2000 Protege 1.6 - Bracket under oilpan?

[RABID_MP5]

I've got a 2000 1.6 with, I think, an oil pan gasket leak. On my P5 and most others you just drop the exhaust and pull all the pan bolts. But the 1.6 (with auto) has this big bracket that goes around the oilpan for maybe 10 inches wide in from the flywheel. Anybody know what this is and how to remove it? It's sturdy enough that it may be supporting the engine.

 

[slavrenz]

I've got a 2000 1.6 with, I think, an oil pan gasket leak. On my P5 and most others you just drop the exhaust and pull all the pan bolts. But the 1.6 (with auto) has this big bracket that goes around the oilpan for maybe 10 inches wide in from the flywheel. Anybody know what this is and how to remove it? It's sturdy enough that it may be supporting the engine.

post a pic?

 

[RABID_MP5]

gotta find my camera battery charger! Anyway, up front the pre-cat is bolted to this bracket. It flares out from bolts at the bell housing. Anyone who's had one should remember.

 

[CheeseHelmet]

Perhaps you're referring to the "Integrated Stiffener" (#1 on the attached diagram).

 

[RABID_MP5]

yeah thanks I should have looked under Lubrication in the shop manual. I guess this doesn't really have any big load on it so I can just unbolt it and go. I think I'm gonna try a real gasket with the old-school black tarry gasket sealer rather than silicone. Somebody before me evidently had tried to re-seal it with silicone (or it's a very sloppy factory job)