I really think that having to remove the oil pan to get at that bolt on the oil pickup in order to remove the timing chain cover is a bad design and a PIA. This is the first engine I've ever had that required this, usually timing chains are easy to change with all four wheels on the ground. On top of that this engine seems to have a fair amount of problems with timing chains and VVT.
So, I'm thinking that as long as I have the engine out and the oil pan off why not create some sort of access hole in the pan that would allow me to get at the bolt without having to pull the oil pan. This would make all future work on timing chains, guides, oil pumps and VVTs much easier.
I think the area under the oil pump is a slanted flat surface, maybe I could cut out a 2" by 4" hole and then weld some nuts inside so a cover could be bolted over the hole? Either that or a 1" bung welded onto a hole in a precise location so that a drain plug could be taken out of it and a 3/8" drive on an extension could be inserted up to remove the bolt.
I'd also like to cut accross the front of the valve cover at the front so the raised front section could be removed by itself should I need to get at the VVT or timing chain. This would mean I don't have to pull the intake manifold and all the related hardware on the left of the engine to get at the VVT and timing chain.
What do you think?
So, I'm thinking that as long as I have the engine out and the oil pan off why not create some sort of access hole in the pan that would allow me to get at the bolt without having to pull the oil pan. This would make all future work on timing chains, guides, oil pumps and VVTs much easier.
I think the area under the oil pump is a slanted flat surface, maybe I could cut out a 2" by 4" hole and then weld some nuts inside so a cover could be bolted over the hole? Either that or a 1" bung welded onto a hole in a precise location so that a drain plug could be taken out of it and a 3/8" drive on an extension could be inserted up to remove the bolt.
I'd also like to cut accross the front of the valve cover at the front so the raised front section could be removed by itself should I need to get at the VVT or timing chain. This would mean I don't have to pull the intake manifold and all the related hardware on the left of the engine to get at the VVT and timing chain.
What do you think?