(Easy) Oil pan removal (M20)

[M20_fever]

yep, the two get confused a lot.

[Yoshi]

Good catch. Could have done lots of damage to your motor. Well fuck. That sucks.

[martinc98]

2nd time was a charm...
Buttoned up and I have oil pressure again.
Now to see if the leaking is any better...

Thanks for all the help and advice!

[kyle.linden]

So I raised my motor and replaced my oil pan gasket. To do this I used the -- drop the oil pump and raise the engine method. I put everything back together and the car ran rough after 15 seconds of running so I shit it down fearing that I failed to connect the oil pump shaft. I took everything back apart and found one of those plastic washers on their oil pump shaft broken. The pump was able to get oil to the filter (I didn't pre-fill the filter). I'm not sure how these plastic things could cause the oil pump to not work but that is my question. Could a broke plastic thrust bearing on the oil pump shaft stop oil from getting to the engine? I notice the shaft has a little play when installed. I also found some debris in the pump filter but can't figure out where it came from. Took the valve cover off and everything looks good and so does everything underneath by the crank.

[Yoshi]

Well now. there's a first.

That rod should have some up and down play but I don't recall them every having any other kind of play. As long as the gear in the engine that's spinning it is fine, I'd replace that shaft. Maybe get a new oil pump as it's likely compromised somehow. I'm really not sure how that happened though. That's the scary part.

[M20_fever]

Those washers are actually called stoppers, and hold the shaft in place vertically. without them the shaft can walk up and down along the intermediate shaft gear, which is bad. Being plastic they deteriorate and should be replaced when you service the pump. Part number is 11411280950. TBH, given the age of these cars, and the fact you have it torn that far down I would just replace the whole pump assembly. Pretty important component to skimp on.