How the heck do I get my oil pan out to replace the gasket?

 

What engine do you have?
If the pan is leaking chances are some of it is coming from the rear main seal.
My pan was leaking and so was the rear main seal so I pulled the engine out and replaced the old style rope-type rear main seal with a new two piece rubber lip seal.
While I had the engine out I put in a new timing chain, front crank seal, new intake gasket, new valve stem seals and new valve cover gaskets.
It's nice to have no leaks, now.

 

if its a 360 or 390 you will have to raise the engine up about 4 inches.... and drop the oil pump. it's a pain in the butt... and instig8r63 is probably right about the rear main seal. mine was bad.... if your going to change that my advices is this. change the oil pump, rear main seal, and the oil pan gasket. even if your oil pump is ok. spend the extra 45 bucks... it will be worth the trouble so you won't have to pull the engine again later down the road to change it. by the way if you do just raise the engine a few inches keep an engine hoist chained to it, and put some wood blocks between the motor mounts and the motor. be safe! if you have time you may want to just pull the motor out.

 

TG is right, and I'll add this: If it is an FE, 360 or 390 most likely, it may even be the rear seal of the intake manifold. They are notorious for leaking badly, and will look like a rear main seal, or a pan gasket.

 

I have a FE 390 V8.
Do loosen all the motor mounts or just remove one? What about the tranny connection? What a pain..............I don't have an engine hoist......are the those expensive?

I will take your advice and change out evrything....if I can get to it. I am nervous about this one.
When rebuilding do the bolts need a certain amount of torque?

 

Here are steps to get this done:
1. Remove the following from the cooling system(you may get by without doing these if you watch the engine very carefully as you jack it up, to see that you will not tear the hoses off the engine or radiator):
Remove the fan shroud and hang it on the fan blade.
Drain the radiator.
Remove the upper and lower radiator hoses.
2. Other things you may or may not need to remove:
You do not need to remove the automatic transmission cooling lines unless they interfere with the pan removal.
You may need to remove the manual transmission bellcrank for the clutch, but if you watch carefully, you may not need to.
You may need to remove the fuel line, if it is too short and will tear when you jack the engine up.
You may need to remove the starter, but not usually.
3. Remove the accelerator linkage, to prevent it binding and getting bent.

To jack the engine up:
1. Remove the nuts under the perches which hold the rubber engine mounts.
2. Put a 2x4 under the engine, and jack it up - SLOWLY and watch for tearing or binding. Only jack it up enough to do step 3.
3. Slip a short piece of 2x4 between the rubber mounts and the perches. Let the engine down.
4. Try to push the enigine off the 2x4 pieces to ensure you can work done this safely. Keep in mind, the engine cannot fall very far, but it can hurt. (Don't ask how I know this.)

Remove the oil pan:
1. Remove the oil pan bolts, and drop the pan onto the front crossmember.
2. Reach inside the pan, and remove the 2 bolts holding the pump onto the block. They are 1/2 inch if I remember right.
3. Drop the pump and pickup tube into the pan, and remove the pan.
4. Remove the pump drive shaft, noting which end the little "hat" or retaining washer is closest to. (Note: The hat prevents the oil pump driveshaft from pulling out when removing the distributor. If that hat isn't there, or if you put the driveshaft in upside down, then the next time you pull the distributor, it will pull out and then fall into the pan - and you will be repeating this job.)

To replace the pan after doing the work:
1. The night before, apply a thin layer of RTV sealant around the pan. Affix the pan side gaskets (I recommend you spend the moneyto get the rubber type) and the front and rear gaskets as well.
2. Ensure all the holes are properly aligned, and that the front and rear gaskets are seated and lined with the side pieces.
3. Ensure there are NO globs of RTV anywhere on any of the mating surfaces.
4. LET DRY OVERNIGHT.

The next day:
5. Put the pump and pickup tube in the pan, and slip it under the truck (be sure to prime the pump ahead of time, especially if it is new.)
6. Smear a thick layer of heavy grease on the top of the oil pump driveshaft (to help hold it in place) and insert it into the bottom of the distributor driveshaft.
7. Put the pan on the front crossmember.
8. Reaching between the pan and the block, slip the pump into place.
THIS NEXT PART IS VERY IMPORTANT: If you do not properly mate the pump to the block, it means the driveshaft is not properly seated into the distributor. If it isn't, you will have no oil pressure, but the engine will keep running, and you will destroy the engine.
9. Holding the pump in place from step 8, push the pump up against the block.
10. If it mates flush by hand, it is correctly seated. Do NOT use the bolts to draw it up, as that will make it flex, and possibly break it. If necessary, drop the pump back down and reseat the pump driveshaft.
This is the hardest part, and usually goes rather easy - but failure to follow this step through accurately has the greatest consequences.
11. Reinstall the pan, don't overtorque the bolts.
12. Remove the blocks under the engine, and let it down.
13. Reinstall everything else, including oil and filter, and antifreeze if necessary.

Good luck, and I hope this helps.

 

Are you real sure it's the pan that is leaking? Gravity pulls oil leaks down, Clean up your engine real good and check it out. The #1 leaker in the crowd is the intake manifold, #2 valve cover gaskets, then maybe the oil pan and lastly rear main seal.

I would hate for you to have to go through da pickers list and find out that you were at the wrong track, like Mikey Waltrip said.

John

 

John is emphasizing what I said in my earlier post, and it cannot be repeated enough: Check the rear of the intake manifold.

Clean the backside of the engine above the bellhousing, the backsides of the headsand the upper part of the back of the bellhousing with a strong steamcleaner. Be sure to soak that area well with engine cleaner, to help the water get all the oil off.

This problem is very common with FE engines.

 

I double checked to see what was leaking and yes the pan is leaking, but it doesn't matter now cause the pan is off (i raised the engine yet) and the gasket was no more. However, everything else is leaking as well.

Thanks so much for the info Banjo and everyone else. This website seems to the only place I can to for real in depth answers. Much appreciated.

 

You might as well pull the engine and reseal everything. It's a lot easier to do on the ground. You can go down to the local Rent-It yard and get a cherrypicker pretty cheap.

 

My friend has a cherry picker that he said I could use along with a fancy motor mount that holds up the engine. I guess I'll just overhaul the whole darn thing. Looks like I have a fun new project.

 

might as well,i ran into the same thing with my 302..pulled it to repair leaks,just ended up rebuilding it,and now glad i did,that was back in 2004. it is worth the extra effort,and have peace of mind when it's done! good luck!