This may be a dum question. I need to change the oil pan gasket on my 1991 z28 305. Is this a challenging job? Is there anything complicated bedside just removing the oil pan bolts?
Thanks in advance.

 

I wouldn't say a dumb question - with cars you've gotta start somewhere. An oil pan gasket is pretty straightforward though. Obviously drain the oil first and make sure the gasket surface is clean.

 

Some people might tell you that you'll have to pull the engine, but I did mine in car on my 89 Camaro 305. Buy the one piece style oil pan gasket, it is AMAZING.

I had to drain the oil, drop the y-pipe from the exhaust, I forget now if I pulled the starter or not, but I think I did (only 2 bolts) and the oil filter. Pull the bolts out of the engine mounts, raise the engine up and slide the oil pan backwards out of the car. You may have to rotate the crank to get the oil pan past the counterweights, but I did not on mine.

 

be prepared for some amount of pain and expect to spend the best part of a day.

before lifting the motor be sure to remove your disturber cap and rotor.

starter will have to be removed to get to the pan bolts on that side.

engine hoist is the safest way to lift the motor up.

if it's not clean under there now hit it with some degreaser and the spray wand at the car wash before starting. you're going to get gunked with enough oil dripping down already, no need to add to that.

 

I changed mine several months ago. You'll need an engine hoist to lift the engine as high and forward as you can get it. By the time you're done, you'll wonder why you didn't go ahead and just pull the engine. I didn't need to remove the hood, but you may need to. By the time mine was up as high and forward that it needed to be, the bottom of the damper (harmonic balancer) was just touching the metal piece that the hood latch is mounted into.

Drain the oil.
Pull the dizzy.
Remove engine mount bolts.
Remove starter. Or you can just let it hang. You'll need to do this to get to several oil pan bolts. If you let it hang, be careful when hoisting the engine so the starter doesn't get "pinched" in-between anything.
(Mine is carbed, and I had to disconnect all linkage. You may need to do that with throttle body.)
Remove radiator fan(s) and radiator. Mine only has one fan. I don't know if there is one or two fans on your setup.
Disconnect Y-pipe for exhaust.
I didn't need to disconnect the fuel lines to my fuel pump. The last 18" from the steel tubing to the pump is rubber hose. (It's a mechanical pump.) I don't know about the fuel line that runs to TPI engines or whether you'll need to disconnect it or not.
Disconnect transmission mount.
Disconnect transmission linkage.
Easier to just remove the driveshaft. Mine eventually came out while getting the engine up. Ensure that you have a bucket or a large pot to catch the transmission fluid that comes out of the rear seal area. Expect to lose about a quart ... maybe a quart and a half of fluid. Of course, you'll want to add this amount back to the transmission once you're done. Use fresh fluid to add back to the transmission unless you have a super clean pot or pan to catch the fluid.
Be prepared for the torque arm to slide out of the torque arm mount at the tail end of the transmission when you get the engine up in the air. Probably won't happen until you get it up really high. You'll need to loosen the bolt and nut on the mount to remove the mount when you put it back together. Take a look at how this is installed before you do anything. Remember how it goes back together before you get started. You'll probably need an extra hand to slip the nut on the bolt while the torque arm is held in place.
When you drop the pan, you'll probably need to flip it on one side and turn it 90 degrees one way or the other. Yes, there will probably be a little wrestling getting it out. Mine actually came out through the front of the engine ... between the center link and the sway bar. I found this out the hard way. I kept trying to drop it from the rear of the engine, and it would never come out.
Get the Fel-Pro one-piece gasket. You won't be sorry you did. Follow all instructions. You'll want to ensure that the tabs on the gasket ... the portion of the gasket that fits around the rear main bearing ... fit snugly into the slots. Again, read the instructions.
Ensure that the gasket surface is clean.

Sorry if all this sounds like a real bummer, but this is what you can expect. Not going to lie to you ... it's a job.

 

Sorry you had such a hard time, but you took it out at the wrong end of the engine, that's why you had so much trouble. It comes out the back, sure it's tight, but it comes out just fine. In fact, that's the same way GM tells a dealer to take it out.

 

Lol ... That was the only thing that held me up, and that was only for a few minutes. Personally, I could care less which end it came out as long as it came out. The front worked just fine for me.

 

I got an engine hoist for the oil pan gasket job, but I've never used one. What is the best way to attach it? Since I'm only raising the engine a few inches, I'd rather not take off the alternator bracket or other stuff.