wstar's Journal

Originally Posted by wstar

No, this is the same kit they've been selling. I'm hoping the smaller core will suffice with the extra oil capacity from the spacer, but we'll see what happens in practice. I do want to upgrade to a thermo sandwich plate later though.

I've already started on the oil-related work today. I'm doing it in small chunks while I do other things, it will drag on all afternoon/evening Pics will come eventually.

The only really notable thing I've learned so far: I saw a mention of "gasket remover" (as in, a chemical) in either the Service Manual or the AAM install guide for the oil pan spacer, and figured I'd pick some up at the parts shop and give it a try, see if it makes it easier to completely remove the remains of the oil pan gasket.

Result: OMFG, I have never encountered such a nasty, volatile chemical for retail sale to the general public in my life. And I'm the kind of guy that doesn't mind cleaning my hands with Varsol. Even Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber doesn't hold a candle to this stuff. The rather extensive and scary warning label should be re-written to simply say: "Warning: Do Not Use".

There was some jibber-jabber about keeping it away from painted surfaces, so I donned some nitrile gloves and tried to spray some lightly on the edge of the oil pan (where the gasket was) and shield the rest with some paper towels. This was totally insufficient protection for the paint, much less my hands. Nitrile gloves turn brown where it touches, and then your skin gets cold and then starts burning, had to go wash that off first. When I got back, anywhere it had touched/dripped onto the oil pan's paint, it began violently bubbling and boiling and krinkling up the paint and eating it. Pretty much it destroys anything that isn't metal, very quickly.

So having already destroyed some of the paint on my oil pan, I just went ahead and went all out for a "new look" and stripped the rest of the paint from the pan Now I just hope my hands don't fall off two days from now.