Dropping pan with engine in car?

by sportster_restorer Sun Aug 20, 2017 7:08 pm

I'm pretty certain I've got an oil leak from a crack in the pan in my 74 Laguna 350. I'd like to just replace the pan as replacements are pretty inexpensive. Has anyone ever been able to replace the pan without completely removing the engine? Everything on mine is pretty stock.

One of the previous owners must have run over something. Although the crossmember looks in good shape, you can tell he hit the pan with something.

by pila Sun Aug 20, 2017 10:26 pm

You can get the pan out & back in if you jack the engine up. In order to do that, you need to get the exhaust unhooked, to keep from bending/breaking pipes. Remove distributor cap, which will contact the fire wall when the engine is raised. Radiator hoses removed, & maybe shift linkage at the column. When you start raising the engine, you will find items that need to be removed etc, that I forgot about !. Very Happy

by Joe73 Mon Aug 21, 2017 6:47 am

I've done it several times. All good info from Pila. Also, put the timing mark on the harmonic balancer at 6 o'clock. That puts the counterweights of the crank up inside the engine and not hanging down. Gives more room to drop the pan. I've also found that the thickness of a common red brick is the right amount to support the engine. Back in the day I've always used a brick. But now I'd find a piece of wood the thickness of a brick (which if I remember correctly is 2 3/4" thick) and the width of the ENGINE SIDE of the motor mount. That way when you remove the motor mount through bolt, jack up the engine a bit and slide this block down. The block will lay on the crossmember and it will slide down to the motor mount bolts. When you lower the engine the top lip of the engine side of mount will lay on the block supporting it. And you good to go.
Everytime I did this I just jacked up the engine with a floor jack under the harmonic balancer. I havent had a problem with it but it might be better to use a winch or engine hoist just in case.

by pila Mon Aug 21, 2017 8:57 pm

Yup ! I forgot about the crank needing to be turned ! Very Happy

Told ya I would forget some of it !

by McCauley5983 Tue Aug 22, 2017 5:45 pm

If you get the Haynes manual it outlines the process very well pop dist cap pull the two motor mount bolts bring number 8 tdc and Jack the motor up high enough to pull the pan out the bottom towards the back

by pila Tue Aug 22, 2017 8:54 pm

I'm actually surprised that a Haynes manual had that info in it. I know that those manuals are great for starting a bonfire when the pages are torn out etc...

by McCauley5983 Tue Aug 22, 2017 11:40 pm

Ya thankfully gm put a small block in everything and it's pretty hard for even Haynes to screw that up just don't ask how to remove ball joints all they tell you is take it to a shop

by Tom77 Wed Aug 23, 2017 12:15 pm

This process works like a charm I used this to do a rear main while the engine was still in the car.

by 77cruiser Sat Aug 26, 2017 10:29 pm

By the time you go through all that it's just as easy to pull it IMO.

by pila Sun Aug 27, 2017 11:09 pm

Of course you don't have to remove the hood to do it this way !!
With me, things tend to snow-ball when I pull an engine, like.....I gotta clean & paint it...replace all those hoses etc...clean & paint engine compartment.......so it get me into a lot more "unscheduled" work !! Very Happy

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Dropping pan with engine in car?

Dropping pan with engine in car?

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