Drilling instead of Punching

[John With Beastly 302]

I'm getting ready to install a Hollow bolt on a transmisson pan and I was wondering instead of punching the hole with a 5'16 punch why don't I just drill it with a 5'16 drill. Any one try this.

 

[Tempest]

I'm guessing metal chips in the oil pan, and the "pushed in" (embossed) metal will give more area for the threads to grab, as too why they recommend punching.

 

[RalphPWood]

Tempest is right. A drilled hole isn't as strong as a punched hole. Not enough metal for the threads to bite into. A punched hole doesn't put metal particles in the pan.

 

[John With Beastly 302]

What Type Of punch to You use and I imagine that you have to hit it pretty hard. What can I exprct from performing this operation.

 

[Lonnie]

I think Frantz sells them. They come with the installation kit.

 

[RalphPWood]

It is always best to use a sharp punch and put it into a pair of vise grips. Punch a small hole first and put a wire in it to make sure there is nothing like an oil pump. That way if you have to plug a hole you don't have to plug a large one. Keep punching the hole a little at a time until it is about 5/16". Watch out for spot welds. It might mean something is welded inside the pan such as reinforcement or baffling. My Nissan diesel has a bunch of stiffeners welded to the inside of the pan. I punched a hole in a Volvo oil pan once that was so hard to punch I made the pan gasket start leaking. Some are so thin that one blow of the hammer and it's done.
I did a Ford Ranger with the V-6 that had the aluminum oil pan. I put the self tapping hollow bolt in the valve cover very close to the fill cap. Most people want the sandwich adapter these days. I remember when they came out with the spin on filters. It was a big improvement. Now they are making my life difficult with cartridge filters. I converted my old Honda road bike to take a spin on filter then installed a two port sandwich adapter and a Ford spin on filter.