From: Wally Plumley [wplumley@bellsouth.net]
Sent: Monday, December 10, 2001 6:10 PM
To: 928
Subject: [928] Re: oil pan gasket

At 12:41 PM 12/10/01, Marc Gingras wrote:
>I started to change my motor mounts + steering rack this weekend and I
>decided to change the oil pan gasket (no leaking, but good time to replace
>it).  I lifted the engine and pulled down the cross member.  So if the
>cross member is removed, where is the best place to lifted the engine to
>be able to remove the oil pan easily?  Do anyone have good tips for this
>job?
>
>Thanks.
>
>P.S. It's not possible for me to supported the engine from above.:-(


Best way might be to support the engine from above. These suggestions are 
based upon dimensioned lumber and hardware available in the USA - you will 
need to adapt to local conditions.

Buy a new twelve-foot 2"x 10" timber. Inspect it carefully, so as to get 
one with no flaws, such as knots, that will weaken it.

Buy two heavy turnbuckles (Steel fitting with an eyebolt screwed into one 
end, and a heavy hook screwed into the other end, one threaded 
right-handed, one left-handed. When you turn the fitting, the eye and hook 
move together or apart.),  and two 2 1/2" long 7/16" dia carriage bolts, 
with matching nuts and large washers.

Locate the lifting attach points on the 928 engine.

Cut the timber so that it will run diagonally over the lifting points, with 
the ends of the timber over the fender flange attach bolts - that is, the 
horizontal surface just below and just inside the inner edges of the front 
fenders.

Cut two pieces of timber so that they sit on this surface, and are shaped 
to fit it, with the upper end of the timber level. Drill shallow clearance 
holes for the attach bolts. It is important that the blocks are vertical 
when they are in place.

Firmly join the three pieces of timber, using large screws and strong glue. 
You should now have a beam that runs across the engine compartment above 
the engine, firmly supported on the strong part of the fender flanges. 
There must not be any rocking or movement of this assembly - it must sit 
firmly on the flanges.

Cut two triangular blocks from the timber to brace the joint between the 
three pieces of timber. Firmly glue and screw these blocks into place. Let 
the glue cure completely.

Apply some type of padding to the bottom of the blocks that sit on the 
fender flanges so as to prevent marring of the finish and bending of the 
metal. Set the assembly in place on the fender flanges.

With the turnbuckles adjusted close to their max length, put the hooks in 
the lifting attach points. Drill holes thru the cross-timber where the 
eyebolts attach. Use the carriage bolts to firmly attach the eyebolts to 
the timber.

Tightening the turnbuckles should lift the engine.

Total cost here would be about $15, and should take about an hour to build 
if you have a saw and drill.

Wally Plumley
928 Specialists