Oil Pan Removal

[xjrev10]

Anyone got any good tricks to remove an oil pan that has been stuck to the bottom of my engine for over 20 years besides using a BFH? Or is that the only way?

[Automan2164]

Get a big prybar between the engine and the pan, and give it hell. BFH works great too. Additionally, some members have had great luck with the "gasket remover" and just spraying it on the outside egdes and letting it sit, will make the pan just fall off.

 

Rob L.

[UNL1MTD]

I just had this problem. I had to hit it a lot, but really what did the trick was getting a screwdriver between the pan and block to get some downward force while hitting it hard with a 3lb sledge. I started with putty knives, but they bent so much that they had little affect on the pan. I wasn't able to reuse the pan, but probably could have if I wanted to beat the lip flat again and take out any dents I put in the sides.

 

I tried the gasket remover and it honestly made a difference in my case for the front of the pan, it helped to the point I could get the screw driver in there. Caution, wear goggles and gloves when spraying that stuff.

[xjrev10]

Thanks guys. Ill try the gasket remover trick. If that does not work, I'm not scared to destroy the pan i guess.

 

Another quick related question: You can leave the starter on the engine and just remove the exhaust to free the oil pan, correct?

[Automan2164]

Its easier to remove the starter, its only a few bolts, and it gives you that much more room to work with. I don't think I had to remove the exhaust. You will however, need to drop the axle down if its on a 4x4 at stock height.

 

Rob L.

[vhenem]

I just did this, took a fair bit of prying with multiple screwdrivers to get the damn thing to pop off, biggest hassle was getting the axle down low enough to let the pan clear the tranny, I ended up popping the pitman arm off and that finally gave me enough room. Exhaust was not in the way but the starter definately was.

 

Gasket remover was a big help in cleaning up the bottom of the block, 22 year old gasket is not fun :eek:

[WBKrazy]

i did mine last week, luckily the engine was on a stand tho... i did the screwdriver and hammer thing and straightened the lip back out after we got it off the motor

[fiatslug87]

I used a rubber mallet, hit the lowest part of the pan on both sides, came off rather easily.

[HOrnbrod]

I used a rubber mallet, hit the lowest part of the pan on both sides, came off rather easily.

 

Yep, worked fine for me too Fiat. Unfortunately for the brethren up North it don't. :???:

[jimoshel]

Remove drain plug, Fill pan with explosive mixture, Propane, Butane, Helium Hydrogen, etc, Screw spark into drain hole. Stand back. Fire spark plug.

[UNL1MTD]

Remove drain plug, Fill pan with explosive mixture, Propane, Butane, Helium Hydrogen, etc, Screw spark into drain hole. Stand back. Fire spark plug.

 

 

:rotf:

 

That may have been easier.

[xjrev10]

This pan is on my 88 L6 2wd MJ. The pan will clear the front "axle" on a 2wd?

[vhenem]

This pan is on my 88 L6 2wd MJ. The pan will clear the front "axle" on a 2wd?

 

 

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that you should have no issues getting the pan out since it is 2wd. My issues were the pumpkin getting in the way. I should have done mine before or during my 4WD swap, but I was limited on shop time

[Geonovast]

Remove drain plug, Fill pan with explosive mixture, Propane, Butane, Helium Hydrogen, etc, Screw spark into drain hole. Stand back. Fire spark plug.

 

I'm assuming you've done this?

[UNL1MTD]

This pan is on my 88 L6 2wd MJ. The pan will clear the front "axle" on a 2wd?

 

 

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that you should have no issues getting the pan out since it is 2wd. My issues were the pumpkin getting in the way. I should have done mine before or during my 4WD swap, but I was limited on shop time

 

I have a 2wd and drooping the front axle made it a lot easier. Also removing the steering and trackbar made it a breeze. I know it sounds like a lot, but I just unbolted the Drag link from the pitman arm and track bar from the axle, it really made it a breeze after that.

[metrictonner]

A slick tool for this is a long shafted paint/wallpaper scraper. Add a mason sledge. The problem is that after you do it once you will never need this stuff again. Amazing how denatured alchohol or acetone will remove the leavings but cannot be used to dissolve the mastic in place.

 

For you 4WDers. Take a long 2x2, file off the edges on one end to round it a little, and the aforetomentioned sledge and put the tinyests of imprints on the front axle side of the pan sump at the outside edges up near the collector part of the pan, it doesn't take much of a dent, jack up the front end by the frame to suspend the front axle and the pan will slide out right around the axle. Do this bending while the pan is still bolted to the block of course. Watch you face when the pan slides out.

[xjrev10]

I'm going to give it another go this weekend. I want to drive my truck again!! Thanks fellas :cheers:

[xjrev10]

What should i use to clean the oil pan after i get the darn thing off? I bought carb clean but not sure if I should use it.

 

Cleaning the inside of the oil pan..

[terrawombat]

What should i use to clean the oil pan after i get the darn thing off? I bought carb clean but not sure if I should use it.

 

Cleaning the inside of the oil pan..

 

I've had good luck with the 'gasket remover' spray you can get at most auto parts stores. On really old gaskets, it will soften them up enough where you can use a gasket scraper to get a layer of gasket off. I then will apply another coating of gasket remover and repeat the process.

 

I've also used the paint stripper spray can that's call 'aircraft stripper' when I ran out of the other stuff. I think it's basically the same stuff.

[xjrev10]

What should i use to clean the oil pan after i get the darn thing off? I bought carb clean but not sure if I should use it.

 

Cleaning the inside of the oil pan..

 

I've had good luck with the 'gasket remover' spray you can get at most auto parts stores. On really old gaskets, it will soften them up enough where you can use a gasket scraper to get a layer of gasket off. I then will apply another coating of gasket remover and repeat the process.

 

I've also used the paint stripper spray can that's call 'aircraft stripper' when I ran out of the other stuff. I think it's basically the same stuff.

 

Okay thanks for the info on that. I was more interested in chemical or whatever to clean the sludge out of the oil pan.

[JeffK]

An oven cleaner like Easy Off etc.

[SW86]

what i did to my valve cover and sure ill do to my oil pan was denatured alcohol and steel wool. worked awsome. didnt scratch anything up either.

[xjrev10]

okay i will try those things for the inside. just for starters i used engine bright on the outside of the pan for now.

 

I got the new rear main in today and spent at least an hour pretty much grinding the old oil pan gasket off the pan with my dremel. Same crap on the engine. I tried the dremel but i don't really want to screw up my oil pan mating surface on the engine. I tried used some gasket remover and it did absolutly nothing to the what looks like cardboard, gasket. Anybody know of some grinding tool that will no hurt the engine block, but will take the gasket material off? Buddy of mine has this said tool for a drill and it works great. Used it on aluminum snowmobile engines this winter and it removed no alumium, just gasket. He cannot remember what it is called.

[SW86]

i did gasket remover today and it worked great. i let it sit and i had the same cardboard looking gasket on there too. i used a razor blade on the pan and a scrapper on the block. it was a pain but did it. i thought about the dremel too but figured there would be too much grindage. be careful with that thing.

[xjrev10]

i did gasket remover today and it worked great. i let it sit and i had the same cardboard looking gasket on there too. i used a razor blade on the pan and a scrapper on the block. it was a pain but did it. i thought about the dremel too but figured there would be too much grindage. be careful with that thing.

 

The dremel worked great on the pan. not so on the engine. The gasket remover i got was a white substance in a can with a little brush attached. I followed the directions to a "T" and still did nothing to loosen the gasket up. My next step is attacking it with a razor blade. Hard to work on your jeep when its located 40 miles from where you live :wall: Thats why this is so drawn out.