Posted on 08/20/2016 2:26:32 PM PDT by gaijin
96 Camry V6, 166k miles, engine = 1MZFE (I think)
Flushed engine, changed oil, got a low oil-pressure light, pulled over.
Dropped oil pan, cleared out a TON of oil boogers that were in the pan, YIKES..! Also swished the oil pick-up tube around in some flush solution, cleared the screen.
Drove around a week and it was FINE..! Then oil pressure light returned :(
Swapped out the oil pressure sender switch (don't have the oil pressure tester gauge but I ordered one) and the oil pressure light did come with the new switch.
Hoping it's more oil boogers in the pan not the engine bearings, I want to drop the pan again:
Turns out I overtightened one of the two nuts that secure the pan. The nut is in great condition and is flush to the pan surface but turns FOREVER without backing off the stud and it's in tight quarters.
"Get a screwdriver behind it and pry a bit while untightening with the socket..!"
Yeah, I tried that but when the stud got stripped the nut was RIGHT UP against the pan --I cannot get a screwdriver under there.
"Try a knife!" Yeah, I did that and it didn't work. That IS thinner, but there still isn't enough space. :(
"Put some freepin' vice-grips on that suckah and pull DOWN while going lefty-loosy..! You'll get it back on the threads, bro..!" Yeah, I tried that but that nut STILL won't back off the threads. Vice-grips pull off that slippery nut :(
I own a Dremel but it's not a cordless one and the car is parked across the street from this Starbucks from which I'm typing, and I can't access an outlet.
WHAT DO..? This sucks. :(
What do you guys think about LUCAS oil stuff..?
Should I do to 20w-50..? I have 5w-30 synthetic in there, now.
For now mostly I just want to get that nut off so I can confirm that more sludge has not fouled the oil pan and pick-up screen, again...
Get a file in there and file away the bent threads next to the nut?
Afterwards could put a fat washer under the nut.
I have always done all my own engine work except for the really complicated. I never really liked doing it and your post makes me realize that I plan to never do any more.
Wood chisel and hammer. You will destroy the chisel, but it will get behind the nut.
Or a steel chisel and cut the bolt off.
Perhaps use a bunch of teflon tape to tighten the threads until you can get it to a mechanic?
Sorry, I can’t help you. I learned the hard way that I am mechanically declined. It is cheaper for me to have a shop change my oil than to try to change it myself and have to pay to fix all the damage I would do.
How many nuts hold the pan? Try a hammer and chisel and chop it off. Once you get it off replace the gasket and use the remaining nuts to put it back on. It shouldn’t leak. If you want to you can drill it out and put a helicoil in if you really want all the nuts back.
Order decaf.
Oooh! Just reread. Two nuts. Tough one. Can you drive it?
There’s only 2 nuts. Weird design.
Careful flushing engines with high miles if its not used to it. Your scenario could result.
The gorilla grip on the Vice-Grips with a flat blade screwdriver next to the block to pry on under the nose of the Vise-Grips.
Cuss and spit first.
Failing the ability to remove the pan, and you can't push or tow it to an electrical outlet, were you can drill out the screw, try a heavier weight oil, maybe straight 40 wt, at least it may allow you to drive it somewhere where you can drill out the screw.
Oil buggers? Where did they come from??
You need a nut buster.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=nut+buster
You could use a cut off wheel with a Dremel tol and cut the bolt off even with the pan. You will probably use two or three.
After you remove the pan, you can use a broken bolt remover to back it out.
I have a puller kit of several sizes of puulers for broken bolts/screws. You drill a hole in the broken bolt and treag the puller into the hole. They have a left hand spiral thread, so as you tighten it into the hole you drilled, it unscrews the broken stud/bolt/screw.
Can you drive the knife blade in the with a hammer?
Chisel the nut from the bottom?
Get between the pan and block with screwdriver or knife?
Yes he does.
The pan is held by ten 10 mm nuts featuring 100% health.
The pan also has two 10 mm nuts, one of which has 100% health. The other nuts is the culprit and...is making my life hell.
I did just buy a hammer (Home Depot is 300 meters from this here Starbucks) and believe it or not I do have chisel in the car.
It didn’t work with the dollar store hammer that I just broke but now I have a much stronger $9 hammer.
Aside - When I brought it into the shop they said:
“Your problem will be fixed with a new Oil Pressure Sender Switch and we can do that in two days...it’ll cost you $200...”
AND THEY WERE SERIOUS..!!! Hahahahhahah.
I switched the switch myself at Autozone for $10.
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