Hi...

I was changing my oil today and got a bright idea to pull the oil pan and change the gasket. The gasket came off (ok...crumbled) and now I can't remove the oil pan. It's hung up on something inside (at least that is my best bet)

Any ideas? I'd like to avoid jacking up the engine if possible...just didn't know if there was a trick, or if the crank shaft might be low and I could turn the crank to give myself enough room!

Thanks in advance!

Brett,

You are hitting up against the crank. I don't think you have an option but to lift the engine as the cross member is to close to do anything else. I am pretty sure you have enough room to just lift the engine off the mounts, I don't think you need to semi remove it. Maybe others have more info.

While you have the access, check the oil pump pick up. The screen could be loaded with crud.

I think John Draxler had some hints a few posts ago (or maybe it was the news letter) about installing the pan. I think most of the hints revolved around the front and rear seals. You might want to find that or call John.

Good luck, V.

No need to panic, and most certainly don't lift the engine
Its is a pain in the ass but is well manageable. I just finished doing mine today
You need to do the following.
- Loosen all bolts holding the oil pan in place.
- Remove the main coil wire to the distributor
- Take a good look at the gap between the pan and the block, close to the transmition side, you will see the bottom of the cranks, That is what is blocking the pan.
- Very slowly jerk the starter, will move the engine jus a bit at time. You need to have the cranks pull inside the block, this will clear the path.
- You still need to remove the Oil pump before being able to remove the pan!!
- To do this, you will need to remove two bolts holding the oil pump in place, they are in front on the driver side.
- You must remove the oil dipstick
- After removing the bolts, the pump will become lose, you have to remove the drive shaft of the pump from the block, if you wiggle the pump, it will drop in the pan. It is ¼ inch hex about 12 inch long.
- You can now remove the oil pan.
- The pain is to put it back!!
- You must do all in reverse, most difficult part is to place the drive shaft in the correct place in the engine and in the pump. Take a good look inside the block, between the timing chain and the first crank, you will see the hex bushing where the shaft sits .
- Clean the pan and the block where the gasket is to seat.
- Apply a bit of silicon to the block, place the gasket on the pan and "without the pump" place the pan on the block and tighten all screws, this will help the gasket stay in place while you are trying to put the pump and the pan in place
- Hints, place a small piece of paper towel on the drive shaft and push it in the hex busing, this will keep it in place while you are trying to place the other end in the pump.
- Give it ten minutes, remove the pan, be careful not to remove the gasket.
- Important----Prime your oil pump, you will otherwise have hard time getting the oil to flow. To do this, Fill the oil pump with fresh oil, fill it from the screen side,
- Fill about one quart of oil in the pan, place the oil pump in the pan, place the drive shaft in the oils pump, get a power drill and hook it to the drive shaft and give it few turns until you see it start pumping the oil from the top hole on the pump.
- Place a small piece of paper towel on the tip of the drive shaft and place it in the busing (inside the engine) this will help it stay in place.
- Place the oil pan in position, stick your hands from the sides and get the drive shaft to sit in the hex busing in the oil pump. Position the pump near the bolt holes and insert the bolts. Tighten and you are done with the hard part.
- Inspect the drive shaft is working properly by adding another quart to the pan , remove the oil filter (which you have done by now to make room). Get some one jerk the starter while you have a flashlight on the drive shaft of the oil pump. You should see oil forced out of the filter location after short cranking.
- Stop as soon as you see the oils so you wont suck air into the pump.
- Place the oil pan in position and there you go.

Well,

I had a buddy come over and we jacked up the engine after all. It made it easy to get it out...and to get it all cleaned up.

Thanks for the advice! I'm hoping that it'll be a better seal....

--B

I just did mine. I used the jacking method outlined in the '61 shop manual. Use a block of wood under the pan while it is bolted to block. Remove the bottom nuts from the motor mounts. Use a floor jack to lift the engine and put some pieces of 2X4 between the mounts and the frame. Remove the jack and then the pan. Very easy to do.