Thread: I've been robbed.

Originally Posted by twr7cx

If you search "bush press kit" on eBay they come up with the cheapest being $142ish. Keep an eye out as they've had 10% off codes regularly lately.

Um, I already have the kit I posted .

This is the auto pan, feels like metal on the sides but flexes when you push the center.

Originally Posted by loanrangie

This is the auto pan, feels like metal on the sides but flexes when you push the center.

Yup, that’s the plastic one. The pressed steel pan is smooth and has no ribs. Mines even got a BMW sticker on it (the ZF 6HP are shared with quite a few BMW series cars). AFAIK it’s not possible to get the plastic pan off without breaking it up, for one the filter is integral and you need to break this off for the pan to clear the cross member (in the lower part of the photo), even with the transmission jacked up. I’d go so far to suggest that this is still the original pan and only the fluid may have been flushed.

Just some info
*I was going to say... the metal pan is smooth while the plastic pan has fins.
*I think from memory (and places used to do it like this) the workshop manual says, both engine mounts need to be un-done and the engine moved up which allows for the pan-filter to be replaced with the same.
*my IMHO is they never bothered to change the pan and simply did the fluid if you are lucky.

*LCA arms, I replace the arm as a complete assembly, then both bushes and balljoint gets replaced, the labour time to press out and in takes longer than complete replacement.

Yeah in a workshop environment it would be quicker to replace the arms, hydro bush was split but fronts were still good (replaced all 4) and no discernible issue with the bjs.
I'm ****ed about the pan although previous owner may not have been aware, dealer charged him 1k and supplied the pan !

Originally Posted by loanrangie

I'm ****ed about the pan although previous owner may not have been aware, dealer charged him 1k and supplied the pan !

If the PO supplied the replacement pan and oil then he may have supplied them with the replacement plastic one (as that is what lists as the correct replacement part). For a $1,000.00 in labour charge would be reasonable that they removed the engine mounts and lifted it to replace the plastic sumps properly. If the dealer supplied the oil then it might have just been a drain and change as I think dealer price is around $80.00 a litre and you need 7 which is $560.00 alone on the oil then...

That's what I think happened, still 1k seems excessive.

Originally Posted by loanrangie

still 1k seems excessive.

Guess it just depends who supplied the oil.
If the PO supplied it then it's 7 hours of labour. Which does seem like a long time for the job but maybe might be reasonable for removing the engine mounts and lifting the engine before the change (although can't a setup workshop get the body off and back on in around 4 hours?). I've only had brief looks but the engine mounts look like a few other things might need to be moved first to access them.
If the dealer supplied the oil then it's probably only 3 hours of labour which seems a bit long for a drain and refill but not long enough to lift the engine...