Still messing with the oil pan - few questions

[Jacob07]

I've ran into several problems with this project but I finally made progress and have the pan lowered. Can't seem to get it off though, I think its just getting stuck on the pickup. I got one bolt off the pickup but I can't figure out how you get to the other. I'm wondering if they are the right bolts because stinger's page mentions 8 and 14mm bolts - the one I took off was 10mm. I tried jacking the engine up on the crank pulley. The engine raises a little but the car rises off the jack stands

I took the 2? motor mount nuts off but the mount doesn't seperate from the frame.

Help?

What is the point of disconnecting the steering shaft? (I didn't)

Also isn't the stock gasket supposed to be cork?

I've included two pics

View of oil pan from below:
http://img447.imageshack.us/img447/4912/12vs.jpg

View of motor mount from top:
http://img447.imageshack.us/img447/6413/27in.jpg

Thanks

 

[mightypoof]

I could never get the pan off with the motor in the car.... It seems like it take longer to mess around with it than to just pull the motor....

 

[16vstang]

Ive done it a few times and all it takes it some finess. What ya do is remove the the bolts in the motor mount that have a pointy end sticking out and lay horizontaly, then jack up on the crank pully with a pice of wood on the jack, and make sure you take off the belt first. Jack the motor up till the head hits the firewall. Then you undo the two bolts that hold the oil pickup tube and drop that into the pan. then the pan should slide right out then reverse the proses to get her back on. The hard part about getting her back on though is you have to put the oil pickup back on wile the pan is under it. The other option is get intake and head gaskets and pull the head off and you can jack it up alot farther, and if you had a couple people you could yank the whole thing out hand. well anyways ill stop blabering, good luck with your car

 

[Dr_EluSivE]

you pulled the wrong bolts on the motor mounts, you need to pull the one that goes from front to back. its just a single bolt. If you undo that one you should be able to jack the engine much higher. you may need to drop the transmission crossmember too. what what i hear removeing the oil pan with then engine in the car is more work then just pulling the motor. If you drop the trans crossmember, and remove the 2 motor mount bolts (one on each side) The engine should pull right out after unplugging everything.

Dr.

 

[Jacob07]

Thanks! Ready to get this car going again - The detachment is getting to me

 

[Jacob07]

The fact this post was dated two weeks ago depresses me...

I still do not have the thing running.

I somehow managed to get the pan off but I cannot get it back on. My idea is to take the steering gear off but the bolts are tourqed really tight. I had someone come over to look and he was worried it wouldn't go back on because the bolts are old, tight, and rusted.

At this point I think I should take a propane torch to the bolt and go with the steering gear idea.

He thinks we should jack the transmission in respect to the engine and see if we can get it to clear.

What all has to come off to get the transmission to lift and how far can it go?

Ideas?

 

[16vstang]

You do have to take the stearing rack off and all you need is a realy long pipe you shouldnt brake anything but a socket, or a wratchet. If you do heat the rack bolts youll need new steering rack bushings (good Idea to get some polly ones on there anyways) that should give you just enough to get the sucker back on. and as far as jacking the tranny you realy dont need to just jack the engine up till it hits the firewall. good luck,
Nick

 

[Bogus SVO]

dude you would be time ahead just to pull the engine out.....youll spend more time to R&R the rack than it would take to just pull the engine

also I would almost bet money you'll have a oilpan leak from slipping gasket tring to put the pan back in place

Basicly quit wasting time and just pull the engine, if its a 5 speed itll be even quicker, just unbolt it at the tranny to bell and lift it out.

dont have a engine hoist? or a bud with one? Find a branch about 4 inches around loop a chain ther and get a come along.

you should be able to pull the engine swap the pum/pan and have it back in,in a day, and wire and hose it up the next

 

[Jacob07]

Well Bogus I think you got me there. I got the pan back on without taking the steering rack off. Put everything back together... engine started fine, oil pressure good. I thought I had it despite what you said about the gasket.

I didn't run it for long and there appears to be a puddle of oil under the engine. I didn't have time to check it out but it looks like its toward the back.

amnit:

I'm going to check it out tonight and if torquing the bolts a bit more doesn't help I'm just going to get it to a shop and let them do it.

I torqued the bolts to 14 or 15 ft/lbs. The manual said 14-21 so maybe its just not tight enough.

 

[mr_woodster]

What year is the car? Did you put the right gasket on? Also, the leak could be your rear main seal , not the oil pan gasket

 

[Jacob07]

Thanks for the reply.

Its an '88 - I bought the gasket from partsamerica.com and their system said it was the right gasket so I don't think that is the problem. Felpro: OS34211R

Also, the gasket seems to fit fine.

What does it take to replace the rear main seal in this engine? I actually have the seal but after buying it someone told me it was more work than I would want to get involved in.

Either way if tightening the bolts doesn't help I'm going to get some repair quotes. I would rather roll the car to a cliff with myself in it than pull that back apart.

 

[16vstang]

Ya doing the rear main involves pulling the mortor and yanking off the clutch and flywheel....so if the pan was almost to much for ya then that sure will be

 

[Jacob07]

Hah

A small amount of oil didn't make it in the hole and traveled along the valve cover to the back of the engine - dripping to the floor.

The rear main seal is still leaking but it leaked from there before and I'm not going to worry about it. Its not a bad leak.