First oil change!!

I hate to beat a dead horse here but I need some clarification here. I'm going to change my oil for the first time on my newly acquired '83 911 and I'm a tad confused about draining oil from crankcase. I understand draining the oil from the tank. No problem here. But, I am used to a conventional drain plug on an oil pan. Under my car there is a circular access hole on the crankcase with eight bolts. My question is, do all eight bolts and the plate come off when draining the oil? Also, the gasket must need to be replaced when changing the oil also right? Any help in this matter would greatly be appreciated.
Rich

Be careful -- the oil tank will hold 8-10 quarts. Use a big pan.

For the case drain, remove the drain plug and drain the 1-2 quarts. Then remove the 8 nuts and washers, the plate, one gasket, the strainer, and another gasket. Clean the metal parts. Throw away the two gaskets and the drain plug metal gasket and replace with new. Use new 6 mm nyloc nuts and new aluminum washers.

When you reinstall the plate, be sure to get the drain plug positioned under the dimpled area on the strainer.

Replace the metal gasket on the oil tank drain plug too.

Replace the oil filter.

Brian,
my crankcase does not have the drain plug in the center. It only has the eight bolts securing it to the engine. Is this normal? I guess my oil change will just be messier than most.

Is it necassary to use new nuts on every oil change? Excuse my ignorance but what are nyloc nuts? Thanks for any help.

Nyloc nuts are the one with the plastic ring on one end. The plastic disforms as the bolt threads go thru it. This plastic adds more friction and the nut will not back off. Alot of racers use the larger sizes twice and replace them. Eight 6mm nuts are cheap, ditch them and use new.

Randy Jones
1971 911

I think they're commonly called "locknuts" at your local hardware store, i.e. not regular hex nuts and not flange nuts.

I have a '72 so I can't answer your question directly. But, your owner's manual should have detailed instructions on how to change the oil. I did notice while browsing through an Automotion catalog that the original sump plate with drain plug hole is no longer available. It has been replaced by the one that you have. My best advice would be to purchase an owner's manual from Pelican or My-Porsche and read it.

Also see what it says about when to adjust the valves. Most folks adjust their valves when they change the oil, or at least every other change. When you buy a valve gasket kit it has all the new nyloc nuts, washers, and sump gaskets.

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Greg
72 911S

[This message has been edited by ggalloway (edited 09-14-2000).]

[This message has been edited by ggalloway (edited 09-14-2000).]

Hi Rich,
I also have a '83 SC motor, though it is in a '70 T. The '83 motor's crank case drain on minr is a normal drain plug. And the engine doesn't have the circular oil pick-up plate/screen anymore. The oil drain is on the drivers side bottom of the crank. I would check your crankcase #, to make sure that you have the right engine for your car. My mechanic and I were talking about this and he said the '83's came with this type case. If you have to take off the whole plate, you might want to change to an older style, with the drain plug in the middle. Hope it goes well. Ed

Thanks for your help, Y'ALL!
Rich

Just changed my oil for the first time, thanks to all who warned how fast and how much oil would come out of the tank. I would not have been prepared for the gusher without those warnings.

I did run into a snag in that I pulled the sump plat and cleaned the screan ect. When I went to reinstall I opened the valve cover gasket kit only to find there were no gaskets for the sump plate. The nyloc nuts that were in there are to big. I assume they are for the valve covers. I bought it from the dealer because I wanted to complete this over the weekend and did not want to wait for mail order. Do I reuse the gaskets or leave my car sit with no oil untill I can get the gaskets. I would hate to get this back together and have to redrain the new oil due to a leak. Two other questions, what are the torque specs for the sump plate nutes and the two drain plugs? and a previous post mentioned getting the drain plug under the dimple in the screen, this seems like it would interfere with the tube (pickup?) coming out of the crankcase?

thanks in advance for any help.

Glad you heeded the warning about the amount of oil in the tank. That one has caused many spills for first-time oil changers.

30 ft lb for the drain plugs, and 7 ft lb for the 6mm nylocs. If you overtorque the 6mm nuts holding the sump plate, you will warp the plate and cause leaks. By the way, the plastic (nylon?) locking material in the nyloc nut helps prevent oil from seeping down the threads. And the washers used are aluminum for crushability and oil sealing.

ALWAYS use new gaskets! You will not like the alternative.

The screen goes back in only one way -- with the oil pickup tube in the appropriate hole. Looking up at the bottom of the screen is like looking at the underside of a bowl. You will see what looks like a dent or a dimple in the otherwise smooth surface. Now, when you put the PLATE back on, make sure that the drain plug sticks up into that dent/dimple.

The only OTHER way the plate will go on without interference is with the drain plug sticking into the oil pickup tube. You DON'T want that!

When I changed my oil I used one of those black 16qt pans with the drain hole in the center and a spout on the side. Unfortunately the size of the drain hole in the pan is so small and oil comes out of the tank so fast that some oil overflowed the sides of the pan before it could drain into the lower section of the pan.

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Greg
72 911S

Also just completed my first oil change on a 89 Targa. Boy, the oil does gush, I'm going to get a bigger frain pan for next time. Took me longer than usual as I had trouble putting the new oil filter back in. I could not position it correctly within the limited space until I took the right side of the intake element off. But its done.

I was going to just let my P-shop change the oil every 5000 miles. The posts on this board convinced me to do it every 3000 using conventional oils. At that interval, it was going to cost way too much. But now, I feel like I'm part of the cog that keeps the car running.

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DW

89 Targa

Rob,

If you were careful and lucky getting those sump plate gaskets off, you may be able to reuse them with no worries. Carefully check the old gaskets for cracks ... if they aren't cracked, AND you can manage to get them reinstalled without cracking them, then you shouldn't have a leak! Even if it does develop a leak later, it is only three qt or so of oil in the sump to replentish!

It sounds like your dealer sold you the wrong gasket kit ... unless, of course, the 'old' version has been discontinued! No problem, though, any Porsche specialty supplier can sell you what you need ... including pelican!

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa