Not a good idea to put a jack under the oil pan

[ike84]

I think the criticism here is a bit pedantic. The size of the oil pan is what, 8"x14"? The motor weight ~450lbs in total. If you support the entire oil pan with a rigid material - thick plywood, for example, that comes out to about 4 lbs/insq. I despise cast aluminum, but even it can tolerate that.

Don't misunderstand me, I would never put a jack directly on the oil pan for ANY reason.

But a lot of people, myself included, have replaced engine mounts or dropped the motor completely without this issue.

JFP, as usual, is correct in pointing out the Porsche recommended technique for manipulation of the engine (the cars were actually braced for transport using that device - I wonder what happened to all those?)

But I don't think its fair to say that you have to use one of these if you manipulate the engine for any reason, even for a second.

Take it with a grain of salt though, everything I do is farm-engineered to some degree...

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by ike84

Take it with a grain of salt though, everything I do is farm-engineered to some degree...

That's fine, because it is your money and your car, and only you need to deal with the outcome; but for someone that some people consider a "reliable" informational source to recommend a questionable procedure to those somewhat uninitiated as to what can be the unexpected result is simply not acceptable.

Engine support bars are not overly expensive, even Horror Freight sells one. They work on just about any vehicle and get everything out of the way when working safely beneath the car. They are a useful and inexpensive addition to any shop's equipment.

[Gilles]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

Engine support bars are not overly expensive, even Horror Freight sells one.

JFP, this is my 'beaner' engine support bar sourced at Home Depot

PS: you adjust the height by turning the nut on the hook