What is the best way to drill a hole for a return oil line into the oil pan? I would rather do it with the pan still attached if possible.



I have read about dipping the drill bit in oil and drilling the hole slowly to catch all the shavings.



Anybody have any experience doing this to their drill bits?

 

Steel pan? If so drill and then use a magnet to drag the pieces to the drain hole. Drill slow and don't push a lot. Also if you can have a blow gun on the bit as you drill so shavings don't stick to the bit.

 

i'd take the pan down on your next oil change-... it just doesn't seem like it'd be worth the risk.

 

^ This.



You can even catch the oil and reuse it if you're between oil changes. For $40 worth of oil you're better off losing a full crankcase worth than sending iron shavings into a main bearing or w/e. Drop the pan, drill/tap, replace the pan.



Better still, drop the pan, drill/tap the BLOCK.

 

Hmmm... Where on the blck would you drill a return hole?

One would think it best to do it on the pan, to avoid adding stress risers...

 

Stress risers on the bottom of the skirt that's basically only holding up the oil pan? Not something I'd worry about too much. Low on the block.

 

How about into the valve cover?

 

The OP's profile says he has a V6 Tib. It has essentially a 2 piece pan. The top part has the integrated cradle for the main caps, and the bottom small steel portion continually sits below the fill line. Both are not ideal for drain locations but if I had to choose I'd weld a fitting on the steel portion close to the filler pickup tube so that it helps empty the turbo drain line.

 

^missed that. Dang new technology tripping up crusty old veteran members . . . I seem to have this habit of thinking hyundai = L4 engines. Good catch. But draining the return oil to below the oil level in the pan seems . . . not great to me.