I need to remove oil pan to check bearings. I am gonna flush and replace the brake fluid in the entire system. I was wondering can you remove the crossmember or lower it. I have an engine hoist? Thanx

 

It could be done...

Support the car frame on jack stands, support the engine from above, disonnect the brake lines and steering linkage, disconnect the ball joints from the spindles, take the springs out, put a floor jack (or a couple of them if possible) under the K-member, unbolt it and lower it.

Seems to me like it would be alot less work to pull the motor.

 

Yes, but you might not like it when I'm finished. It would take far less space, equipment, and time to simply remove the engine and support the trransmission as RB suggests.

 

yeah it does sounds easier to just pull the engine..

 

Why do you have to do all that stuff to take out the crossmember? What does the crossmember do anyway? I thought it just held up the trans.

 

Nah.. he's talking about the one right under the oil pan

 

The crossmember under the oil pan ia a part of the subframe structure. It is welded. You can remove the oil pan by jacking up the motor. remove the distributor, motor mount throu bolts, fan trans mount etc.
Jack up the motor off the motor mounts and put wood blocks in to hold it up. then remove the oil pan from the bottom.
You may have to drop the trans cross member and lower the back of the trans too. Much easier if you can use a car hoist and trans jack.

 

It isnt Welded... It is held in By 4 Large Bolts.

It is also called a K-Member.

 

It may appear from the bottom to unbolt, but it does not.
The 4 large bolts only attach the lower suspension control arms to the frame/ crossmember.
Only fwd cars and 4th gen f body cars have a removeable K member. Not 3rd gen F body cars.

The secret to removeing the oil pan with the motor in the car is to jack up the motor off the motor mounts, remove the exhaust cross over, starter, distributor cap, fan and then turn the crank shaft so that the timing mark on the balancer points straight down to the ground. Then you can sneek the oil pan off and back on again quite easily. This is the same on all GM V8 rear wheel drive cars.

 

It definitely is bolted in! But by 6 bolts-not 4. One on each side of the spring pocket (long ones) and one at the rear by the LCA rear bracket. You can just see one of the bolts (chromed) in this picture. Heck of a lot of work to remove it!! Believe me I know!!

Andy.

 

Differant 4 Large Bolts.

There are 4 Large Vetical Bolts which attach the K member to the Subframe.

Fore and aft of the Upper Spring Cup.

 

Thank You Andy.

6 Bolts you Say ? Where are the other Two?

EDIT: Nm I remember. Yeah, 6.

Point is it Still Bolts in/out.

 

Guess your right....

But you still don't drop the crossmember to remove the oil pan.

Jack the motor up....

 

Further conclusive proof!! And you would be surprised to know that it can be picked up very easily by one hand. Surprisingly light.

Andy.

 

All agreed then-don't drop it!!

 

Its okay F-bird, Im just getting you used to the feeling for when the Dyno #'s come back on your heads

hahaha


Seriously, Don't remove the K-member to change the oil Pan. You will be better off Pulling the engine.

 

Ha Ha Ha and I'm going to get ya a nice pic of some daylight under my front wheels and a strong 12 sec time slip....