Snakes... fun in the yard (sometimes), never fun in the oil pickup

[steved0x]

Looks like at some point in the past, someone removed and re-installed the oil sump plate with a generous bead of sealant. I believe it has been this way for the last 60,000 miles or more, since my service records go back that far and I don't see the oil sump pan cover being removed, and any of the past services that I have a record of wouldn't require it.

I'm glad I didn't wait to put in my EBS baffle (I almost postponed it to my next oil change)

I should talk a picture of the little pile of snakes in there, some over 2 inches long and hanging way through the oil pickup screen. I took off the pickup so I could make sure I got them all out. I should take a picture of the pile... Also a few small pieces of plastic in the screen.

Edit: now I am suddenly worried about the pieces that may have broken off and gone into the engine... I have never seen any pieces on the 2 oil filters I have cut apart (and I have not yet cut and spread out the filter from this change) but all of the little snake pieces look "intact" and not broken off. They are very strong...

The sump cover itself was very clean.

Now to scrape off all the sealant off the mating surfaces...

Steve

[thstone]

This is what caused my friend's Boxster engine to fail from oil starvation;

[Jake Raby]

Great job! You saved it. This is why every engine needs the oil sump pulled from time to time. If that car would have gone to the track, chances are it would have had a bad day.

[Timco]

If you remove the cover to check this, is there a proper gasket to replace or is sealant used?

[thstone]

Originally Posted by Timco

If you remove the cover to check this, is there a proper gasket to replace or is sealant used?

The sump cover uses sealant (Loctite 5900), not a gasket.

Use of too much sealant results in ribbons of sealant squeezing out inside the sump when the cover is re-installed. Later, these ribbons break off and become the "snakes" that can clog the oil pickup.

[Timco]

Originally Posted by thstone

The sump cover uses sealant (Loctite 5900), not a gasket.

Use of too much sealant results in ribbons of sealant squeezing out inside the sump when the cover is re-installed. Later, these ribbons break off and become the "snakes" that can clog the oil pickup.

Going to do this when I change oil this week. Anything also to do while in there?

How long do you let the sealant set before fun time?

[Davev]

Good catch. Have you ever done an oil analysis?

[Nine8Six]

Oops, wrong forum/post Steve?! Should that not belong to goregallery.com or similar site in your opinion? guess what will be in my mind next time I go start-up the 986 :/

Its disgustinggggg, wish I'd be able to unsee that

[steved0x]

I actually sent off my first oil sample to Blackstone on Saturday. I bought the prepaid 6 pack and I am planning to do them fairly regularly.

Timco from what I understand there is a 5 minute window with the Loctite 5900, the recommendation is to do plenty of test fittings before doing the real one.

I bought 3 longer bolts at Lowe's this morning and had them cut the heads off using their chain cutter. I will thread these in and use them as a guide.

For removing, I left two of the bolts on loosely so the pan wouldn't fall. On the driver side there are two prying bosses (shown in the pelican article), I pried from there and then hit the side of the cover with a rubber mallet and it popped loose. Then I had to remove the last two loose bolts and guide it down.

Things to do... I guess one could order a new oil pickup o-ring/ refresh whatever seals are in there. But I have never seen that guidance. (Tbh I don't want to mess around in there too much) The other thing would be (if you were thinking of track days) to put in an improved x51 style baffle and/or deep sump kit. Ln engineering, turret, ebs etc sell them.

While you are down there you could optionally refresh the spring/piston thing that insite documented in his thread, search for posts by insite with the keywords oil pressure. It is easy to do and fairly cheap, he swears by it, I just did it and it was quick and easy.


I wish I could quote the authors of the guidance above but I can't on my mobile device. Thanks to Jake, thstone, san rensho, insite, byprodriver, trk and I am most likely leaving some out, my apologies.

[97-986]

Originally Posted by steved0x

Looks like at some point in the past, someone removed and re-installed the oil sump plate with a generous bead of sealant. I believe it has been this way for the last 60,000 miles or more, since my service records go back that far and I don't see the oil sump pan cover being removed, and any of the past services that I have a record of wouldn't require it.

I'm glad I didn't wait to put in my EBS baffle (I almost postponed it to my next oil change)

I should talk a picture of the little pile of snakes in there, some over 2 inches long and hanging way through the oil pickup screen. I took off the pickup so I could make sure I got them all out. I should take a picture of the pile... Also a few small pieces of plastic in the screen.

Edit: now I am suddenly worried about the pieces that may have broken off and gone into the engine... I have never seen any pieces on the 2 oil filters I have cut apart (and I have not yet cut and spread out the filter from this change) but all of the little snake pieces look "intact" and not broken off. They are very strong...

The sump cover itself was very clean.

Now to scrape off all the sealant off the mating surfaces...

Steve

Hi Steve -
I know it's been a while since this post but I'm getting ready to pull my sump and I was wondering, does the pickup actually rest on or contact the sump pan when installed in car allowing oil to only pass through the channels before getting to the screen?
Thanks.

[steved0x]

Good question, I imagine it is very close, buy I don't know if it is touching. I guess to could measure how far it hangs down when you take off the sump.plate .

[steved0x]

I just saw this picture that has a cutaway of a deep sump kit installed, and it shows the pickup point very close, possibly resting on the bottom. Hope that info helps.

TechnoSump

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by 97-986

Hi Steve -
I know it's been a while since this post but I'm getting ready to pull my sump and I was wondering, does the pickup actually rest on or contact the sump pan when installed in car allowing oil to only pass through the channels before getting to the screen?
Thanks.

The pickup rests on the sump cover plate, on series of small feet on the unit's circumference.

[Jake Raby]

The design benefits from the pick up being near the floor of the sump. The raised portions of the pick up rest against the sump plate.