1989 240SX oil pan help

[da2632]

I'm replacing a blown head gasket on my 1989 240SX - this is going okay, but with the head off I notice that the chain tensioner looks odd. Turns out that the chain tensioner is snapped off (spring side) and the other side is all gone. Pull the timing chain cover off and find pieces/chunks of chain tensioner at the bottom and sitting on the oil pan.

I figure there must be a lot of tensioner junk in the oil pan. The chain has just about worn through the timing cover near the water pump.

So, I unbolt the front sway bar, unbolt the engine mounts and raise the engine to get at the oil pan. There are four oil pan bolts at the back of the oil pan that are covered by parts connected to the transmission.

How do I get the bolts off the back of the oil pan (near the transmission)? Do I have to take the shroud (?) off the transmission - the part that wraps around the back of the oil pan?

I've searched the forum, but find no info about getting to these oil pan bolts at the back of the oil pan.

What an amazing pain in the a$$ this oil pan is!

[sunnys14]

do you have an auto or manual? for manual u just be able to use a skinny extension to get the bolts off. thats what i did.

[Kaikias]

If you are talking about the L shaped covers that one end connects to the transmistion and the other connect to the side of the engine. I found it was easyer just to remove them them when pulling of the oil pan then trying to work around them.

[da2632]

Sunnys14 - It is a manual. I tried a flexible extension on a nut driver, but it didn't work (just twisted the flexible shaft around - ruined it).

Kaikias - Yes, those are the parts, and yes I guess I'll have to remove them to get the pan off. Sigh.

Thanks and thanks!