oil pan removal

[wengr]

hello, it looks like I'll have to remove the pan if I want to get the front crank seal cover off. gearbox and block is in the car with the head removed. I have no way to raise the engine from above. can I jack it up from the bellhousing without damaging anything? Will it go up enough without messing with the shifter or driveshaft or anything else? How much does the engine have to go up to replace the pan gasket?

[So Cal Mark]

you can jack on the bellhousing, raise it until the bellhousing hits the floor. You'll find that still isn't high enough. With the pan unbolted and hanging, you have to reach up inside and unbolt the oil pump to get the pan out. UNLESS, some previous owner has cut the baffle out of the pan, then it will drop out

[wengr]

Thanks Mark. I was afraid of that. I don't really want to move the pan, just trying to get the front crank seal cover off but it's hung up on the pan gasket. Maybe I can just drop the pan enough to get the cover off, replace the crank seal, and bolt the pan back up with the same gasket.

[So Cal Mark]

wishful thinking. If the front cover won't break loose, why would the pan drop any easier?

[ga.spyder]

great tutorial on removing the pan

http://www.mirafiori.com/faq/content/2Loilpan.htm
Craig

[wengr]

thanks Craig, very helpful. Bookmarked it.

[4babycar]

Does anyone now which process is easier, the method mentioned above or the method in the factory manual? The factory manual unbolts the motor mounts from the bottom of the cross member and then drops the cross member to a point just shy of coming off the bolts. Both methods seems pretty straight forward except for getting the oil pump back on in the method above, that to me seems like it could be a bit tricky.

[wengr]

Both methods seems pretty straight forward except for getting the oil pump back on in the method above, that to me seems like it could be a bit tricky.

yes, especially with a sealant coated new pan gasket to worry about. also is there a gasket at the base of the oil pump?

[spider2081]

AutoZone or the likes rents engine support bars. This allows supporting the engine from the top. I used the hoist point on the intake cam cover and lifted the engine till the bell housing touched the tunnel. Only advantage is no jack under to car to work around.

[So Cal Mark]

no offense, but you're turning a seal replacement into a major task

[wengr]

no offense, but you're turning a seal replacement into a major task

yes , the whole thing has become a major task. But I can not get the front crank cover off without destroying the pan gasket. I won't just rip it off and then try to patch up the pan gasket with rtv, so what else can I do?

[So Cal Mark]

won't ripping the pan off destroy the same gasket as well as create several other headaches? Why remove the entire seal holder to replace the seal? If that's how you want to attack it, that's fine. I just wouldn't consider dropping a cross member unless it's absolutely necessary. Lots of potential problems are lurking there