2011 Tahoe 4x4 oil pan replacement question

[Geotrash]

And is this the flexible drill shaft your talking about?

https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DWARAFS-Right-Angle-Shaft/dp/B013UBXU3E/ref=asc_df_B013UBXU3E/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309735728871&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6918633406160900019&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9030763&hvtargid=pla-432410172906&th=1&psc=1

More like this one with the removable angled head.

https://a.co/d/ibPt0vj

 

[Apach 031]

Worst case you mess it up and have to replace the pan, which you're about to do anyway.

I stripped out one of those same bolts on my 2012 and was able to get a helicoil in there. I used a flexible shaft for my drill and a 1/4" shank drill bit to fit in the chuck of the flexible shaft. The threads for those bolts are M6-1. Didn't have to drop the diff, steering rack, exhaust or anything else and it worked great, even if a bit of a PITA with limited room to work. It was only my second time using a helicoil and the previous time was 20 years before that so I wouldn't call myself an expert with them. But it only took me 20 minutes or so and was way easier than dropping the whole oil pan.

+1 on the helicoil. Unless you have access to a hoist, dropping the pan on a 4wd/AWD is a pain. I did it last year, as I recall it was 2 very long afternoons underneath. Drop the diff, crossmember, steering rack, and a few things I can't remember. If I recall, I had to loosen the driver's side exhaust manifold collector too, and I've never gotten it to seal when cold since. That tick drives me nuts. Just not enough to drop the exhaust and repair. Lol.

 

[opfor2]

More like this one with the removable angled head.

https://a.co/d/ibPt0vj

View attachment 406964

Well, I'm going to finally tackle this project this morning and install two "Helicoil" inserts into the oil cooler block. Any words of wisdom before I start? Otherwise wish me luck...

 

[Trey Hardy]

I guess my main issue is that I have never used a Helicoil and I'm just very apprehensive that I'm going to mess it up.

Shoot I said the same thing about doing my head bolt hole repair with the timesert kit as I’ve never really drilled and tapped anything before but it went smooth as butter! Almost too smooth… a 20$ helicoil kit sure beats a couple hundred on a new oil pan! Should be able to drop the front driveshaft to get the Clearance you need like stated above

 

[Trey Hardy]

Well, I'm going to finally tackle this project this morning and install two "Helicoil" inserts into the oil cooler block. Any words of wisdom before I start? Otherwise wish me luck...

Instead of a drill use a ratchet and do it by hand so you don’t drill into the oil pan and throw metal shavings in there.
One of my 243 heads someone drilled out a header bolt and drilled right through the coolant jacket! When I done my block by hand it went easy and you could tell instantly when it bottomed out which was nice as that was one of my biggest fears of possibly drilling too far or at a angle

 

[Geotrash]

Instead of a drill use a ratchet and do it by hand so you don’t drill into the oil pan and throw metal shavings in there.
One of my 243 heads someone drilled out a header bolt and drilled right through the coolant jacket! When I done my block by hand it went easy and you could tell instantly when it bottomed out which was nice as that was one of my biggest fears of possibly drilling too far or at a angle

Important point. I tested the depth of the original hole with a toothpick and then wrapped masking tape around the drill bit at the same depth to to keep me from drilling too deep. Can't get a ratchet in there really so the flexible shaft drill running slowly works fine.

 

[opfor2]

Important point. I tested the depth of the original hole with a toothpick and then wrapped masking tape around the drill bit at the same depth to to keep me from drilling too deep. Can't get a ratchet in there really so the flexible shaft drill running slowly works fine.

Unfortunately I don't know how you got up there for I can't get my hand up to do anything. I think I'm going to have to drop the front drive shaft to ger some more room to work and I don't have the time or patience to do it today.

 

[Foggy]

Yuppers... Drop the front driveshaft... Gotta do that to even change that gasket
which is a common leak

 

[Geotrash]

Yuppers... Drop the front driveshaft... Gotta do that to even change that gasket
which is a common leak

Not sure what to say but I've never had to drop that driveshaft, and that's after replacing the gasket on 2 different AWD XL Denali's and fixing one with a helicoil.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

@Geotrash I wonder if motor/trans mounts are worn making the motor hang lower than normally