW. Don't put in any additives. Just run premium (91/92/93 - whatever is available). Don't think you can pour a jar of something into the tank and clean the fuel system, either. You do that by changing the filter, servicing the pump (if needed), and cleaning the injectors/fuel rail/throttle body.

[DeafSaab]

Originally Posted by Rarelibra

I agree with not putting MMO (or ANYTHING) into the oil. There are several here trying to give you sound advice - don't do it. The noise you hear topside can be resolved by pinpointing the issue - is it a clicking noise? Could be the timing chain is loose enough or the chain guides are worn down. Could be a lifter. But you don't put additives into oil and think that it will quiet the noise down between oil changes. You will find it to cause many more issues for you in the long run.

If you want to run this car for many more miles, just use 100% synthetic Mobil 1 and change no more than every 5k miles. You had no sludge issues, and your screen was clean. If you add stuff, you may end up clogging the screen - so consider that, too. If you add stuff, you may end up dropping that pan all over again (something that doesn't need to be done much at all).

Same with the fuel, BTW. Don't put in any additives. Just run premium (91/92/93 - whatever is available). Don't think you can pour a jar of something into the tank and clean the fuel system, either. You do that by changing the filter, servicing the pump (if needed), and cleaning the injectors/fuel rail/throttle body.

Ok the additives are out.... Speaking of fuel system, I already cleaned the TB and just before dropping the pan, I ran the engine with the STP flush in it, it ran at 2k rpm and stayed there for the 15 min run. I plan on cleaning the injectors and the fuel rail, will that help with the high idling?

[Rarelibra]

Originally Posted by DeafSaab

Ok the additives are out.... Speaking of fuel system, I already cleaned the TB and just before dropping the pan, I ran the engine with the STP flush in it, it ran at 2k rpm and stayed there for the 15 min run. I plan on cleaning the injectors and the fuel rail, will that help with the high idling?

High idle can be caused by a vacuum leak. Have you checked all around the engine (and throttle) for any hoses that are disconnected or worn? A good idea would be to spend a tiny amount of $ on new hose and go around and replace all of the vacuum hoses you see.