Oil Pan Smushed-What to do?

Series I L27 (1992-1994 SE,SLE, SSE) & Series II L36 (1995-1999 SE, SSE, SLE) and common problems for the Series I and II L67 (all supercharged models 92-99) Including Olds 88's, Olds LSS's, Olds 98 91-96, Buick Lesabres and Park Avenue 91-96. Please use General Chat for non-mechanical issues, and Performance and Brainstorming for improvements.
Post Reply
94SilverSSEi
Certified Bonneville Nut
Certified Bonneville Nut
Posts: 3351
Joined: Thu May 22, 2008 11:14 pm
Year and Trim: 97.2 40th SLE
68 w/400
94 SSEi
Location: Racine, Wisconsin

Oil Pan Smushed-What to do?

Post by 94SilverSSEi »

This may sound like a stupid question but...

My oil pan has had some dents for quite awhile and no problems. But when changing the motor mount today. We ended up kind of smushing the oil pan. The whole bottom is just kind of pushed up.

I didn't even dare drive the car because I was afraid of the consequences.

But can I just take the oil pan off and pound the dents out? Or should I just buy a new one? I just replaced the oil pan gasket 2,000 miles ago too. #-o

Also is it possible I could have bent or damage the oil pick up?
Obviously I will know that when I pull the pan but just wondering.
Clay
1997.2 40th SLE-138k
1968 Bonneville 400ci w/TH-400-40k
1999 GMC Suburban SLT-191k
2005 Escalade 253k-GINA

nos4blood70 wrote:Literally, cars are drugs.
myfirstbonnie
Resident Gearhead
Resident Gearhead
Posts: 5530
Joined: Mon May 19, 2008 10:19 pm
Year and Trim: .
2015 Buick Enclave
2013 Buick Regal GS
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon

Re: Oil Pan Smushed-What to do?

Post by myfirstbonnie »

Did you use a jack under it? That is why it is recommended to put a board between the jack and pan.

Anyways, you could probably get a pan pretty cheap from a JY. The best thing to do would be to drop the pan and check out the pick-up. The gasket should be reuseable if it was the metal frame rubber coated version.
enslow
GXP Member
GXP Member
Posts: 288
Joined: Wed May 05, 2010 7:03 pm
Year and Trim: 97, 99 Lesabre

Re: Oil Pan Smushed-What to do?

Post by enslow »

myfirstbonnie wrote:Did you use a jack under it? That is why it is recommended to put a board between the jack and pan.

Anyways, you could probably get a pan pretty cheap from a JY. The best thing to do would be to drop the pan and check out the pick-up. The gasket should be reuseable if it was the metal frame rubber coated version.

Could you specify the kind of board? When I supported the engine on my pan, I used a piece of 3/4" plywood under my jack and that wasn't good enough. My pan is now bowed in slightly too. Would a length of 2x6 be sufficient, or do I need something thicker under the jack?
myfirstbonnie
Resident Gearhead
Resident Gearhead
Posts: 5530
Joined: Mon May 19, 2008 10:19 pm
Year and Trim: .
2015 Buick Enclave
2013 Buick Regal GS
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon

Re: Oil Pan Smushed-What to do?

Post by myfirstbonnie »

You want something no less than a 2x4 that spans the length or width of the pan depending on which direction you place the board. Basically you want something that will not flex, but yet support the weight. You want the pressure points to be on the walls of the pan, not in the middle.
tripscarcare95
Posts like a Northstar
Posts like a Northstar
Posts: 1730
Joined: Fri May 23, 2008 2:54 am
Year and Trim: 1995 SSei
1987 GN 16K Original

Re: Oil Pan Smushed-What to do?

Post by tripscarcare95 »

I would check the oil tube inside the pan, I bent my pan a couple of years ago on the 95 and it just so happend the oil pressure light kept coming on. I hit a racoon and it dented the heck out of the pan but I was unaware of the bent oil pickup tube until the dealership removed the pan. There was a nice ring from the screen on the tube engraved into the pan.

Drop the pan and you will be able to tell right away.

Best of luck
Image
User avatar
willwren
Retired Admin
Retired Admin
Posts: 65489
Joined: Sun May 18, 2008 11:07 pm
Year and Trim: .
93 SSEi
95 SLE (SC)
97 Buick LeSabre
Location: Oregon WCBF'04, '05, '06, '07, '08, '09, '10, '11 Survivor
Contact:

Re: Oil Pan Smushed-What to do?

Post by willwren »

Even if the pickup is undamaged, the dent may have pushed to close to it, which can prevent it from drawing oil from the bottom of the pan. Remove the pan and measure from the gasket surface of the motor to the bottom of the pickup. Then measure from the gasket surface of the pan to the bottom of the dent in the same area.

