oil pan gasket

[stockman1]

I do not own a shop manual, what is the easiest way to change the oil pan gasket on my 86 SVO?

[Meotchh]

Have the engine out on an engine stand. Otherwise it can be very messy & a real pain.

[brsvo]

The easiest way is to pay someone to do it!!

[Under Pressure]

I just replaced mine last month. I've R & R my engine 4 times for various reasons. One time I lifted the engine up lowered the pan to replace the oil pump. I couldn't get the pan out but it was just enough o replace the pump. The best way to do it is to pull the engine & transmission together then remove the transmission & put the engine on a engine stand. Then it's easy. I've used the one piece rubber gasket & the 4 piece cork. I like the cork better. You have stuff to disconnect but it's not too bad. Have good strong chains & it's a 4 hour job by yourself. Don't forget to disconnect the starter cable from the block & starter and pull the rad. Take your time

[MikeFleming]

Once the bellhousing is out, the pan will easily slide out with the engine in place. So if pulling the gearbox and bell is easier than pulling the engine, ... definitely fewer fluids involved.

[SVOJames]

My grey car is down, gearbox and bellhousing are removed for a clutch replacement. Current 4 piece oil pan gasket leaks at multiple place. What is the "best" gasket to use if I don't want to pull the engine?

[MikeFleming]

If it currently has the 4-piece viton/cork (iow a real SVO-era block with the grooved humps), then it must be replaced with the 4-piece viton/cork set. The one-piece unit is not gonna properly fit the earlier block and front seal cover as was used in the SVO era.

I use the Felpro 4-piece set and smoosh a smidgeon of oxygen-sensor-safe silicone goop into the corners where the cork and hump pieces meet. I'm sure I have some pics somewhere.

[stockman1]

thanks but I am a weenie and I am taking it to a shop tomorrow to get the pan sealed. I did reseal the valve cover after powder coating.

[bluemax]

They turned out great! ;)

[Chalky]

When Laredo and I built the new motor for Blackie many moons ago, we filled the grooves on the caps and used a one piece gasket. Worked a treat. 'course the engine was on a stand and I can't remember what we filled it with, but it worked:):)

[stockman1]

They turned out great! ;)yeah, thanks Matt wheels next!!

[SVOJames]

Once the bellhousing is out, the pan will easily slide out with the engine in place. So if pulling the gearbox and bell is easier than pulling the engine, ... definitely fewer fluids involved.

Weather finally got decent here, got a chance to work on the Grey car. Gearbox, etc., is pulled. Oil pan is not easily removed, possibly the gasket can be replaced without removing the oil pan, possibly I'm missing something (does the crank need to be rotated?). Neighbor/wrencher suggested unbolting an engine mount and jacking up one side of the motor. MS B springs on the car so it sits about an inch lower.
What am I doing wrong?

[MikeFleming]

Bellhousing off?

No rotaing of crank - that's completely out of the way.

I would hesitate to attempt to replace the gasket pieces without getting the pan entirely out. There will be LOTS of oil dripping down over the gasket surfaces [and in your face!] that needs to be dried away. Best to do this in an enclosed garage on a calm (non-windy) day.

[grntRUDD13]

It can be done without removing the engine, but it's not easy, quick, or clean. You will have to unbolt the motor mounts, and the motor struts. I had the radiator drained and disconnected at the time anyways, so no idea if that's necessary or not. You do have to take your time and make sure everything is clean. The oil pump sticks down, and getting the gasket around it seemed to be the hardest, and messiest part. After doing it with the engine in the car and also out, it is way easier with the engine out, no comparison. At the time I didn't have room to take the engine out, which is why I did it with the engine in.

[SVOJames]

Bellhousing off?

Yep, Bellhousing off. We can only slide the pan towards the rear of the car about half an inch until it appears it hangs on something. If it's not the crank, could it be the distributor? Or do I just need to use a little more force? My helper doubts we can do it with the gearbox, bellhousing, etc, out of the way, but I say if the Proffesor says it, it has to be true. :)

[MikeFleming]

Probably hanging on the oil pump (dist side). Take the lower nut off the left side motor mount and lift the engine slightly on that side. Lever it or use a hook from above. Then stuff some wooden blocks in there (between the bottom of the mount and the top of the k-frame flat part) to support it before installing precious things like hands and arms.

I have some trimmed 2x4's in the server room measuring 1U, 2U & 3U on the three dimensions. Useful for removing things from the racks while holding upper stuff in place. This project made me thing of that. I have a bunch of 2x4 chunks around the shop to install between the jack lift plate and whatever I;'m lifting.

[SVOJames]

Finally got the pan out, I want to verify that the 4 piece gasket that was used is correct, so I'm posting a couple of pictures. One of the front and one of the back (of the block).

[MikeFleming]

If the front cover hump and rear main cap have humps like this pic (Iirc all pre-1988 blocks), then it uses the 4 piece cork/viton gasket set.
8231

[SVOJames]

Oil pan gasket is replaced, we had to un-bolt the driver side motor mount and mini-shock, wedged a piece of wood a little over an inch thick between cross arm and motor mount, and it was easy to remove & replace. Turbo was also removed at this point, so radiator was drained. Considering what I now know, I would have pulled the engine.

[grntRUDD13]

Considering what I now know, I would have pulled the engine.

That was the conclusion I came to.

[SVOJames]

That was the conclusion I came to.

It might have been "more helpful" if you had posted this earlier, I was just giving giving feedback on how to do an oil-pan replacement with the engine in place.

[Under Pressure]

I just replaced mine last month. I've R & R my engine 4 times for various reasons. One time I lifted the engine up lowered the pan to replace the oil pump. I couldn't get the pan out but it was just enough o replace the pump. The best way to do it is to pull the engine & transmission together then remove the transmission & put the engine on a engine stand. Then it's easy. I've used the one piece rubber gasket & the 4 piece cork. I like the cork better. You have stuff to disconnect but it's not too bad. Have good strong chains & it's a 4 hour job by yourself. Don't forget to disconnect the starter cable from the block & starter and pull the rad. Take your time I guess you miss this one.

[SVOJames]

No, I did not miss that. My specific question was about replacing the oil pan gasket with the engine in car, but with the gearbox/bell--housing removed and I also specified the 4 piece gasket. ��

[scenario]

Just a heads up, I am in the process of doing this with the engine in the car. The bellhousing and transmission are off the car.

First off, if you have a lift and a few swivel jacks then the job is pretty easy and straight forward with the engine in the car.

You only need to unbolt both motor mounts the (big nut on each) and both mini engine shocks. At this point you just jack the engine up until there is enough clearance to remove the oil pan. That is it.
This could be done on jack stands as well but the issue there would be the "finessing" of the jacks etc...to lift the motor and getting all in place to remove the pan. It would be challenging at that point like others said in this thread.

Like I said, if you have a lift and you have the transmission out anyway then I would do it with the engine in the car and not pull the engine. That is my .02 and just sharing my experience of how difficult I found the job. Good luck to all wrench turners no matter how you tackle the job...

BOTH ways are the right way