As I put in the title, I am starting on my upper oil pan removal so I can redo the rear main seal. Does anyone have a walkthrough for this? I get the basics, engine bar on top (although I am not sure where the engine hoist points are on this car), take off cradle, disconnect engine mounts, lift engine a few inches, get to pan. But, that's just an overview, so it would be nice and save me some time if there is a good walkthrough. So far, all the videos I've seen on youtube are pretty bad, most show after it's done, or don't focus on which bolts to remove, or simply are off camera so I don't know what they did, so that's why I am hoping someone has a nice little walkthrough.

Appreciate any documents or videos. Starting on this today.

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Nevermind, looks like the zspeed video is what I needed:

Posting here for others since I didn't see it specifically called in the forum message when I was looking.

 

I might have some references from when I did mine.

But it involved disconnecting the control arms and the steering rack from the motor brace (kmember for us Ford folks) and totally removing it. Irc the arms get supported and rack can just hang. The starter get pulled, etc.

That way it is easier to get at the pan.

The pan can then be pryed out with a BFS FLAT HEAD from the back of the pan. You will see the slot to pry on. No pounding is needed.

I will look at my computer notes.
There is a forum thread or youtube video somewhere showing this procedure. There is another one with pictures.

 

Thanks,

Yes, I see now. I've got the the first "kmember" out, now working on the final "cradle". I see that I need to disconnect the lower control arms. Got stuck with the last kmember bolt, had to go get a 6 foot pipe to assist in breaking it free, it was so tight and rusted on there. But that's out, this evening I can work on it again and get the steering rack loosened as well and then hopefully hopefully get that pan out. While there I will check for other leaks from old hoses and replace those while I am at it.

 

So tonight I got the cradles and crossmember completely off, the lower control arms and swaybar disconnected, oil filter and cooler off, got the lower oil pan off, I believe I have the 5 bolts out from inside the lower pan that connect to the upper pan, got the steering loose, now I am verifying how many bolts there are on the upper pan. I got the two very back long bolts, then 6 bolts on the sides. I don't see any in the front, but I will look again. Looks like I have to take off the accessories that are attached to the front of the pan, which I will attack tomorrow, and the I think it can come off without issue.

So far , inside it looks like the previous people didn't always change the oil regularly, it seems to have some varnish on it. But nothing broken, and I don't see any metal in the pan.

So, progress.

 

Toward the back of the pan, between it and the bell, you will see a slot for a BFS. The pan should just pry off, provided only gasket maker was used previously. I presume it is OEM at this point.

I had to keep my rack on the brace. The rack bolt was tight.
I had to wedge the brace between two cypress trees and use a 4+ foot pipe with a 1/2 inch breaker bar to break it free.

Also the oil pan will have witness lines from the mold. It may look like cracks or fractures.. It is probably not cracked. I bought a new pan for no good reason. If your pan is actually cracked, I have one on my porch.

I would do the rubber steering lines while in there, especially the feeds to the reservoir that go up into the passenger side.
I just used ps hose...but it needs to be tie wrapped snug especially by the belt, as it is not shaped like the OEM.

 

Yes, if anything looks old and dried rubber, I will probably replace. It looks like someone may have already done the PS lines, they look fine. But I do see other lines that might be wet so I will change.

Today I will just work on getting all the little accessories off the front of it. Then maybe remove it if I have time, otherwise tomorrow.

 

Well, a successful evening. I got the front accessory bolts disconnected from the front of the pan, and the upper pan tapped right out with a rubber mallet.

Now to clean it up, and get the replacement gaskets on it tomorrow.

 

To me, tremendous progress made. I got the upper pan cleaned up, new gaskets in place. I probably did it differently from other people. I took the front and rear gasket, and used The Right Stuff, and stuck them into place in the engine. Then I put the upper pan into approximate space beneath the engine, got it all covered in sealant, and stuck it up there. I went round and round slowly tightening, according to the manual,starting in the center bolts and go around and around until they were at the correct torque settings (I think it was 108 inch pounds), the did the lower pan, sealing it and tightening to about 80 inch pounds. Letting it seal up for the night.

Tomorrow I guess i will start putting the cradle back on and the steering rack in place. However, I still need to break free the motor mounts, one is obviously broken, I can bend it with my hand. the other is soft, but I will replace both sides. I also see the oil cooler hoses are very soft, so I will be ordering replacements for those, I don't need those bursting on me in the summer.

 

There is an oil cooler seal you might want to replace as well.

 

I looked at the seal, it seems ok, I've left it alone, it wasn't leaking. I got one motor mount off, completely broken off the top, I'm glad I am replacing, that thing wasn't doing anything!

Still struggling with the other side motor mount, it's very tight getting in there, the exhaust manifold is so close to the to of the bolt of the motor mount I can't get my wrench in there. I'll have to figure out something.

Found more clamps that were not done correctly or were actually broken, little stuff like this is why I am glad to be under this thing looking, I wouldn't have spotted that easily otherwise.

 

Found a tool thqt might be easier for taking off the motor mounts. Called a torque adapter. They seem to sell them in kits but was hoping someone might have seen a 14mm one alone somewhere. The set is like $200 and i only need the 14mm.

 

Well, it seems that taking off the passenger side motor mount is easiest if you simply take off the motor mount mount that attaches to the block, 4 14mm bolts and the whole thing drops out easily.
Got my motormounts now on, and the cradle is back in place. Today I hope to reattach the spindles to the cradle. Getting closer every day to finishing.

 

Holy cow I am still dealing with this problem, oil leak upper pan. No one will work on it. I had an idea? Call a transmission shop? Ask them to drop the panny and do upper oil pan?

My car is 159k, always dealer serviced. Runs great, even with this problem. Just drops oil on my landlords cememnt. Big problem. Pleae advise.

I should add, no shops I contact will do it, I already got played by another for 900, and m mechanic friend says what they all say, buy a new motor....to replace an oil pan /gasket. Sigh. THank you.