Compare the two. Or while you've got it off, try to straighten out the pan and re-use it if possible. Get a new gasket first, do NOT use cork. You will need some RTV as well.
Image
Click here for mod list for both cars
93 SSEi, 95 SLE (supercharged) 97 Buick LeSabre Limited
PontiacDad at WCBF '04: Cruise control? That's like surrendering!
Comprehensive guide to troubleshooting, rebuilding, and modifying Eaton Superchargers
94SilverSSEi
Certified Bonneville Nut
Certified Bonneville Nut
Posts: 3351
Joined: Thu May 22, 2008 11:14 pm
Year and Trim: 97.2 40th SLE
68 w/400
94 SSEi
Location: Racine, Wisconsin

Re: Oil Pan Smushed-What to do?

Post by 94SilverSSEi »

Pulled the oil pan today. The pickup was fine but the pan was really messed up. Pounded it flat and it seems to be just fine now.

Yay! :) Saved me $70 for a new oil pan
Clay
1997.2 40th SLE-138k
1968 Bonneville 400ci w/TH-400-40k
1999 GMC Suburban SLT-191k
2005 Escalade 253k-GINA

nos4blood70 wrote:Literally, cars are drugs.
Jrs3800
Retired Admin/Techinfo Admin
Retired Admin/Techinfo Admin
Posts: 26009
Joined: Mon May 19, 2008 2:08 pm
Year and Trim: 03 SLE, 95 SE, 95 TS SE
Location: Space Coast, or at least it used to be

Re: Oil Pan Smushed-What to do?

Post by Jrs3800 »

Had to do the same thing to mine... Hit an Amarillo and smashed the crap out of the pan... The bottom of the pan was on the pickup tube...

Pounded it back out with a 2x4... And painted the pan with barbecue paint... Reinstalled...
User avatar
willwren
Retired Admin
Retired Admin
Posts: 65489
Joined: Sun May 18, 2008 11:07 pm
Year and Trim: .
93 SSEi
95 SLE (SC)
97 Buick LeSabre
Location: Oregon WCBF'04, '05, '06, '07, '08, '09, '10, '11 Survivor
Contact:

Re: Oil Pan Smushed-What to do?

Post by willwren »

Good save. I did the same with Lisa's Buick. It needed a new gasket when we bought it anyway. Next time the SLE needs to drop the pan, one of my freshly banged-straight pans will go on. Zilla already has a hand-selected pan back from the days of the motor swap.
Image
Click here for mod list for both cars
93 SSEi, 95 SLE (supercharged) 97 Buick LeSabre Limited
PontiacDad at WCBF '04: Cruise control? That's like surrendering!
Comprehensive guide to troubleshooting, rebuilding, and modifying Eaton Superchargers
94SilverSSEi
Certified Bonneville Nut
Certified Bonneville Nut
Posts: 3351
Joined: Thu May 22, 2008 11:14 pm
Year and Trim: 97.2 40th SLE
68 w/400
94 SSEi
Location: Racine, Wisconsin

Re: Oil Pan Smushed-What to do?

Post by 94SilverSSEi »

yeah I had a board that was like 2x8x12 or something similar and it was like the perfect size to go under the oil pan but when jacking it up it was also the perfect size to smash the whole bottom of the oil pan up and inch :P
Clay
1997.2 40th SLE-138k
1968 Bonneville 400ci w/TH-400-40k
1999 GMC Suburban SLT-191k
2005 Escalade 253k-GINA

nos4blood70 wrote:Literally, cars are drugs.
Jrs3800
Retired Admin/Techinfo Admin
Retired Admin/Techinfo Admin
Posts: 26009
Joined: Mon May 19, 2008 2:08 pm
Year and Trim: 03 SLE, 95 SE, 95 TS SE
Location: Space Coast, or at least it used to be

Re: Oil Pan Smushed-What to do?

Post by Jrs3800 »

willwren wrote:Good save. I did the same with Lisa's Buick. It needed a new gasket when we bought it anyway. Next time the SLE needs to drop the pan, one of my freshly banged-straight pans will go on. Zilla already has a hand-selected pan back from the days of the motor swap.

When you do that... I want to know if it has the freak 95 Series I... And if it does that means it has a series II oil pan...
User avatar
willwren
Retired Admin
Retired Admin
Posts: 65489
Joined: Sun May 18, 2008 11:07 pm
Year and Trim: .
93 SSEi
95 SLE (SC)
97 Buick LeSabre
Location: Oregon WCBF'04, '05, '06, '07, '08, '09, '10, '11 Survivor
Contact:

Re: Oil Pan Smushed-What to do?

