So today I FINALLY got my motor mounts off so i could lift up the engine enough to take out my oil pan so I can finally replace the oil pump.

So I took out the starter, unbolted the fuel pump so i could get more access to passenger side motor mount (wasnt required but did it for ease of mind), and I unbolted the Y-Pipe on the driver's side.

I've got all of the screws out of the oil pan right now, and I just cannot get it to come out. I've got the little metal things on the side of the oil pan off as well, it comes out of the little studs on the 4 corners, but I just dont have enough clearance it seems to push it back and down enough for the bottom portion of the tray to move out so I can get the rest of the pan off.

Do I need to lift my engine up more? Or do I need to disconnect my tranny and driveshaft and move it back about 5 inches so that I can finish this, or what? Heck even if I removed the tranny the torque converter and flexplate would still be in the way, so HMM....

any suggestions are MUCH appreciated!!! :hail: :hail: :hail:

 

The manual suggested rotating the engine so that the rod closest to the front of the was up. This was the only way I could get enough clearance to slide it out. I also had to remove the dist. to get the nose tipped up enough.

 

okay thanks. I dont know how i'm going to tip the engine though. I really didnt want to have to take out the distributor (considering I've never done it before ) but I think i'll bite the bullet. My goal is to get this FINISHED by next week. I was hoping to get it ready for me to bring it to a shop to get pickup brazed the the pump so i could reinstall everything on my next day off.

Thanks for the advice

 

Don't need to remove the entire distributor, just the cap. And as mentioned above, rotate the engine (by hand) to get the rods/counter weights to clear the front of the pan.

 

You don't physically tip the motor

Just rotate the crank until the journals all sit perfect, then slide the pan out the back. Shouldn't have to touch the trans at all.

 

haha okay, so i can probably turn the engine by hand via the tensioner then? would anyone happen to know which piston needs to be at TDC in order for me to clear? or do I just have to keep turning it as I push the oil pan back?

 

well i got under the car today and tried with all my might to move the tensioner (the pulley that is attached to the crank incase I'm calling it the wrong name), but the thing just wont budge. Do I have to disconnect the accessory belts from it, or what?

 

I used a 5/8" deep socket with a short extension on a 1/2" drive to rotate the engine. I don't believe your engine has an automatic tensioner, but the bolt you're trying to turn holds the hramonic balancer in place. I used two short 2x4's between the engine and the motor mounts to keep the clearance underneath. Not my idea, came from haynes manual, but it worked for me.

 

sweet, thanks man! I went out and bought a deep socket 5/8" 1/2" drive yesterday to remove my y-pipe bolts, hope it's the same size and all You saved the day :hail:

 

blah! this oil pan just does NOT want to come out! I've tried it with #1 piston all the way up, still doesnt want to budge, seemed like something on the back end was holding from letting me be able to slide it over and out, so I assumed it was piston #6 or 7, tried turning it over a lil more and then #1 was in the way again, and it still wouldnt turn over to the side, bah!

I noticed while I was taking pictures of this that the oil dipstick is right there (didnt even think anything about it before lol), do I need to remove that also somehow?

Frankly I am fed up with this. If I cannot get this thing out TONIGHT by 12AM I am going to start pulling back the tranny and taking off the flexplate and torque converter so I can just slide this out, I am soooo angry at this!

It's insane that I have spent at least 15 - 20 hours working on removing an OIL PAN of all things! That's like spending 5 hours doing the spark plugs, it is just silly!

Any one have any suggestions, comments, concerns, whatever please state them now before I go about messing with the tranny and such....

I'll post pictures of the little oil pan that could... whenever i find a spot to host them at.

 

Do you have the tranny shroud off?

 

yeppers, had to take it off to get to the rear two bolts on oil pan.

I have pictures of what it looks like right now. Basically I am thinking I can just cut my Y-Pipe somewhere so it'll drop out, then i shouldnt have a problem at all getting the oil pan off... then later I can bring the car to the exhaust shop and have them weld the Y-pipe back up.

Wish I had a sawz-all or something... the wood saws I have dont do much at all, and they do it in a hurry.

Really hoping I dont have to buy more tools for this, I've already spent atleast 50 dollars on tools for this project alone... plus atleast 40 to have my pickup brazed to the pump, then the y-pipe welded back in.... plus the 50 for the pump and parts, then another 20 for the oil and oil filter.... starting to get expensive, and I was hoping to order my hooker cat-back this paycheck.... haha guess the car doesnt want a throaty growl.

Anyways still hoping for ideas or suggestions

 

step by step checklist
-remove air cleaner
-remove dist. cap
-remove top half fan shroud
-raise vehicle and support
-disconnect exhaust crossover and remove
-remove converter shroud/flywheel cover
-remove starter
-turn engine until timing mark is down, at the 6 o'clock position
-remove engine mount throughbolts
-raise engine until wood blocks can be placed between engine cradle and engine block (2x4's or one reference says 3")
-lower engine onto blocks
-remove oil pan bolts and studs

That should about uncover it.

 

Sorry I was late on the checklist.

 

that's a great checklist and wish i had it when i started doing this heh.

I skipped through the fan shroud part because my deep socket and 1/2 drive ratchet made perfect clearance to move the crank.

I'm currently stuck at "disconnect exhaust crossover and remove"

I've done everything else.

I've got the Y-Pipe unbolted from the manifolds, and the only way i can see getting the Y-pipe completely off is to saw at it... is there any place in particular I should be sawing at ? Right where the Y-pipe meets the cat? or up a little ways where it's easier to cut for me?

I'm assuming any exhaust shop wouldnt have a problem with me slipping them a 20 and asking them to weld up the y-pipe back together.

 

In addition to removing the distributor cap and rotor button, I unhooked and removed my oil pressure sending unit. It was too close for comfort to the firewall. I also removed my distributor so I could get the engine way up in the air. The higher the better.

 

I broke the copper pipe to the oil unit and shaved part of the dist. connector off, using the firewall. It was a lesson in being two places at once.

ps I was able to drop the y-pipe straight down once I jacked both ends of the car up high enough to slide the pipe out the side. I unbolted at the cat and propped the rest of the exhaust up.

 

mine is welded in at the cat well, I took a hacksaw to it, and ruined my dad's blade on that thing, and didnt quite get it completely off, but it's definetly bendable now haha.

Anyways, I got the y-pipe dang near completely off and decided to give it a try, bent the pipe down as far as i could, couldnt get it off, jacked up the engine as far as i could (with the wood pieces below it still incase the jack suddenly failed), and GOT IT OFF!!!

Woohoo!!

Now I can finally get around to changing out the oil pump ( a 3 week ordeal already, sheesh!)

Now I have a big headache to deal with after I get my new oil pump brazed and put in.... i took a lot of things apart to get where I am now LOL.

Quick Q: Since I was moving my crank manually, will that screw up my timing?

 

Not as long as you left the distributor in. If you pulled it like you were talking about earlier, then you will have to bring the engine back to cyl 1 TDC compression, drop dissy back in and reset timing.