Oil pan stripped, fix or new pan when doing rod bearings?

[Abefroman55]

Just purchased a 2011 M3 about 3 months ago and I'm super pumped. When changing the oil last weekend I realized the oil pan is stripped. I am also waiting for the BE bearings to come in stock and do the rod bearing replacement, I was told the BE bearings should be in stock in a couple weeks.

The question is...... since I will be doing my rod bearings shortly, should I buy a new oil pan since there will be no additional cost in labor for installing it or should I save $1100 on a new pan and just use the time-sert method to fix the threads?

I'm not a rich man and paying over a grand for a new oil pan is a lot to swallow at the moment. Any opinions would be extremely helpful. Thank you.

[Duk996]

Originally Posted by Abefroman55

Just purchased a 2011 M3 about 3 months ago and I'm super pumped. When changing the oil last weekend I realized the oil pan is stripped. I am also waiting for the BE bearings to come in stock and do the rod bearing replacement, I was told the BE bearings should be in stock in a couple weeks.

The question is...... since I will be doing my rod bearings shortly, should I buy a new oil pan since there will be no additional cost in labor for installing it or should I save $1100 on a new pan and just use the time-sert method to fix the threads?

I'm not a rich man and paying over a grand for a new oil pan is a lot to swallow at the moment. Any opinions would be extremely helpful. Thank you.

Pfft, no brainer, fix the pan. You have options, I would go over sized bolt. Not sure where you would get a nice one though.

Btw, I will have an extra pan soon if you do want to go that way.

[kevin @ eas]

I would opt for a new oil pan when you do bearings. Time serts and heli coils are good for one time use but not so much for bolts that have to be removed and retorqued quite a bit like an oil drain plug.

[Duk996]

Originally Posted by kevin @ eas

I would opt for a new oil pan when you do bearings. Time serts and heli coils are good for one time use but not so much for bolts that have to be removed and retorqued quite a bit like an oil drain plug.

Agree on the helicoil, not so much on the pan. They are wildly expensive and it's a shame to hock a perfectly good one just cause of some boogered threads. Find a nice plug and retap.

[jcolley]

Drill/weld/mill/drill/tap.

[Scharbag]

Fix it.

Time-Sert makes really good stuff. We used to use them all the time to fix bad threads on VW wheel hubs. As long as they are sized properly so that the insert locks into the aluminum, you should be GTG. They stood up to changing tires so a drain plug on an oil pan should be a breeze. I even put some in aluminum spacers (wide, spacers bolted to hub, wheel bolted to spacer) and they lasted no problem.

Cheers,

[doogee]

My vote is for Time-sert, it'll never come out.

[drrust]

Timesert is the most cost effective option. Having it installed when the pan is out will likely simplify the installation.

[inTgr8r]

+1 for time-sert.
I know of several oil pans that have been done with good results.

The nice thing in your case is you can use a drill press, & with pan off you can do a proper job of cleaning up the filings.

[Abefroman55]

Originally Posted by inTgr8r

+1 for time-sert.
I know of several oil pans that have been done with good results.

The nice thing in your case is you can use a drill press, & with pan off you can do a proper job of cleaning up the filings.

Thank you so much for all the input. I thought the time-sert was the way I was leaning, escpecially when I can ensure no shaving are left in the pan. I haven't heard anything bad about them, I think they sound like an improvement of stock. Might do both drain plugs.

Thanks again for the help.

[inTgr8r]

Originally Posted by Abefroman55

Thank you so much for all the input. I thought the time-sert was the way I was leaning, escpecially when I can ensure no shaving are left in the pan. I haven't heard anything bad about them, I think they sound like an improvement of stock. Might do both drain plugs.

Thanks again for the help.

Probably a good idea to do both.
Whoever messed up the one is the same guy that worked on the other.

[deansbimmer]

Time sert is a permanent fix and when done correctly will be more resistant to stripping than the original aluminum was.

[hungryhippo]

If you do a timesert, there will be a lip above the oil pan floor that prevents all the oil from draining. I guess you could grind a notch into it.
I found someone to weld a new bung and mill it flat on mine.

[Scharbag]

Originally Posted by hungryhippo

If you do a timesert, there will be a lip above the oil pan floor that prevents all the oil from draining. I guess you could grind a notch into it.
I found someone to weld a new bung and mill it flat on mine.

That bump will be pretty insignificant (if any at all) if you size the Time-Sert properly. The point is for the last bit of the insert to flare into the aluminum. If it sits proud, then it is too long for the application.

Cheers,

[///Mobbin]

I had the same issue and unfortunately my first experience with time sert did not go well, I wasn't happy with the install and ended up buying a new pan. Wish I had just taken my time with the bearings and taken the pan to a shop to properly convert it to a larger drain plug but I thought I wanted my car to be OEM spec, waste of money in hindsight. I only change the oil myself now and exclusively use allen keys and OE soft drain plugs, not letting this happen again.

Also, time serting with the pan out is likely to be successful as you can fully dry the drain plug port and visually see each step of the process. Red loctite is more likely to work in this instance also.

Best of luck with the bearings and oil pan repair.

[schnell1982]

I would opt for a new oil pan, don't attempt to repair unless you are 100% sure it will hold.
If you try to repair the threads and it doesn't last you'll be SOL
Take a picture of the threads and post it on here so we can see how bad it is.
VAC also sells a pan with baffled plates installed if you were going to go that route.

[drrust]

When my pan stripped, I spent some time researching aluminum fasteners. Aluminum threads are notorious for galling. This occurs when there is small scale movement of the surfaces in contact. The aluminum oxide layer breaks and there is direct contact with the other metal. It is not just over torquing the drain plug! It involves different coefficients of thermal expansion and other factors.

Not to say the Timesert installation is full proof, but when installed correctly, it eliminates the mixed metal thread issue present in the system.

In order of increasing cost: oversized drain plug, timesert, reweld bung, used pan, and new pan. Depending on your budget and if you are doing things yourself or at a shop are additional factors to consider. A shop should recommend their preferred method and give some level of guarantee.

I personally opted for the timesert as I didn't want to have to find alternate copper gaskets. The initial installation (by shop) was not perfect (not quite square). But for your case having the pan out would allow for an easier/more precise installation. I think the shop rectified my issue, but still need to verify on next oil change.

One additional option would be a Bimmerworld dipstick purchase. They have an option for an exchange of pans. However one would need to verify their evaluation of the thread condition.

[BMRLVR]

If the pan is going to be off for bearings, take it to a machine shop and get it repaired properly..... They'll weld up the old threads and re-tap it to the original size. An insert is for a repair when you don't have the ability to remove the pan.

[nrubenstein]

Just rethread it and put an oversize plug in.

If it doesn't work out perfectly, you can always get it welded up and redrilled by a machine shop later.

[165_M3]

time serts...ill be installing time serts on mine when i DIY the Rod Bearings

[Visceral]

It feels much better after stripping my oil pan this weekend to look up at the number of recognizable names that have already been down this path.

I'll do whatever my shop recommends and has time for, but intellectually I love the idea of the stronger-than-the-original-aluminum-threads Timesert.

[deansbimmer]

We re-thread pans all the time. We will weld and re-tap for customers who have aversions to thread inserts, but Time-Serts are my preferred method. They do not back out and the steel threads are more resistant to stripping if a lube tech ever gets crazy again.

Most of them we do off the car in a mill. It keeps things square and allows us to cut the sealing surface flush so the washer crush is perfect against the insert.