[Shroomie]

most DIY support the car from below because they don't have the equipment to support from above, but you do and choose not to use it cause of the rate on the special coverage.

I'm willing to bet a lot of techs that get paid 3.5 hrs still use this method on the oil pan so they get the job done quicker to get those 60 hr checks in a 40 hr work week

 

[Ma v e n]

I recall you saying you jack the car from below and support the engine via the oil pan.

that is not what GM would call properly. you do it to save time... I get it, but don't act like you also don't take shortcuts 😉

I never said I don't have my own service procedures. I will use a floor jack if the engine hoist isn't handy, and I have even recommended others do the same.

There's a difference between supporting the engine by the oil pan (as opposed to letting it hang like many techs do) and not performing the actual repair properly... e.g: residing gaskets, reusing torque to yield bolts, not torquing bolts, etc...

Supporting the engine by the pan does not affect or jeopardize the integrity of the repair of the water pump in anyway. It introduces risk to the oil pan, but there is risk inherent with many procedures performed on the vehicle

 

[Snipesy]

Lol I have a big list of things that I do that are not ‘proper’.

For some stuff going by GM’s service manual would mean stripping the entire engine. It’s kind of a pet peeve of mine. They like to just copy and paste other procedures even if they are excessive.

 

[Thebigzeus]

I often wonder if my oil pan didn't start leaking cause I lifted/supported it with a jack when I changed the water pump...

 

[Ma v e n]

I often wonder if my oil pan didn't start leaking cause I lifted/supported it with a jack when I changed the water pump...

It didn't.

 

[JLL]

Lol I have a big list of things that I do that are not ‘proper’.

Agreed.

The "proper" way to do it is: Any way that gets the job done right the first time without breaking something. Getting it done "under time" is a bonus.

 

[Ma v e n]

Agreed.

The "proper" way to do it is: Any way that gets the job done right the first time without breaking something. Getting it done "under time" is a bonus.

There's also a difference between the written procedure being followed to the letter, and the actual repair being affected completely.

Would you be more upset to learn that your mechanic didn't follow service manual procedures to drain the coolant a specific way, remove the PCV hose from the turbo, remove the wheelhouse liner and supported the engine via the oil pan....(even though supporting the engine via oil pan with a jack and a block of wood is NOT taboo in the service manual.)
Or would you be more pissed that they didn't torque the bolts to spec, didn't replace the torque-to-yield bolts, and reused the thermostat gasket?

 

[JLL]

Or would you be more pissed that they didn't torque the bolts to spec, didn't replace the torque-to-yield bolts, and reused the thermostat gasket?

I would of been pissed at my techs if they did this. Because most likely, the car would come back at some point to redo the work under warranty.

As I said, The "proper" way to do it is: Any way that gets the job done RIGHT THE FIRST TIME without breaking something. Who cares what the engineers put step by step in the service manual as long as the job is do right.

 

[plano-doug]

I recall you saying you jack the car from below and support the engine via the oil pan.

that is not what GM would call properly. you do it to save time... I get it, but don't act like you also don't take shortcuts 😉

On some GM models, the oil pan is part of the engine support structure. Seems like, on my 3.4L Impala, there was a brace between the transaxle and the oil pan, and one of the motor mounts was also attached to the pan.

So putting a jack under the pan - padded with a board, of course - isn't really applying any out-of-the-ordinary stress on the pan. Plus, I want to say I've seen it called for in some manuals. Keep in mind, there are 20+ screws in the pan, plus it is cast aluminum and hence rigid, so the load gets distributed - it won't be pinching the seal in any particular spot.

I agree, jacking on the pan seems risky at first, but having done it a few times, I feel better about it.

Doug

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