Oil pan removal...

[Edmond]

Another member, Bonnell, and I have a question:

Does the engine need to be lifted in order to remove the oil pan. He is going to do it soon and I'm going to do it over the winter.

Is it a pretty straight forward take the bolts off, remove gasket, clean off remnant of old gasket, install new gasket and then new oil pan simple?

 

[WNH]

Another member, Bonnell, and I have a question:

Does the engine need to be lifted in order to remove the oil pan. He is going to do it soon and I'm going to do it over the winter.

Is it a pretty straight forward take the bolts off, remove gasket, clean off remnant of old gasket, install new gasket and then new oil pan simple?

Seems staight forward, why would the engine need to be lifted???

 

[1stiff84]

Hi Edmond

Another member, Bonnell, and I have a question:

Does the engine need to be lifted in order to remove the oil pan. He is going to do it soon and I'm going to do it over the winter.

Is it a pretty straight forward take the bolts off, remove gasket, clean off remnant of old gasket, install new gasket and then new oil pan simple?

Don't know if it's the same setup as in my '84, but the only thing I had to remove was starter.

 

[Edmond]

Seems staight forward, why would the engine need to be lifted???

It was a question posted by another member that I didn't know the answer to. Check the out the oil pan thread in the C4 buy/sell section.

 

[tnovot]

Yes, clean the pan and lower block surface well and the groove in the bottom of the timing chain cover.
Also make sure the rails on the pan and around the bolt holes are not bent or deformed. If so, straighten prior to reinstalling.
Check the bolt hole threads for crud such as pieces of gasket and or gasket compound.
When reinstalling, use a good gasket sealer and put a small dab of BLACK (better oil resistance than red) RTV at the corners where the side cork gaskets meet the front and rear neoprene pieces. Better yet might be to try to get one of those new 1 piece gaskets from Felpro.
Tighten each pan bolt not all at once but in a series of sequences so that the pan is gradually and evenly pulled up against the sealing surface of the block.
Yeh, this is a pretty routine job but still, there are important details to know about. A good shop manual or engine overhaul/building book will help you with these and other basic procedures. Common sense and experience also are helpful.

 

[rrubel]

You've gotta remove the starter (as mentioned) and the oil cooler lines if equipped, and the metal plate that sits in front of the transmission. Then it's straightforward.

May I suggest getting the Felpro blue gasket kit? It comes with a dry-install pan gasket, new gaskets for the oil cooler, and an ingenious installation aid - four long plastic "screws" that you start in the corners that the pan (with gasket) snaps onto. It's then held in place while you do the rest of the bolts; you finish by unscrewing the plastic things and putting the corner bolts in. Simple.

[RICHR]

 

[Bonnell]

Thanks for the help. Edmond, thanks for creating the thread.

Where can I find the Felpro gasket? Is it a common part?

 

[Edmond]

Thanks for the help. Edmond, thanks for creating the thread.

Where can I find the Felpro gasket? Is it a common part?

Call your local auto parts stores and see if they stock it. Oil pan gaskets are pretty common items but I don't know if Felpro is a common brand that they would stock.

Even if they don't stock it; most stores around here are pretty good about ordering stuff and getting it in within a couple of days.

 

[tnovot]

And, I suggest tagging your ignition key, putting a piece of tape over the ignition, or at least setting out several quarts of oil in a conspicuous place to remind you to refill.
It wouldn't be the first time someone started an engine with a dry pan - especially after doing other things like reinstalling starter, reconnecting battery, and interruptions and phone calls, etc which can tend to focus attention away from the initial job. It's even been known to happen to at least one experienced mechanic at a GM dealership.

 

[rrubel]

AutoZone carries the kit with all the gaskets I mentioned.
[RICHR]

 

[1stiff84]

You've gotta remove the starter (as mentioned) and the oil cooler lines if equipped, and the metal plate that sits in front of the transmission. Then it's straightforward.

May I suggest getting the Felpro blue gasket kit? It comes with a dry-install pan gasket, new gaskets for the oil cooler, and an ingenious installation aid - four long plastic "screws" that you start in the corners that the pan (with gasket) snaps onto. It's then held in place while you do the rest of the bolts; you finish by unscrewing the plastic things and putting the corner bolts in. Simple.

[RICHR]

As Rich had mentioned, I also had good success with this gasket on my '84. It is a one-piece blue silicone gasket by FelPro. It was from FelPro's PermaDry Plus line. The last of three gaskets I tried.

 

[motorman]

Another member, Bonnell, and I have a question:

Does the engine need to be lifted in order to remove the oil pan. He is going to do it soon and I'm going to do it over the winter.

Is it a pretty straight forward take the bolts off, remove gasket, clean off remnant of old gasket, install new gasket and then new oil pan simple?

buy a felpro 1 piece gasket and save yourself a lot of greif messing with the 4 piece type

 

[berky2500]

Agreed, the Felpro Blue one-piece gasket from Auto Zone was pretty simple to install, no messing with trying to hold it in place. The plastic screws work great.
The only trouble I had was taking the pan down. one of the connecting rod bolts hit on the edge of the pan at the front. I had to put the starter back in and bump it to move the rod up out of the way. I didn't like doing it, but couldn't figure any other way to get the pan down.

 

[Edmond]

AutoZone carries the kit with all the gaskets I mentioned.
[RICHR]

Bonnell should have no problem finding one of those. AutoZones are almost in every other town around here.

 

[JonM]

Note...if you use the 4 piece gasket...use a little RTV in the corners of the two rubber pieces.

 

[motorman]

Agreed, the Felpro Blue one-piece gasket from Auto Zone was pretty simple to install, no messing with trying to hold it in place. The plastic screws work great.
The only trouble I had was taking the pan down. one of the connecting rod bolts hit on the edge of the pan at the front. I had to put the starter back in and bump it to move the rod up out of the way. I didn't like doing it, but couldn't figure any other way to get the pan down.

set the engine with the TDC mark on the damper at the 6:00 position and the crank and rods will clear the pan

 

[berky2500]

Thanks motorman. A good tip that I've not came across before.

 

[Bonnell]

Thanks for all of the replies.


If I buy the Corvette type of ramps, can I drive the car up and be high enough to change the pan? About how long should it take? Any special tools? I am mechanically inclined but I am not knowledgable about motors. I want to start doing some of my own maintenance though - I hate paying someone else to do something that I can do.

On another note: Can oxygen sensors or MAF cause a car to miss under load? If so, how do you test them?

 

[Edmond]

The most commonly used ramps I've seen here on the forum are Rhino Ramps. You can usually get them at Pep Boys in the $30 range but I got mine on sale for $20 a few years ago. However, I don't know if those are high enough to be able to take the oil pan off.

MAF and O2 sensor failure can cause it to miss under load. Those are monitoring air/fuel ratios. If they're not reading right, they will give incorrect information to the CPU. With normal driving conditions, you may not feel the effects.

Do you have any check engine codes?

The MAF is tested with a special tool. It hooks up and I think you check the resistance.

O2 sensor is cheap enough to replace, it's something that can be done with every tuneup. I think they're in the $20-30 range. Very easy to do. I did mine in 5 minutes last weekend, it's on the driver side exhaust manifold.

 

[Bonnell]

I have not checked the codes. I have no lights (SES) on the information panel. This leads to yet another question: Is there a simple and relatively inexpensive device to read these codes?

I will try the O2 sensor this weekend.

Thanks for everything!