Gentlemen,

I am a little surprised to find an oil film at the back of my motor & oil pan area -boy, it pisses me off. Not a single drop on the ground since I did the rear main over the summer, I check often cause I am a detail freak, and the level is always good, but I honestly can't understand why it would be there. My gear head buddies say I am crazy to worry... as we are standing under the lift looking at this sludge slowly making its way back towards the the trans/rear of the car... they say it is "normal" and "acceptable". In all reality, I can not think of a single oil related gasket, or seal, I have yet to change... except the oil pan gasket... and I just purchased one from FCP so the old one has to go ASAP.

When I posted about this seepage, or whatever you want to call it, Chris Herbst enlightened me to the possibility of loose oil pan bolts. When I checked the ones' I could get, they definitely needed to be tighter. I did what was suggested and they are loose again. Now, I plan to change the old oil pan gasket... and drop a little Loctite on the bolts upon reinstall.

My question revolves around what Bentley shows as the steering knuckle being removed during the process. The last time I messed with the lower universal, to replace it in fact, I broke the contact reel and fried the crash sensor. I don't want that to happen again... and I am a little nervous. Can I do the oil pan, in my buddies awesome shop with all the accoutrements, without disconnecting the steering universal? It seems possible, but I am not sure. Any wisdom will be seriously appreciated!

Thanks, Jon