Is there enough room to raise the engine and pull the oil pan, or does the engine have to come out? This is on a Firebird with a 305 w/TPI.

 

Not on my car, we just jacked up the engine and the oil pan came right out.

Dont pull the whole engine take the short cut.

Hack at it.

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89 Formula Firebird
Red with T-tops
5.0 305 FI
Soon to be a 400sb.

 

Cool, Thanks! Did you have to remove anything other than the motor mount bolts?

 

I'd suggest pulling the distributor so you dont smash it against the firewall.

 

Would just pulling the distributor cap cut it, or does the whole distributer really need to come out? When I pulled the engine out of my Z28, I just pulled the cap. The distributor never came close to hitting anything. Thanks again for all the help guys!

 

Im having a problem with my friends car leaking oil at the rear main seal. Ive dropped the oil pan several times & the best method is to either drop the trans or remove the motor. The reason is, you are going to get all the oil pan bolts out, but the now loose oil pan is going to hit the oil pump pick up tube! To clear it the motor has to be jacked up on the left side really high. Thats not possible with the trans in the car because the trans is going to hit the trans tunnel before u get the necessary clearance.
njdaewoo

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86 Tramaro 90% Trans Am/ 10% IROC/Z (nose, hood,& fenders)
Trans Am Mods as of 1/10/01
3inch
T.E.S/Flowmaster setup,gutted cat,gutted maf,relocated mat,373 gears,upgraded factory chip,255 lph walpro f/pump & throttle body coolant bypass
njdaewoo@excite.com
New mods as of 6/10/01:
383sb engine
Comp Cam Xteme XR264hr-12
smog pump by-pass

 

Ive done it on 4 different cars without getting the trans anywhere near hitting. Something unusual about the car you are working on nj.

Just taking the cap off might work. Keep an eye on it and make sure it doesnt hit the firewall.

 

Hi Shannon,
When'd you get the firebird? Do you still have the Z?
My advice would be pull out the entire distributor, it's not worth the risk. I tried leaving it in when I pulled the engine out of my formula, and "Uh-oh! The ignition module's gonna--*crunch*" Too late. And 50 bux for a new module. I have yet to find out if I bent the shaft too.

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91 Z28
Come see The Vicious...

 

Where do you guys place the jack when jacking up the engine to get the oil pan out...?
I am going to replace the gasket as well, and I should be set for the clearance as I have the engine stripped down to the block only (no heads/intake/accessories) and the trans. I've been trying to find out how to jack it up, but the only ideas I have found is to jack on the balancer - which I am VERY reluctant about!!!

Any help appreciated!

thanks,


Ken

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1986 IROC-Z Conv't
17x9.5 TT II's w/ 275/40x17's, BMR stb, Lakewood APR, Jamex 1.5" Lowering Springs
ChevyKen's Cars

Administrator @ ChevyWorld.net

 

It also helps to rotate the engine to 180* out of TDC (I think) This moves the counter balance to the to of the rotation freeing up valuable clearance at the front of the engine.

 

Ken: Undo the motor mounts, jack it up from the oil pan, put blocks in under the motor mounts (and maybe on a hoist to be safe), lower it down again to get at the oil pan.

And I second what camaroguy99 said about rotating the engine. That front part of the crank gets in the way, your life will be a lot easier if you do this.

 

Hey, ViciousZ. Long time no see. I still have the Z28, the Firebird is my cousin's.

Well, guys, the engine has a pretty bad knock, so I think I might just go ahead and pull the engine completely out. My grandpa was trying to talk me into pulling the oil pan and checking out the bottom end before I go and pull the engine in case it could be something as easy as replacing the bearings.

 

Thats what I ended up doing with my car. I had a bad knock and my engine, didnt even run but for more than 20 seconds. I did look in the oil pan and did not find to much. Luckly I found a wrecked 89 Camaro. A pully was just bent that I took off from the original motor. Swaped engines and the cars running now with no problems at all.

> $500.00 for that camaro saved me some time and cash.

------------------
89 Formula Firebird
Red with T-tops
5.0 305 FI
Soon to be a 400sb.

 

I did it on my car to replace the leaky gasket and it was not easy. I had to jack the motor up until the tranny was touching the top of the tranny tunnel, and squeeze the oil pan out. Although 400s have a long stroke which makes it even harder for the thing to clear the crank...

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1983 Firebird
TH700R4 Auto
Small Block 400
LG4 ECM, Intake, Carb, Distributor, etc.
Soon to be non-computer.
Clarion Head Unit 45X4
2 Pioneer 400W 12" Subs
Third Gen Performance
"A four cylinder is half an engine."
"Ponies can run, but birds can fly..."

 

When I jacked the motor up. I removed the oil filter, & wrapped a cloth around the top of a 20 inch piece of 2x4 wood. I placed the cloth wrapped part of the wood under the outer housing of the oil filter caseing (Do not jack up on the part that the filter spins on!) With the trans out the way I had to remove the left motor mount bolt. You simply put a floor jack under the 20 inch piece of wood and jack away! The motor will rise nice & high for the clearance u need.(P.S..... Make sure the hood is opened & Nothing is going to hang up & bind while you're jacking. Cowls, breater lids, fuel line stretching ETC....