Hey guys, I have a 96 limited that has a pretty bad oil leak that is coming from either the area of the oil pan that is close to the inspection cover or the rms. I am wondering if you can change the oil pan seal without removing the front dif? Can you unbolt the mounts and raise the engine to get enough clearance? Any help is appreciated.
Easiest way to remove oil pan?
- Thread starter cardana24
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Singtoe
New member
Thed easiest thing to do, especially if you don't know where the leak is coming from is to pull the motor and re-seal everything.
You could have the motor out in 2 hours, change the oil pan gasket, rear main seal, timing belt, water pump, front seal, cam seals and valve cover gaskets.
Doing a timing belt with the motor out would take minutes.
Preasure wash the engine bay to clean up the sludgy oil residue.
Chk motor mounts (oil on motor mounts can deteriorate them).
You could have the motor out in 2 hours, change the oil pan gasket, rear main seal, timing belt, water pump, front seal, cam seals and valve cover gaskets.
Doing a timing belt with the motor out would take minutes.
Preasure wash the engine bay to clean up the sludgy oil residue.
Chk motor mounts (oil on motor mounts can deteriorate them).
I had to pull the front diff to get my oil pan off. I dont know about raising the engine, but there is not a lot to gain from that (transmission hits pretty quickly).
It took a few hours to pull the diff. Once the diff is out it is pretty easy to get to the pan. But still would not get to the rms.
I'm voting x2 on pulling engine, do all the seals and be done with it.
It took a few hours to pull the diff. Once the diff is out it is pretty easy to get to the pan. But still would not get to the rms.
I'm voting x2 on pulling engine, do all the seals and be done with it.
Okay, thanks for the advice. My engine has about 300k on it so I was trying to get by with minimum stuff. What tricks are there to pulling the engine that quickly? I have pulled lots of engines but I have never pulled one in two hours? Anyone know the timing belt interval on the 3.4? Mine has about 80k and 8 years on it
audiness
Senior Member
do you pull the motor with the trans connected or leave the trans in the truck?
tee-bone
New member
Don't take this wrong - from what I've seen of your work I totally believe you could do it in around two hours.
I just wanted to say that I would love to see a time-lapse movie of that. Hell, if I lived locally, I think I'd bring cameras, do the editing, and even offer up my rig as the demo.
That would be awesome.
Rudy97
New member
I'll film it if you do it to mine Singtoe lol
LittleCaesar
New member
I'd bet Dous would vouch that Singtoe could do it. Two hours would be cutting it close but my horse track money would be on that he could get it done.
Doc2012
Senior Member
Two hours to pull an engine is nothing.
Take the bolts off the tranny, take the bolts out of the torque converter, start disconnecting the vacuum lines, electrical; pull the bolts for the motor mounts, and then lift the engine out.
Let's do the time lapse of the idea. It could be fun.
Take the bolts off the tranny, take the bolts out of the torque converter, start disconnecting the vacuum lines, electrical; pull the bolts for the motor mounts, and then lift the engine out.
Let's do the time lapse of the idea. It could be fun.
Singtoe
New member
2 hours is conservative.
10 minutes to drain antifreeze and remove the radiator.
15 minutes to remove the air filter housing, MAF, intake hose, vacuum hoses, disconnect fuel line, throttle and trans cables.
10 minutes to disconnect the power steering pump
10 minutes to unmount the the ac compressor and put to the side.
10 minutes to unhook engine wire harness from the ECM and snake it through the fire wall.
15 minutes the unfasten the 6 bolts the connect the down pipe to the exhaust manifold.
15 minutes to remove the torgue converter bolts
15 minutes to remove the engine transmission bell housing bolts
15 minutes to remove the engine mount bolts. (only 4 8mm bolts)
5 minutes to pull engine out with a engine hoist.
Mind you that this doesn't take an account for cigarette breaks, piss breaks, lost tools, ant attacks, or any excessively rusted bolts.
10 minutes to drain antifreeze and remove the radiator.
15 minutes to remove the air filter housing, MAF, intake hose, vacuum hoses, disconnect fuel line, throttle and trans cables.
10 minutes to disconnect the power steering pump
10 minutes to unmount the the ac compressor and put to the side.
10 minutes to unhook engine wire harness from the ECM and snake it through the fire wall.
15 minutes the unfasten the 6 bolts the connect the down pipe to the exhaust manifold.
15 minutes to remove the torgue converter bolts
15 minutes to remove the engine transmission bell housing bolts
15 minutes to remove the engine mount bolts. (only 4 8mm bolts)
5 minutes to pull engine out with a engine hoist.
Mind you that this doesn't take an account for cigarette breaks, piss breaks, lost tools, ant attacks, or any excessively rusted bolts.
White 4x4runner
New member
Ever drop a motor in pic an pull? Best ive done was about 45 minutes to drop one from a Volvo but i also had half price that day and got to the yard at about 330 when they closed at 5.
Okay guys, I decided to pull the engine, it did not take two hours:wtf: hahahah. Anyway, I am not done taking the engine out. I have most everything un hooked but I am having trouble getting the top two bolts on the transmission. I am wondering if there is a way of getting them out with out taking off the cross over pipe, that runs over top of the transmission. I am worried that all of the nuts will not come off well...that's why I am asking. Thanks for any help
You did both of these with leaving the exhaust cross over pipe attached? I tried going in from the wheel well area, but I did not have any luck. If I take the cross over pipe out I don't think it will be hard to get those last two bolts, I am just worried that I will round one or more of the nuts off...the engine has about 300k and I am pretty sure the cross over has never been taken off.
Doc2012
Senior Member
Drop the trans crossmember. That will make trans drop. Pull the rear shaft, this will make it easier.
Go from the BACK of the transmission with some LONG extensions.
You can see the two bolts you're looking for. Just go for them.
Thanks for the help guys. I was able to lower the crossmember to get access to the two top bolts. I got the engine out and I did the following while I had it out : rear main seal, oil pan seal, front main seal, both cam seals, both oil cooler seals, valve cover gaskets, timing belt, water pump, trans filter and pan seal, and I installed any aftermarket trans cooler. I finished everything up last weekend and so far so good. I am still going to give it another week or so before I claim a victory.
blackrunner17
New member
quick tip
Bringing this back from the dead, but this thread helped me get some ideas about swapping my oil pan out.
Remove the passenger side arm from the diff, it's just two 19mm bolts if memory serves me correctly and its a hell of a lot easier to wrangle the diff out of its position (doesn't get caught up on oil pan as easily) and just have a hydraulic jack ready for it if you're by yourself. Diff is pretty heavy. But it goes back in way easier this way too.
Good luck to anyone in the future!
Bringing this back from the dead, but this thread helped me get some ideas about swapping my oil pan out.
Remove the passenger side arm from the diff, it's just two 19mm bolts if memory serves me correctly and its a hell of a lot easier to wrangle the diff out of its position (doesn't get caught up on oil pan as easily) and just have a hydraulic jack ready for it if you're by yourself. Diff is pretty heavy. But it goes back in way easier this way too.
Good luck to anyone in the future!
jreynolds74
New member
Oil Pan torque specs
Anybody know the amount of torque to apply to the oil pan bolts?
Anybody know the amount of torque to apply to the oil pan bolts?
