Black Knight RX7 FC3S

iTrader: (7)

I hate those damn cars.
Any car with anything similar to the Northstar engine should burn.
Who the hell makes a front wheel drive V-8 : /
TO change the oil pan on the engine you have to drop the subframe about an inch to get the exhaust out so you can unbolten 4 bolts behind it.
Even to take the engine out, the easiest way was to drop the whole subframe with the tranny and engine since the starter is in the middle under the intake manifold.

I mean you can also pull the engine out from the top but that will take longer.

spot_skater

Get a 1/4" 10mm swivel socket... and a small extension. And jack the motor up a few inches.

FCKing1995

iTrader: (3)

My old 95 Prelude is a PITA to work on. RX7 is nothing

umi415

The FC and my last car, a 2001 AWD Subaru Impreza 2.5RS are the easiest cars I have ever worked on.

mort2002

iTrader: (1)

my dad and i replaced the alternator on out lumina when we had it.. it had the bigger 3.4l v6 crammed in there. to change the spark pugs you had to remove the upper motor mounts and hook a come along to the motor and anouther vehicle and rotate the motor like 3 inches so you could bearly fit the socket in to the holes. but the alternator you ahd to completely remove all of hte suspenson on the pass side and one of my most favorite ones was use a 6' yes 70" extension from one side of the car all the way across to get one of the alternator bolts.. was not fun.. will never own one..

Qhasan31

Maybe i don't know what I'm doing, I've done everything i swear, If i gotta take it off the subframe which I do not plan on doing, sounds too complicated..... but I raised it a couple of inches and i still can't get enough room to even turn the damn thing, this one bolt is annoying the **** out of me, and for not having any money right now I have to use the tools i have........

TehMonkay

iTrader: (-1)

Try changing the plugs in one of those old hoover shaped GM vans with a carb in it. I probably have scars still from the damn windshield wipers reaching back in that engine bay.

classicauto

iTrader: (3)

Then start using some ingenuity.

The oil pan *can* be swapped while the motor's in the car (with the engine raised since a motor mount has to come off...duh hehe) If you don't have enough room for a socket and universal/swivel adaptor, nor the money for a swivel socket, what a about a regular socket with vice grips attached to it? (don't laugh you ghetto haters - lol)

Many people have taken them off....BTW, a swivel socket like mentioned (and really, required) is NOT very expensive. A cheap bar of 8mm through 17mm swivel sockets is about $30 at the most. If you don't have any extra cash laying around for a couple useful tools - you're going to hate this car in a year

adrock3217

So, you can't afford a tool or two..but you can afford to pay Pineapple Racing $50-60 an hour to do it? They'll probably charge you for 2-3 hours, I would think.

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

If someone brought an oil pan to me to be removed and reinstalled, I'd charge them a hell of a lot more then $50 an hour since it's my least favourite job in the world (besides bleeding the brakes).

A swivel socked looks exactly as it sounds. It's a socket (10MM in this case) on a universal joint that swivels. 1/4" drive is the best here since it's compact, and you should be able to buy a single 10MM swivel for $5 or so. It will make this job go a LOT easier.

Qhasan31

Yeah i looked at it, well i don't need to take it to the shop, I finally got it off, i got in there with the same tool but a different way! it was quite interesting, also to come to find out that there was barely any rtv sealant placed on the pan and no oil pan gasket, thank you guys! very much for the help, and i might be back on the same subject but I doubt i will be, cuz when you remove something, to install it youjust do the exact reverse of what you did, but thanks guys!

Hasan

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

When you reinstall it, use both a gasket and a layer of sealant on each side of the gasket. Make sure the engine mating surface is perfectly clean and it won't leak.

The front bolts should be started and threaded in as far as you can by hand. If you try to use a socket, they WILL crossthread.

Qhasan31

ok one more question how do you tell if its a 1/16th bead or a 1/4th bead?

Qhasan31

to clean it off can i use gojo? haha, jus kidding but yeah what do i use to clean it!? Soap and water?

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

Well, a 1/4" bead would measure 1/4" across. 1/16" is very tiny and about 1/16" accross...

To clean it, use brake cleaner.