oil pan drop

[SJAndrew]

After 16 months of procrastinating, I finally dropped my oilpan to replace the gasket.

What brought this on was the needed replacement off my trans and engine mounts (I figured that since I'm down there....)

So....I'm a pretty experienced shadetree mechanic and have done lots of work over the years (engine swaps, clutches, head gaskets, brakes etc) and I can say that this job might be the single biggest ***** I've ever done.

So, here are a couple of bits of wisom from someone who has done this awful job:

1) get ratcheting wrenches. Removing the u-shaped piece at the front of the engine that blocks the pan removal is a nightmare. Ratcheting wrenches could make it easier (I would not know, I don't have them, and have since asked my wife for some for my birthday)
2) jack the engine up using the transpan and not the oil pan. The transpan (near the corners) is pretty stiff compared to the oilpan (which I had to replace due to denting from this process...I found out this the hard way)
3) Remove the oil sensor before attempting to drop the pan (It protrudess into the pan quite a bit and can get stuck on the pickup)
4) The pickup will hold the new gasket in place (quite handy I must say)
5) I had to use a cutoff wheel and remove about 1/8 of material from the pocket of the motor mount hardpoint on the frame. I don't know how anyone can drop the pan without this additional clearance (I have the motor and trans as high up as possible and there was not adequate room).
6) Use RTV where the bearings meet the block and nowhere else (the four corners really).
7) do not overtighten the pan
8) most important step...understand that this job is a pain in the ass and it will take you hours. The five bolts holding the u-shaped piece that hold the motor mount took me about 1.5 hours to tighten.

I'm a mechanical engineer by trade, so I usually stick up for engineers.

That being said - if I ever meet the guy responsible for the design of the u-shaped engine mount bracket at the front of the engine, I'm going to give him a nice size 14 in the nuts.

[Scottydoggs]

next time drop your sub frame.

and hang the engine form above.

[SJAndrew]

I tried it that way too (the first time I attempted it 16 mo ago). This time I didn't want to borrow a lever hoist from work, and clearancing the pocket was easy.

The lifting of the engine from below or above is trivial. The issue is the bracket and its interference with the pan. A slightly different stamping would make this job a 45 min job instead of a 5 hour one.

[Scottydoggs]

the way billboost did my trans swap was he had a 6x6 beam of wood, laid it from the fire wall to the rad support, with 2 pieces of cut 2x4 to even it out, laid a chain over the wood and and hooked it to the engine, then pull all your bolts and wires off the sub frame, and then jack up to the frame with 2 jacks, one on each side, pull the 4 frame bolts, lower the jacks, the wood will hold the engine. the sub frame slides out of the way.

he had my trans out in 1.5 hours, there was not a thing in the way to change the pan, but the engine mount bracket. it would have been a clear shot if i needed it done.

[BillBoost37]

4x4 Scotty..

I specifically swapped to the newer aluminum pan and mount setup to ditch that dumb design. No lies..I used ratcheting wrenches and still swore a bit. However didn't have any real trouble pulling the old bracket out with the subframe out of the way. Yeah..I changed that too.

[rynoman03]

I need to do this myself. Mine leaks. I think i'll just wait and build my spare motor instead lol.

[BillBoost37]

Smart man.

Reason I say that is.. many times it'll look like the pan is leaking and it'll be the rear engine cover. No way to do that unless you yank engine or trans.

[rynoman03]

Well that's the thing. I can't really find where it's leaking from. It drips from the bolts on the pan but when i wipe it all down it doesn't appear to be from there. I just assume its the pan because that's the main source and the pan is always covered in residue every oil change.

[BillBoost37]

I totally agree, it looks like it, it seems like it.. until you change it and it still leaks.

[SJAndrew]

Change your valvecover gaskets before you change the oilpan. The VC's leak, and they're not replaced due to the recall (they only do the front).

I know that I thought the oilpan was leaking on my GP years back. I bought the oilpan gasket and then started looking into dropping the pan. I got about 1 hour into the job and said screw it (it was only a drop every three days or something like that). I then looked a little closer and saw that the VC was leaking on the back of the head and down to the block.

I replaced both VC gaskets with grommets and the leak stopped (until the pan started leaking).

What facilitated me determining that it was the VC leaking is oil dye and a UV flashlight.

[BillBoost37]

Interesting. If you got under the car and looked up the engine, you can visually see oil leaking down the block. Usually it's also burning off the manfolds as well. If you wanted the quicker and easier test...you can simply wipe the lower edge of the valve cover with a paper towel. Dirt is expected...wetness isn't.

[Scottydoggs]

i agree. make sure it the pan . the vc love to leak. i would have sworn on a stack of bibles my pan was leaking, but it was dry, the leaks were all valve covers.

[Bheat55]

Just had my mechanic put on a new oil pan, and motor mount, and put on new bushings while he had the k-frame off, $650 which to me is well worth giving the headache to someone else

[SJAndrew]

Interesting. If you got under the car and looked up the engine, you can visually see oil leaking down the block. Usually it's also burning off the manfolds as well. If you wanted the quicker and easier test...you can simply wipe the lower edge of the valve cover with a paper towel. Dirt is expected...wetness isn't.

The way I could confirm it was my VC's leaking is by cleaning the engine (back side) and using a combination of mirror with UV dye and also my fingers. I ran my fingers across the lip where the cover is supposed to seal toward the back of the head. It was wet with dyed (new) oil.

Like scotty, I would have sworn it was my pan that was leaking, but it was all the VC (until the pan finally failed).

[BillBoost37]

Guess I've just been under enough leakers. The dye usually isn't needed for me to see them, because of how badly they leak. If I hop under and look up with a light, I can see the wetness coming down the block. That's valve covers. If just the edge of the pan and maybe an inch up is wet..that's pan or rear cover typically.

[Scottydoggs]

mine was so bad, that i had motor oil dripping off both sides of the trans pan.

the oil pan was soaked all the time. so i did the covers, and then 3 days later it started to leak again, thought it was the pan at that point again lol, then rtv'ed as much of the pan gasket as i could, re cleaned the engine, and found the new VC leaking on the back again, i over tightened the bolts it seems.

my leak is so small now, it hardly bothers me lol

[BillBoost37]

i over tightened the bolts it seems.

The bolts have a sleeve on them that stops them. You should have snapped one if you overtightened it. We both know you are capable.

[Scottydoggs]

The bolts have a sleeve on them that stops them. You should have snapped one if you overtightened it. We both know you are capable.

with a flash light after cleaning the block with a rag and brake cleaner, i see oil wetness running down the block. so i f'ed up some how.

it will have to be redone when i do the lim gasket someday. my one lim bolt looks like its crying when the engines good and hot lol.

[SJAndrew]

Guess I've just been under enough leakers. The dye usually isn't needed for me to see them, because of how badly they leak. If I hop under and look up with a light, I can see the wetness coming down the block. That's valve covers. If just the edge of the pan and maybe an inch up is wet..that's pan or rear cover typically.

Knowing what I know now, I would not use the dye. It's a gimmick that helps, but it's easy to find without the dye. All you need is a clean block and a paper towel.