Turbo/blower guys: Anyone tapped the oil pan for drainback with pan still attached?

[birdie2000]

Looking to get some input on the way to do this. Engine and subframe is actually out of the car, but still mostly assembled and hope to keep it that way. There seems to be a lot of room to get at the oil pan in the typical location for the return port (directly above the drain plug at the top of the pan) but there is no way that I'm seeing to get a drill in there at the proper angle to make a straight hole. I've heard of people doing this before so there must be a way. Anyone have any suggestions?

[farmington]

Personally I'd pull the pan off. There's no way to keep every sliver of aluminum out of the pan otherwise.

[birdie2000]

I lean that way myself especially considering I tend to be more anal retentive than most, however I know that a lot of kits (particularly Vortech superchargers) use this method in their official installation procedure and I've never heard of damage as a result so I'm inclined to accept that it can work safely.

[BlackJesus]

It can be done. Dip the bit in grease and continuously wipe it off as you drill.

The proper way would be to take the pan off. But it's been done many times with the pan still on without issues.

[birdie2000]

Thanks. That was the plan, as well as using an annular cutter if possible. Just don't know how I'm going to fit a drill in there.