Post by willwren »

Didn't we figure the Zilla does now after the swap?
Image
Click here for mod list for both cars
93 SSEi, 95 SLE (supercharged) 97 Buick LeSabre Limited
PontiacDad at WCBF '04: Cruise control? That's like surrendering!
Comprehensive guide to troubleshooting, rebuilding, and modifying Eaton Superchargers
Jrs3800
Retired Admin/Techinfo Admin
Retired Admin/Techinfo Admin
Posts: 26009
Joined: Mon May 19, 2008 2:08 pm
Year and Trim: 03 SLE, 95 SE, 95 TS SE
Location: Space Coast, or at least it used to be

Re: Oil Pan Smushed-What to do?

Post by Jrs3800 »

Not sure on that one wren.... If you do have a freak motor it will have the 2170 Crank

Even better yet, does the 95 have a coarse thread drain plug with a rubber ring?
Last edited by Jrs3800 on Mon Jan 31, 2011 9:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
willwren
Retired Admin
Retired Admin
Posts: 65489
Joined: Sun May 18, 2008 11:07 pm
Year and Trim: .
93 SSEi
95 SLE (SC)
97 Buick LeSabre
Location: Oregon WCBF'04, '05, '06, '07, '08, '09, '10, '11 Survivor
Contact:

Re: Oil Pan Smushed-What to do?

Post by willwren »

Crap. I don't remember which was which, but there was something odd about the Zilla when I swapped motors. Donor was a low-mileage late-production 95 Buick Riviera. I know it has the lighter of the two cranks, we figured that one out back then.
Image
Click here for mod list for both cars
93 SSEi, 95 SLE (supercharged) 97 Buick LeSabre Limited
PontiacDad at WCBF '04: Cruise control? That's like surrendering!
Comprehensive guide to troubleshooting, rebuilding, and modifying Eaton Superchargers
00Beast
Retired Site Developer
Retired Site Developer
Posts: 20960
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 10:30 pm
Year and Trim: '17 Silverado 1500
Location: MN/IA
Contact:

Re: Oil Pan Smushed-What to do?

Post by 00Beast »

Then that should be the freak S1/S2 hybrid motor, Bill, which would probably use the S2 style pan.
Bye Bye:
Image
RIP sandrock
Sirius wrote:Think about it. You’re tooling down the road in your Prius, knowing full-well that this thing being green is as big a sham as federally mandated ethanol-enriched gas, Russia pulling out of Ukraine, and Obamacare.
Jrs3800
Retired Admin/Techinfo Admin
Retired Admin/Techinfo Admin
Posts: 26009
Joined: Mon May 19, 2008 2:08 pm
Year and Trim: 03 SLE, 95 SE, 95 TS SE
Location: Space Coast, or at least it used to be

Re: Oil Pan Smushed-What to do?

Post by Jrs3800 »

Wren if the Drain Plug looks like this... Its a series II oil pan..
Image
User avatar
willwren
Retired Admin
Retired Admin
Posts: 65489
Joined: Sun May 18, 2008 11:07 pm
Year and Trim: .
93 SSEi
95 SLE (SC)
97 Buick LeSabre
Location: Oregon WCBF'04, '05, '06, '07, '08, '09, '10, '11 Survivor
Contact:

Re: Oil Pan Smushed-What to do?

Post by willwren »

I know the plugs (including that magnetic one you posted). I've had people try to sell me the wrong ones before (Rock Auto is notorious for this, they don't know the fine-pitch Series 1 plug for *shoot*).

Lisa's Buick is obviously the same. IIRC, the pans are not interchangeable (95 oddball) otherwise, and if that's the case, the plug will tell the story on the ZiLLA. IIRC, the SLEeper is the fine-pitch though. Have to check the Zilla.
Image
Click here for mod list for both cars
93 SSEi, 95 SLE (supercharged) 97 Buick LeSabre Limited
PontiacDad at WCBF '04: Cruise control? That's like surrendering!
Comprehensive guide to troubleshooting, rebuilding, and modifying Eaton Superchargers
Jrs3800
Retired Admin/Techinfo Admin
Retired Admin/Techinfo Admin
Posts: 26009
Joined: Mon May 19, 2008 2:08 pm
Year and Trim: 03 SLE, 95 SE, 95 TS SE
Location: Space Coast, or at least it used to be

Re: Oil Pan Smushed-What to do?

Post by Jrs3800 »

If the SLE is fine pitch it has the heavier crank... Is it a late 94 Build?
Post Reply